Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1876-04-20
Jewish Times.
Swapping Souls.

An INGENIOUS STORY FOR THE CREDCLoUs.
\ Hungarian Journal copies from the
Medical Weekly Journal Of 81. Petersburg.
periodical devoted TO medical and
psychological science, the folowin. strange
story
Orcnburg j. a town of European Russia,
situated In the Ursl mountains, near the
Asiatic border. About a year ago Ab-u-
ham thorkey wealthy Jewish iuha ahita,.t
OF that town, was lying dangerously sick
with typho id fever. On the 22d day of
September, AZ midnight, a crisis set in
which seemed TO take a fatal course; the
man suffered and struggled, and his ply
sicians called ii the agouies of death. A
numbcr of Jews were called in, prayers
were offered. wax candles lit and behold,
the patient, who was bought to be in the
last stages. commenced TO breathe freely,
opened his eyes, and looked with astonl,h.
ment at the surrounding scene. Well, this
has happened before. Many in whom life
was thought 10 be extinct rallied again aud
recovered their health. But the sequel has
no precedent. The man soon after fell in
to sleep which the physician declared 10
be healthy one. In the morning he awo oke
saw wife and children around him who
partly in anguish and partly in joy were
waiting for his awakening. His wife. over
whelmed with joy, wanted TO throw her
self upon his neck, but by signs he repel-
led her, and demanded something in lam
guage which none of them understood.
Ii should be mentioned here that Abra-
ham Chorkov is man Of sallow appear
| ance, tall aud lean, looking like genuine
Russian Jew,with long black whiskers and
beard, black eyes and long oriental nose,
and that before his sickness he understood
no other languages than HebI ew and a it
Russian, being one Of those illterate Jews
! found IN such large number in that part OF
the world. Now the man began TO speak
in a language unintelligible to every one
around him. The physician who was sum
moned did not understand him. With con-
tempt he pushed away his wife and chill
| drcn whenever they attempted to come
near him, and the doctor gave il as his
opinion that in consequence OF the typhus
| the fellow had become insane. The de-
spair Of the family lasted for many days.
His wife had In the meantime sent 10 Tam
/ boy for his parents, but on their arrival
Abraham would not recognize them, did
| not understand their language, and ap.
| peared TO be angry that no one understood
| him. After a week he rose from the bed
his wife gave him his clothes as worn by
| him before his sickness, the usual habits
OF the Russian Jews; he EXAMINED them
closely and laughed heartily. He wanted
to run out, but his people quickly shut the
doors, fearing he would catch cold. He
remained in the room pacing it with medi.
tation. Passing a looking glass, he beheld
his figure in it /; he stopped before the mir
ror amazed. touched his curls, his big nose,
| his long beard, and burst out laughing but
then. all of sudden, became quiet and
earnest, and in deep meditation. His wife
and parents, who had Witnessed this strange
behaviour, looked at each other with AS
| tonishmeut, and 1t now app ared TO them
| that the man before them Was not their
| Abraham ChOrk0y, out stranger. But
| Abraham's forehead bore still the black
| line with which he was born. 80 that even
the pky sician who had attended on the pa
tient for nearly two months, had to laugh
at the idea. Abraham Chorkey locked Of
| ten out OF the window and seemed sur
prised at the country about him, and one
day he made strong efforts to run away.
/ The family now decided to call in the gov
ernment physician and other doctors, who
after Il careful examination pronounced
him thoroughly sane. Although they did
underStand the tongue in which he spoke,
they recognized il As a regular language,
well articulated. Thinking that he could
make himself understood in writing. Abra-
| ham wrote few lines on a piece of paper
which the physician read, but without com
pretending their meaning. The writing
was in plain, good hand, in Latin letters,
but the language was uninteilisible to all
and no one could make out how Abraham
Chorkey came to use Latin characters.
So things went on until 1t was agreed to
take Abraham to St. Petersburg to the
medical university. to hear the opinion o
the prOminen: scholars. AS soon as pro-
fessor Orlow heard the language OF Abra
ham he recognized it forthwith as English
Abraham expressed immense pleasure al
being enabled to make himself understood
after sOIUe conversation Professor Oriow
pronounced Abraham to be u very intelii-
gent Engiishman.
But for GODS sake!" cried his wife
.'hOw does my husband come to The Eng
lsh, aud how did he forget his Hebrew
langlhge?'
Professor Orlow listened with astonish
ment to the story Of Abraham's life, ant
would not believe that he had been q cen,
mon. illiterate Russian Jew. He aske'
Abraham in English who he was ant
whence he came, and Abraham replied il