Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1883-04-20
A Kentucky Treasure.

A Kentucky Treasure.
The Central University 1T Richmond
Ky, is congratulating herself on the ac.
QUESTION of very valuable photograph.
cal treasure-a copy of the 1890 edition
of Anselm's works, and sscontainino
copious extracts from the former letters
of Paracelsus, giving the personal de.
scription of the Virgin Mary and her
son, Jesus Christ" as the Louisville
Courier-Jouraal puts it. The book was
the property of the late DR.. r. w. Ian.
dis. of Danville, KY, and the manner
in which it came into his possession is
another of the romances of bibliomania.
In October, 1889, he was rummagino
over the old stock of a secondhand
dealer in Seventh Street, near Market.
Philadelphia, and in turning over par
ticularly yellow and musty lot he came
to this. II could almost hear nv heart
beat" he wrote. $50 excited was by
the discovery, and it was with difficulty
that could control myself to ask the
bookseller to let me carry it home with
me and bring the money back for it. /
never rested until the precious volume
was safely locked in my room and the
small sum was paid" ls'' '''ii IS ~lei
DIR. Lands subsequently made his
''find' known, and there was for time
considerable controversy about its gem
uineness. The copy bore no date, but
was evidently. published before 1894, for
in that year Anselm was canonized, and
on the title-page he is not spoken of as
a saint. The British Museum made a
standing offer of $1,000 for it, but the
owner held it to be worth much more,
and in his will he left it to the Universe
ty, which is a Presbyterian institution,
organized within the past ten years. 1t
is small folio of about three hundred
pages, bound in vellum, yellow with
age, but with the fiamboyant tracerv
still perfectly defined. Its medieval
Latin abouhds in authorizations, and it is
evidently almost literal transcript of
an original manuscript. 1t appears to
have belonged to some German monas-
terry, but it gives no clue itself as to the
adventures it must have had before if
turned up in the Philadelphia second
hand store.
A Courier-Journat reporter who was
sent to interview it appears to have had
enough knowledge of Latin and block
letter and all that to make a summary OF
what Paracelsus' letter has to say about
the history and appearance of the Virgin
Mary. This information is thus impaired
to the readers OF the paper as the result
of the reporters two hours labors at
deciphering the unfamiliar type: "Mary,
the mother of God, learned Hebrew
while her father. Joachim, was still
living. She was docile, fond of learning
and persevering about Holy Scripture.
The work of her hands was wool, linen
and silk. There was distinct place in
the house of the Lord, in His temple,
next the affairs. There holy virgins used
to stand, and when the divine offices
were discharged they all would 90 home.
Mary alone would persevere, and guard
the affairs and the temple, ministering tc
the priests. Her manner was moderate
in speech, of prompt obedience, without
audacity, without laughter, without
furry, without anger. She saluteC
kindly. Men wondered at her eloquence
She had dark eyes, a right aspect, black
eyebrows, a moderate nose. Her face
hands and fingers were long, her statur,
middling. She was constant in prayer
She gave herself to reading, to fasting
to manual labors and to every good ant
virtuous occupation. When, she wa
taken up into Heaven she was seventy
two years old, by the following occupa
ton: Seven years she was educate,
with her parents, and seven years and
half she ministered in the temple of tn,
Lord; she was in the house of Joseph 81.
months. In her fourteenth year the iov
of all ages was announced to her; in he
fifteenth year she brought forth Chris
and lived with him thirty-three years al
a parent. After the Lords ascension
she was in the home of John the Evan
gelist just twenty-four years"
Her sonis described as of medium siz,
and comedy in his personal appearance
He had venerable countenance, which
the beholders could both love and fear
He had hair of the color of an unrip,
filbert and even lying almost to his ears
but from his ears, waving curly, ittl'
darker and more glossy floating on hi
shoulders. His hair was parted in TIN
middle, according to the custom of tn
Nazarenes; his forehead smooth ant
most serene, with face without
wrinkle or spot, of a moderate and beau
tiful ruddiness. His nose and his mouth
were faultless. He had a copious. ant
youthful beard, parted in the middle
He had an aspect simple and mature
His eyes were bluish-gray, lively AM
bright. In rebuke, he was terrible; il
admonition, gentle and lovely; cheerful
though maintaining his gravity. H
was never seen to laugh, but often t.
weep"
1t is pity that so great treasur
should be buried in SO out-of-the-wa,
cor Ter of the world as Richmond, Ky
Ths authorities of the College, whicl
now owns it place its money value a
| S25, 200, but they would perhaps take
triAe less.-N Y. Graphic. .,
How Mark Twain Was Sold.