The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1885-12-03
CARRISTON'S GIFT.
The Story of an Occult and Mys-
terious Power.
The Danger to Which It's Possessor Was
Subject. and How 1t Was Used to
Discover the Lost-Eyil Machi-
nations Thwarted.
By Hugh ConUay, Author Of "D1rfs Days. -
"Cdlled Back" etc.
PART I-CONTINUED.

''You are too ridiculous, Carriston, "
! said. ''Some people see V hat others
don't, because they have longer sight.
You may, Of course, imagine anything.
But your eyes-handsome eyes they
are, too-contain certain properties,
known as humors and lenses, therefore
in order TO see"
''Ycs, yes" interrupted Carriston; u
know exactly all you are going to say.
You, man of science, rdicule every
thing which breaks what you are
pleased to call the law of Nature. Yet
take all the unaccountable tales told.
Nine hundred and ninety-nine you ex-
pose to scOrn or throw grave doubts
upon, vet the thOusandth rests on evil
dence which can not be upset or dis
puted. The possibility of that one
proves the possibility Of all. -
Not at all: but enough for your
argument, said, amused at the boys
wild talk
"You DOCTORS" he continued. with
that delicious air of superiority so often
assumed by laymen when they are in
SCOA a. fe4tAAS HNtN wv mum W blAC
credit of diseased imagination.
mo doubt; it's convenient shelf on
which to put difficulty. But 90 on. =
'The body is your province, Yet you
can't explain why a cataleptic patient
should hear a watch tick when it is
placed against his foot. e"
''Nor you; nor any one. But per-
haps it may aid You 10 get rid of your
publishing theories if [ tell you that
catalepsy, as you understand it, is a
disease not known to us; in fact, it does
not exist"
He seemed crest-fallen at hearing
this. But what do you want to
prove?" l asked. what have you
seen YOURSELF"
Nothing, L tell you. And 1 pray
may never see anything"
After tn s he seemed inclined to shirk
the subject, but L pinned him to it. l
was really anxious to get at the true
state of his mind. In answer to the lead
ing questions with which | piled him,
Carrston revealed an amount of super
stitiOn which seemed utterly childish
and out of place beside the intellectual
faculties which he undoubtedly pos
sessed. So much so, that at last felt
more inclined to laugh than to argue
with him.
Yet l was not altogether amused by
his talk. His wild arguments and
wilder beliefs made me fancy there
must be a weak spot somewhere in his
brain-even made me fear lest his end
might be madness. The thought made
me sad; for, with the exception of the
eccentricities which l have mentioned, l
reckoned Carriston the pleasantest
friend l had ever made His amiable
nature, bis good looks and perfect
breeding had endeared the young man
to me; so much so that L resolved,
during the remainder of the time we
should spend together, to DO all | could
toward talking the nonsense out of him.
My efloIts were unay ailing. | kept a
sharp lookout upon him, and let him
fall into no more mysterious reveries;
but the curious idea that he possessed,
or could possess some Gift above hui
man nature was too firmly rooted to be
displaced. On all other subjects h
argued fairly and was open to reason.
On this one point he was immovable.
When l could get him to notice my at
tackS at all, his answer was:
''YOu doctors, clever as YOU are with
the body, know as little of psychology
as YOU did three thousand wears AGO"
When the time came for me- to fold
up my eas ] and return to the drudgerv
of life. l parted from Carriston with
much regret. Cne of those solemn. but
often broken, promises 10 Join together
next wear in another sketching tour
passed between us. Then | went back
to London, and during the subsequent
months, although saw nothing of him,
l often thought of my friend of the
autumn.
In the spring of 1865 went down 10
Bournemouth, to see for the last time
an old friend who was dying of con-
sumption. During a great part of the
journey down | had for a travelling
companion a well-dressed, gentlemanly
man of about forty years of age. We
were alone in the compartment, and
after integchanging some small civil
ties, such as the barter of newspapers,
slid into conversation.
NV fellow traveller seemed to be an
intellectual man, and well posted up in
the doings of the day. He talked
fiuently and easily on various topics,
and Judging by his talk must have
moved in good society. Although /
fancied his features bore traces of hard
living and dissipation, he was not I'M
prepossesSing in appearance The
greatest faults in his face were the re-
markable thinneSs of the lips, and
his eyes being shade closer to-
trafhar tboa fo With
casual acquaintance such peculiaritieS
are of little mument, but for my part |
should not choose one who possessed
them for friend without due trial and
searching proof.
AT this time the English public were
much interested in an important will
case which was now being tried. The
reverslon TO vast sum of money de-
pended upon the testator's sanity or in-
sanity. Like most other people. we
duly discussed the matter. | suppose.
from some of my remarks, my compan-
ion understood that was a doctor. He
asked me good many technical cues
tons, and l described several curious
cases of mania which had come under
my notice. He seemed greatly inter-
ested in the subject
"You must sometimes find it hard to
say where sanity ends and insanity be-
gins" he said, thoughtfully.
Yes. The boundary line IS in some
Instances hard to define. To give in
such dubious case an opinion which
would satisfy myself should want to
nave known the patient at the time he
was considered quite sane"
g. IT,