The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1885-12-04
CARRIST'ON'S GIFT.
The Story OF an Occult and Mys-
FERROUS Power.
<The Danger to Which Its Posseosof Was
Subject. and How It Was Used 70
Dlscuver the Lost-Evil AInchl.
nations Thwarted.
by Hugh Conrap, Asthor Of "Dar;s Dogs. "
''Cdned Back," etc.
PART L-CoNrINuED.

PART L-CoNrINuED.
..You are too ridiculous, Carriston,
i said. ''Some people see " hat other
~sdon't, because they have longer sight
You may. of course, imagine anything
But your eyes-handsome eyes the,
are, too contain certain properties
known as humors and lenses, therefor,
in order to see"
''Yes, yes" interrupted Carriston; 9.
know exactly all you are going to say
You. man of science, ridicule every
thing which breaks what you ar,
pleased to call the law of Nature. Ye
take all the unaccountable tales told.
Nine hundred and ninety mine you ex
pose to scorn or throw grave doubt.
upon, yet the thousandth rests on evi
-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 YOU
argument" / said, amused at the BOYS
wild talk.
s'You DOCTORS" he continued, with
that delicious air of superiority so often
assumed by laymen when they are in
good health, put too much to the
credit of diseased Imagination.
NO doubt; it's a convenient shelf on
which to put a difficulty. But go on. -
''T'he body is your province. vet you
cant explain why cataleptic patient
should hear watch tick when it is
placed against his FOOT
''Nor you; nor any one. But per-
ihaps it may aid you TO get rid of your
publishing theories if l 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 yourseli?n
'.Nothing, tell you. And pray l
may never see anything"
After this he seemed inclined to shirk
the subject, but pinned him to it.
was really anxious to get at the true
state of his mind. In answer to the lead
ing questions with which l piled him,
CARLTON revealed an amount of super
stition which seemed utterly childish
and ont 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 was not altogether amused by
ahis talk. His wild arguments and
wilder beliefs made me fancy there
must be q weak spot somewhere in bis
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, 1
reckoned Carriston the pleasantest
friend l had ever made. His amiable
nature. his good looks and perfect
breeding had endeared the young man
to me; 50 much SO that l resolved,
during the remainder of the time we
should spend together, to do all l could
toward talking the nonsense out of him.
My effoit were unayailing. 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 hu-
man nature was too firmly rooted to be
On all other subjects he
argued fairly and was open to reason.
On this one point he was immovab!e
When l could get him to notice my at
tacks at all, his answer was:
lyon doctors, clever rs YOU are with
the body, know us little of psychology
as Won did three thousand years AGO"
When the time came for me- to fold
up my easel and return 10 the drudgery
of lie, i 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 l went back
to London. and during the subsequent
months, although Isaw nothing of him,
1 often thought OF my friend of the
autumn.
Ill.
In the spring of 1865 1 went down to
Rournemouth, 10 see for the hast time
IN 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 intcrchanging some small: civili-
ties, such as the barter of newspapers,
slid into conversation.
My fel.ow-traveler seemed to be an
man, and web posted up in
the doings of the day. He talked
fiuently aud easily on various topics,
and judging by his talk must have
moved in good society. Although l
70 n oft,v h.,. IS
living and dissipation, he was not I'M
in appearance. The
greatest faults in his face were the re-
markable thinneSs of the lips, and
his eyes being shade closer to-
gether than one cares to see. With q
casual acquaintance such peculiarities
are OF little mument, but for nv part l |
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 |
ease which was now being tried. The |
reyersion to vast sum of money de- |
pended upon the tesiator sanity or in
sanity: Like most other people, we
duly discussed The matter. l suppose.
rom some OF my remarks, my compan-
ion understood that WIS a doctor. lie
asked me good many technical ques-
Sions. and ] described several curious
cases OF mania which had come r.nder
ny notice. He seemed greatly inter-
ested IN the subject
You must sometimes find Il hard to !
say where sanity ends and insanity be-
gins: ne said. thoughtfu'ly.
Yes. The boundary line is in some
Instances hard to deinc. To give in
uch dubious case an opinion which
would satisfy myself should want to
nave known the patient at the time he
vas considered quite sane"