The weekly Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 1882-188?, 1888-03-01

Ramsay, Habcrsho1 and myself were
al students together in Philadelphia.
We were in the same classes in college
and jointly occupied the same suite OF
rooms. Furthermore We were all max
ing specially of studying the human
materially differed from each other was
that Ramsay knew more than we two
fellows together.
True, Ramsay was, in regard to his
theories and speculations, what many
people would call a "crank"-but then
successful cranks arc esteemed to be
gcnuses, and certainly Ramsay was, in
my Judgment quite as near the one as
| the other
! We three fellows all fttel in the
same social set, and although both Ram
say and Habershon knew good and
beautiful girls by the score, tie fates
! dccreed that they should fall in love
with the same young lady. And yet,
strange enough, they never displayed
bad feeling toward each other, nor ever
sought to make the lady's position an
unpleasant one on account of the rivalry.
! 1t seemed to me, an onlooker, as though
! there was a tacit understanding between
them, that no undue influence should be
brought into play, but that, knowing
how both loved and admired her, the
| object of their admiration and estee m
should be left quietly to choose between
! them.
! Grace Thorncy croft was a most beau
tlful and estimable girl and, though 1
have been an old bachelor all my days,
do not wonder that any man should
have sought her for his wife.
One day Grace, with her father,
mother and brother, were down to
Atlantic City, where they took a sail
boat and went out. A sudden squall
overtaking them the frail pleasure boat
was upset and Grace was the only men,
Der of the party who escaped with her
life. She was picked up in fainting
condition and teuderly cared for, but
"r.stsSf<A,sS' osr, pr.J ~ YVES 4o.4su
that her mind was shattered-she was
| insane. All that wealth, combined with
skill, could do was done for Grace, but
it availed nothing aud the physicians
and friends at last gave up the case as
hopeless. Hlber5hon was himself al
most crazy with grief and could not
bear to 60 near the poor girl. AS for
Ramsay, he shut himself up in his den
"A small, barely furnished room where
he was in the habit of pursuing his
studies and experiments. There was a
determined expression on the fellows
face and when 1 looked in on him
(Which was SELDOM he was always busy
with his papers and books-sometimes
engaged in dissecting the brains of dogs
and other animals, and once examining
a human brain.
He seldom spoke or even so much as
remarked my presence, though once he
said in an excited tone: 81 shall cure
her, Hartly-it shall be done at any
cost"
So for days and weeks he sat over
that bare pine table gazing at the skull
in front of him-ever aud anon rapidly
pcnciling diagrams of the human brain
and of tho nervous system.
Late one evening I was sitting with
IIabershon when there came rap at
the door and R,msay entered. He was
very quiet, but knowing him as we'll as
l did / could tell he had something
beyond the ordinary on his mind.
Boys" he said, "I think 1 have
found what I have been searching for
l think I can cure Grace. l say think,
because, after all, it is only theory OF
mine and may utterly fail, but 1 think
not. Perhaps you say I should not
theorize and experiment on woman
, whom, as you know, 1 love- Well, il
won't do any harm to her and it may
do her all possible good. Tomorrow
morning shall try to do tn, work."
p Then turning more particularly t.
Habershon, he continued: ed, you
and l both love Grace Thorney croft.
Now, in the presence of Hartly, here,
! want you to promise me that, whatever
n the consequences of my operation, yo,
will care for Grace as long as she lives,
@ and, if necessary, care for me, too"
: think neither Habershon or mysel
t understood the purport Of these words
t when they were spoken, though thief
Y meaning was clear enough later on
v However, Habershon gave the request
&c cd promise and we parted for tn
a night.
II The next day, in the forenoon, Ram
lc say, in the presence of the two physi
g clans who had been in charge of Grace
n began his operations. l was an inter
le ested observer from distant part Q
e, the room, but Habcrshon could not b
le induced to be present. Ramsay toll
N the older doctors that if his theor
le proved perfectly successful in practic
ly he would be able to give hi, method Q
IN cure in writing for the benefit of tn
- medical world-at present, he said ths
ly it was utterly impossible for him to in
ar telligently explain his ideas. However
f. he guaranteed that the attempt woul
ID be perfectly harmless to the patient an
H. the doctors stood by ready to pr.
he vent any undue or dangerous exper
he ment. For myself, have not the lea
C! idea to this day just what the mea,
d, were which Ramsay employed to pr
c. ducc thu