Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1889-02-08
Ills a Strange Story.
Didn't Recognize His Little Wife.
A Californian Who Lost His Reason
Forgets on Recovery That He Was
Married and Fails to Recognize
the Girl He IaYed

A strange story comes to the Los An |
geies Tribune from the little village of |
Goteta, Santa Barbara county. It would |
make plot for q drains Of thrilling and |
pathetic interest. The parties are well |
known in the community where they re |
side, though nearly all the events occurred |
elsewhere. The names published herein /
are fictitious for obvious reasons, but the |
facts are vouched for by responsible |
citizen.
Maurice long was popular young
ranoher in Kern county in 1878. He was
then about twenty-three years of age, and
possessed q herd of cattle and about
five thousand acres of land. young
lady, the dsushter of wealthy merchant
in Bakersfield, was one dsy led TO the
altar BY the young gentleman, and re-
turned with him to the ranch as Mrs.
Long.
The young couple we're as happy as
married people in the books are alleged
to be, and every thing locked bright for
the future of their eozy home in the foot
hills. Life, always charming to the
young, was particularly rosy tinted to Mr..
and Mrs. Long. Suddenly dark pail was
spread over the life of Maurice, for the
young wife sickeued aud died. The re
mains now lie in the Bakersfield cemetery
by the SIDE of the mother she lost in her
early childhood.
Life lost all its hope TO Mr.. Long when
his beautiful wife was taken. He could
not endure the loneliness of his ranch
life, and, finding purchaser, sold every
thing, determined to leave Cali ornia and
cut himself loose from all the cerder
memories of his youug manhood. Re
naming for a brief period at the house
of his father in law. he shortly went to
the home of his parents, in the Santa
Clara Valley, near San Jose, Unable to
shake off his grief, he sank finally into
melancholy, FROM which his friends feared
he would never recover. By persistent
efforts and the care of a iudIcious physi-
clan, the young man was partially re
stored, but the condition of his mind was
still uncertain. At times the ursteadi-
ness OF his reason manifested itself in
foolish lmbe cIlity. Apparently he recov-
cred, however, and went 10 Chico and 10
Gated i'll that little city, opening a feed
! and sale stable. Business pros pered, and
encouraging reports came to the Santa
! Clara home in the occasional letters re
oeive6 by the parents.
riage TO youpg lady of that city.
! Scarcely q year had passed since the
| death of his wife on the Kern county
ranch, aud, although his friends were
surprised at the announcement, remem-
| bering his fondness for her and his grief
at her decease, they strangely enough re-
garded the second marriage as q further
evidence of restored reason. Six months
S,E oil
@ single visit satisfied the anxious friends
that Mr.. Long ~as Ill perfect mental and
physical health. Cne day a painful tel,
egram from his wife announcing the SUD
den wreck of their sons reason was re-
ceiIej by old Mr.. Long at San Jose. Go
ing in answer to the message to Chico
the terrible truth of the calamity forced
Itself upon him, for his son was ravine
| maniac.
With heavy heart the father conveyed
Maurice Long to Stockton and placed
him in the insane hos pital. The examin
ing physician pronounced him hopeless
ly insane. The young wife returned tt
her parents, A few months later sh,
gave birth to child. When she hat
grown strong she visited her husband a
the asylum III the vain hope of a sign o
recognition or an evidence of affection
brother remained at Chico conductiD!
the business. Visits were made from
time to time by the friends of the IN
fortunate patient, but they always return
ed more saddened than ever at his con
dition.
Two years were passed in Stockton
when the joyful intelligence was receives
by old Mr. Long that his son seemed in
almost too good to believe. Careful
nursing for six weeks followed, and tn
physician sent word that his wife AM
friends might visit him, but with thi
statement came the startling intelligence
that Mr.. Maurice Long had absolutel
forgotten all events that had transpire
since the sale of his ranch after th
burial of his wife at Bakersfield. Think
ing her presence would restore her to hi
memory, the faithful little mother a
Chico went to the hospital, carrying wit
her the boy, now nesrly two years of age
The reader car imagine her terrible grie
when she saw before her the face of he
husband and heheld in it all the evidenc
of restored intellect, but no recognition
of his spouse. Vainly she recalled tn
events of their courtship and marriage
and desrairingly shs held before him tn
chubby-faced baby. The poor man hum
his head in espair, unable to re.nembe
anything that she brought to his atten
ton.
The dcath of her husband in this i'm
becility would have been easy to bear i
comparison with the terrific fact who
here confronted her. Almost wild wit
grief she returned TO her home in Chico
Six weeks longer the poor man stayed a
Stockton, gradually gaining strength
, The little woman came no more TO Sc
, him. The father, the brother and tn
| physician by degrees convinced him O
the truth of the story of his marriag
and the birth of his son. When he wa
. | released he repaired to Chico and accept
/ ed the situation as truth established i
} his mind by testimony but not exper3
r ence. He took his wife and child, an
, | selling his business removed to GoIett
= Association with the woman who bore hi
name and the child who called him pap
? entwined his affections around then
: These strange events occurred seve
: | years ago. The couple have resided o
2 ! their pretty little ranch at Goleta nearl
= that length of time. To all appeerar ce
- the nan and wife are one. They neve
refer to their terrible SORROW, but eac
strives to forget the awful past and liv
E in the present. 1t is strange stor,
; The neighbors know nothing of the cir
. ! cumstences. The gentleman who give
g | this Information was a resident of Chic
/ az the time referred 70 and familiar wit
, all the narrowing details having learne
: them directly from a brother of the her
t of the story.