The Arkansaw traveler., 1889-11-09


 inoomprehensible. There was one thing, however, evident enough to the uneducated as we'll as to the professional eye-it was, that in spite of the great improvement in spirits, our friends health was rapidly and surely falling. This decline was as mysterious as the blindness. Those who believed they had traced the latter to cerebral lesion the result of the accident, declared the former to be quite in accordance with their diagnosis. What ever 1t was, this fact remained, Dr. Gabriel was steadily sinking.
 One day a messenger brought me the following letter from Dr. Benson
 from h sn '~ s % s s S R %Ss he SSs % oe found that may oasr some as anIn..icn his body @sa,sy after asa.h n!se.t VI. es dcoys,sd :souIa ,he sx.@na.on oe care sble wi.hos abnormal seOvery be photo phOtoErapber Knowing that you have ach m to s. ss % s:s S" S in ' sel, lp re.dfne.. to ...I. .t a moments moi ice .
 I readily agreed to give my services whenever they might to be required, and prepared such Ap- paratus as l was accustomed to use on similar occa- sions.
 Early one morning Dr. Benson called for me on his way Grbriels house. He had just received in- formation that the poor Oculst was tn dTticutO mortis. We arrived few minutes before the end. Quietly we entered the darkened chamber. How difficult 1t was believe that those intelligent eyes, even in these last moments lustrous and deep, could be absolutely sightless wide open they were turned if searchingly upon the face of the physi
  hand he leaned over the bed. But there was no re- flection of the doctors grave and anxious loOk-a peaceful smile spread over the handsome features fickered for a moment, and then remained stereo- typed in death.
 Sadly we left the room and joined a few profes- sonal friends who, like myself had been invited to attend Dr. Benson then produced the scaled docu- ment mentioned in his letter, and read aloud fol- lows
 My experiences during the past few months have hoau Nahn ms in n and apparently so far beyond the bounds of human reasoning, that, believing should be regarded as mailman were 1 to publish them earnestly request that the facts which l am about to relate may be hidden from all but those present at the autopsy, should the examination of my dead body fail to bring forth confrmatory evidence. It is now many months since the accident in the Alps severed me from my dear wife The sunshine of my existence was changed to the darkest gloom of despOndency. No twilight of fading health broke the suddenness with which the night fell upon me. My own in- juries were not serious as have been supposed, and do not believe my present condition is in any way connected with them. The brain concussion and shock impaired my mental faculties Tn one re- spect only-I could never recall my wife's face For hours have tried to coDjure up her image, to form a dream picture, without success Her por- traits to me as lkenesses of some other women There were her features certainly-the shape and pose of her beautiful head-but not she-not my darling. The phantoms of those long forgotten, old school patients, hosts of casual acquaint ances, would pass before me with maddening dis tinctnees; but the one who had made my lie of monotony brief era of happiness, was hidden even from my minds eye.
 "For & few weeks I returned to professional duties and endeavored to forget my misfortunes in hard work. Whatever success 1 achieved in the day was undope at night. Sleep came but ftfuly no dream gave even a shadowy glimpse of the happy past.
 "lt was about this time experienced a remark able sensation. by what means produced l cannot say. Certain was that occasionally, in the room, at my side, bending me, waiting, watching, was my wifes soul, spirit, or whatever the immor- tai form may be- No physical sign existed, no sound, nothing visible or tangible, yet the convic halx hNii I'm