Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1889-07-10


sided. The station agent informed me that
DR.. Forbes had moved to Montana and that
was reported that he was then travelling in
South America. AS had 10 wait several
nours for train made some inquiries in
he village about the doctors career. The
andlady at the hotel where | took dinner
stated that he had but few intimate friends,
hat he spent much time in the woods
Ieeking strange plants, that he had caused
he arrest Of man for poisoning his
wife, and that he had broken the heart OF a
beautiful girl who was attached TO him. A
oily stefan who had been his competitor in
business, though he belonged TO different
school OF medicine, gave strange account
If him. He accused him OF trying danger
ous experiments on his patients and OF pre-
,cribing drugs not Endorsed by the PROBES
ZION. He stated that he had a room fitted
up for preparing medicine and that in his
opinion he practiced alchemy.
Several years passed before / again re-
:eived any tidings from this strange man.
But one day letter was brought to me the
directions on which were plainly in his
aand. The post-mark on the envelope was
Adelaide, South Australia. The letter was
dated at some place in the interior OF the
colony, which was not laid down on any
nap | could obtain. The first portion of the
etter was devoted TO personal matters that
we're of no interest TO any one but the
writer and myself. will now give an ex-
act copy Of what followed, which may
prove TO be of interest to many persons:
"Since | saw you last, indeed ever since l
talked with you at the Cascade so many
years ago, have devoted all my energies
% trying to discover the substance / then
poke TO you about. / studied medicine
hat might the better prosecute my in
luiries. l practiced it, partly for the sake
If gaining q living, but chiefly for the OPP
oortunities it afforded me of making ex-
,eriments. At the end OF half an average
lifetime l had nothing to show for my
abors. But l have at last succeeded.
After wandering half way round the globe
found what / was seeking almost beneath
The place where you stand.
~ need not give you full account Of all
ny trials and failures. 1t is enough to say
hat none OF the substances | prepared in
he laboratory produced the desired effect.
resorted to the employment OF plants
whose influence on the human system was
lot known. With these / had no better
success. | had heard that some of our
mountain Indians passed into a state of
frenzy after they had drank a decoction Of
certain herbs and that while in that condi-
ion they professed to be able to see the true
conditions of persons who were absent as
we'll as present. l found on visiting them
hat that belief was entertained by several
indian tribes, but i could not learn from
hem what plants were used for this pur-
pose. Pursuing my Investigations in this
natter passed through Mexico and several
If the countries in Central America in all
of which heard many stories which seemed
20 confirm what had heard before But l
never came in possession Of the coveted Sc
,ret.
while in Chill thought of what l had
.ead of the wonderful occult powers pos
,essed by the fakirs in India, and resolved
% 60 there in quest of information. That
here are persons on the banks OF the Upper
3anges who are able to read the hearts and
thoughts OF men | became convinced. But
lothing can induce them TO impart their Sc
,ret to one who is not q member of their
order. 1t is heritage of chosen few and
doubtless will ever remain such. They Sc
,ure it by giving up all claims to every
hing else
what prompted me TO visit Australia |
,an not tell, but it was not tho desire to soc
strange sights or to crafty the love of ad-
venture. While at Melbourne heard won
icrful things about the Gypsy woman who
with her tribe was in camp on the outskirts
" the city. l saw her and she tod me moro
lbout myself than | knew. She even in
formed me of the object of my search. |
Snew that this dusky daughter OF the Nile,
for she was true Egyptian, possessed the
knowledge desired and resolved to obtain
{. presumed that the offer of gold would
not procure what l wished l therefore
concluded to make myself useful to her aud
her people If could l soon found it in my
power TO do so. Her child became sick and
she was advised TO leave tho vicinity of
The coast. AS the tribe left for the interior
{ followed them. But the child continued
% fail till the mother implorcd me 10 save
It's life, promising to give me in return any
thing that was in her power. Night and
lay stood over the child until the Gypsy
camp was the scene OF gladness.
81 had no occasion to remind the mother
VI her promise. One day when all the men,
bers of the tribe were absent from camp,
looking for food and fuel, she called me TO
her and placed in my hand little bag filled
with the leaves Of plant that was unknown
10 me, though was well versed in botany.
had noticed that she had always taken
some Of these leaves in her mouth before
she had hidden the seeker after knowledge
cross her palm with gold. | asked for no
instruction, for was conscious that pos
,essed what desired
1.-THE next morning l went to hllock,
covered with scrubby trees, where a
kangaroo had passed the night seated my
self on the sod and placed roll OF the leaves
In my mouth. The flavor of them was dis
tasteful as that of opium or tobacco to a
novice. In the course of few minutes all
my mental faculties appeared TO be quick
sned. Every event Of my life was recalled
and appeared to be re-enacted before my
eyes. saw others, not as have seen them
before, but as l have reason to think they
really were. The object Of my life was ac-
complished l had found what l had so long
vainly searched for.
"Was satisfied with the resultl you may
ask. Attend to what say. The thing that
had sought and found was not a blessing
but a curse. had wished to partalte of
something that would enable me TO see the
hearts OF men. / have tasted, but | wish
that had hungered all my life. l now know
that the persons whom have trusted most
were unworthy Of confidence or esteem, and
that those whom have sighted were my
best friends. know that have accused
of the darkest crimes a man whose soul was
free from any wrong To add TO my misery,
am conscious that l blighted the life of
one who was the embodiment of honor,
purity and love- l wished TO know more
than falls to the lot OF mortals TO know. |
have acquired the knowledge, and it has
deprived me of every earthly pleasure. |
can not atone for my sins nor make restitu-
ton for my offenses. In seeking to be like
God ] find that am devil.
at is not my intention to ever return TO
my native country The society OF my old
acquaintanccs would only render me more
miserable than am. With the means at
ones command to soc human bein y rs they
really are, there is a constant disposition TO
resort TO them. IL is true that there is
pleasure in learning that some prisons are
much better than they are considered to be.
But this does not compensate, for tie horror
l experience in seeing that presumed saints
are miserable sinners; the pIrc, impure
the upright, criminal; the trusted unworthy