Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-02-08
IT'S A STRANGE STORY.
A Californian Who Lost His Reason
Forgets on Recovery He was Married.

IT'S A STRANGE STORY.
A Californian Who Lost His Reason
Forgets on Recovery He was Married.
strange story comes to the Los Angeles
Tribune from the little village of Goleta, Santa
Barbara county. 1t would make a plot for
drama of thrilling and pathetic interest. The
parties are well known in the community where
thay reside, though nearly all the events oc-
Cured elsewhere. The names published herein
are fictitious for obvious reasons, but the facts
are vouched for by responsible citizen
Maurice Long was popular young rancher
| in Kern county in 1878. He was then about
| twenty-three years of age and possessed herd
of cattle and about 5000 acres of land A young
| lady, the daughter of wealthy merchant in
Bakersfield, was one day led to the altar by the
| young gentleman. and returned with him to his
ranch as Mrs. Long.
The young couple were as happy as married
people in the books are alleged to be- and ev-
| erything looked bright for the future of their
| cozy home in the foothills. 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 sickened and died. The remains
| now lie in the Bakersfield cemetery by the
| side Of the mother she
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 a
purchaser, sold everything, determined to leave
California and cut himself loose from all the
tender memories of his young manhood. Re-
naming for 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 a melancholy. from which his
| friends feared he would never recover. By
| persistent efforts and the care of judicious
physician. the young man was partially re-
| stored, but the condition of his mind was still
| uncertain. At times the unsteadiness of his
reason manifested itself in foolish imbecility.
| Apparently he recovered however, and went
to Chico and located in that little city. opening
feed and sale stable. Business prospered,
| and encouraging reports came to the Santa
Clara home in the occasional letters received
| by the parents --..
Finally one came announcing his marriage
to young lady Of that city. Scarcely year
had passed since the death of his wife on the
Kern county ranch, and, although his friends
were surprised at the announcement, remem-
| bering his fondness for her and his grief at her
decease, they strangely enough regarded the
! second marriage as further evidence of re-
stored reason Six months more passed. during
which all reports and single visit satisfied the
| anxious friends that Mr.. Long was in perfect
mental and physical health. One day a pain
full telegram from his wife announcing the sud-
den wreck OF their sons reason was received
by old Mr. Long at San Jose. Going in answer
| to the message to Chico. the terrible truth of
the calamity forced itself upon him, for
HIS SON WAS nAv1N0 MANIAC.
With heavy heart the father convened
Maurice Long to Stockton and placed him in
the insane hospital. The examining physician
pronounced him hopelessly insane. The young
| wife returned to her parents. few months
| later she gave birth to a child When she had
| grown strong she visited her husband at the
| asylum in the vain hope of q sign of recogni-
remained at Chico conducting the business.
Visits were made from time to time BY the
| friends of the unfortunate patient, but they
always returned more saddened than ever at
| his condition.
Two years were passed in Stockton. when the
| joyful intelligence was received by old Mr.
| Long that his son seemed in fair way to re-
| cover The news was almost too good to
| believe. Careful nursing for six weeks fol-
lowed. and the physician sent word that the
| wife and friends might visit him, but with this
statement came the startling intelligence that
Maurice Long had absolutely forgotten all
events that had transpired since the sale of his
ranch after the burial of his wife at Bakers
field. Thinking her presence would restore
| her to his memory the faithful little mother at
Chico went to the hospital, carrying with her
the boy. now nearly two years of age The
reader can imagine her terrible grief when
she saw before her the face of her. husband
and beheld in it all the evidence of restored
intellect. but no recognition of his spouse
Vainly she recalled the events of their court
ship and marriage, and despairingly she held
before him
| THE cHUBBY-FACED BABY.
The poor man hung his head in despair un-
| able to remember anything that she sought to
bring to his attention.
The death of her husband in his imbecilitv
| would have been easy to bear in comparison
with the terrific fact which here Confronted
her.. Almost wild with grief she returned to
her home in Chico. Six weeks longer the poor
man stayed at Stockton. gradually gaining
strength The little woman came no more to
| see him. The father, the brother and the phy-
stefan by degrees convinced him of the truth
OF the story OF his marriage and the birth Of
his son. When he was released he repaired to
Chico and accepted the situation as truth es-
tablished in his mind by testimony but not ex-
| per1ence. He took his wife and child, and SELL
| ing his business removed to Goleta. Associa-
ton with the woman who bore his name and
the child who called him papa entwined his
affection around them. These strange events
resided on their pretty little ranch at Goleta
nearly that length of time. To all appearances
the man and wife are one. They never refer
! to their terrible sorrow. but each strives to
forget the awful past and live in the present
1t Is q strange story. The neighbors know
nothing OF the circumstances. The gentlem
| who gives this information was resident of
Chico at the time referred to and familiar with
all the narrowing details. having learned them
directly from brother of the hero of the
story.
1 ElQVQn