Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1889-03-13
A SINGULAR STORY.
The ATisfortunes and Adventures
Of a Young Rsncher.
Californian Who Lost His Reason For
gets on Recovery ThatH He Was Mar
ried and Fails to Recognize the
G ri He Loved.


G ri He Loved.
A strange story comes to the Los Angeles
Tribune from the little village of GoIeta,
Santa Barbara County. 1t would make a
plot for a drama of thrilling and pathetic in
terest. The parties are well known in the
community where they reside, though near
ly all the events occurred elsewhere The
names published herein are fictitious for
obvious reasons, but the facts are vouched
Tor 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 five
thousand acres of land. A young lady, the
daughter of wealthy merchant In Bakers
field, 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 mar
ried people in the books are alleged to be,
and every thing looked bright for the fut-
ure 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
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, de-
termined to leave California and cut him.
self loose from all the tender memories of
his young manhood. Remaining 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. I'm
able TO shake off his grief, he sank finally
into melancholy, from which his friends
feared he would never recover. By per-
sistent 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
imbecllity. Apparently he recovered, how
ever, and went to Chico and located in that
little city, opening feed and sale stable.
Business prospered, and encouraging re-
ports came to the Santa Clara home in the
occasional letters received by the parents.
Finally one came announcing his mar
riage to young lady of that city. Scarce
ly a year had passed since the death of his
wife on the Kern County ranch, and, al
though his friends were surprised at the
| announcement, remembering his fondness
for her and his grief at her decease, they
strangely enough regarded the second mar
rlage as a further evidence of restored
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 painful telegram from his wife an
nouncing the sudden 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
raving maniac.
| With heavy heart the father conveyed
| Maurice Long to Stockton and placed him
| in the insane hospital. The examining ply
| sician pronounced him hopelessly insane
| The-Eoung wife returned to her parents
| A 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 sign OF recognition or an evi-
| dence of affection. A brother remained at
| Chico conducting the business. Visits were
made from time to time by the friends of
| the unfortunate patient, but they always re-
| turned more saddened than ever at his con-
| dition
Two years were passed in Stockton, when
| the joyful intelligence was received by old
| Mr.. Long that his son seemed in fair way
to recover. The news was almost too good
| to believe. Careful nursing for six weeks
| followed, and the physician sent word that
| the wife and friends might visit him, but
with this statement came the startling in
| telligence that Maurice Long had absolutely
| forgotten all events that had transpired
since the sale of his ranch after the burial
| of his wife at Bakersfield. 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 intel
| lect, but no recognition of his spouse.
| Vainly she recalled the events of their
| courtship and marriage, and despairingly
| she held before him the chubby-faced baby.
| The poor man hung his head in despair, un-
able to remember any thing that she sought
to bring to his attention
| The death of her husband in his imbecility
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 physician by degrees convinced him
| of the truth of the story of his marriage and
| the birth of his son. When he was released
| ne repaired to Chico and accepted the stu
! alton as truth established in his mind by
| testimony butnot experience. He took his
! wife and child, and selling his business re-
| moved to Goleta. Association with the
woman who bore his name and the child
who called him papa entwined his affection
! around them. These strange events oc-
| Cured seven years ago. The couple have
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. It is a strange
story. The neighbors know nothing of the
circumstances. The gentleman who gives
| this information was resident of Chico al
| the time referred TO and familiar with all
| the narrowing details, having learned them
directly from a brother of the hero of the
atnrv-