The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1890-12-26
A MYSTERY.


"Did you ever bump up against an in
dividual who baffled your curiosity by
drawing a veil of secrecy over his pastP'
queried the young doctor, when it came
his turn to contribute story to the gen.
eral fund. II used to think" he con-
tinued, "that such characters emanated
solely from the fertile brain of the fiction
writer. But was mistaken. Not many
years since formed the acquaintance of
a man who was harder to make out than
the most ingenious creation of novelist
could possibly be. A regular human
enigma in short, and he wasn't obliging
enough, you know, to clear up the mys-
terry before he died either.
ut was early in the 'S0s," began the
doctor, lighting cigar, land had just
finished my medical studies and was
trying to pick up u little practice in
pleasant village in the southern part of
Wisconsin. Business didn't flourish by
any means, but as I had friends there,
and was too poor, besides, to think of
establishing myself in large city, l was
very well content to remain there, for
while at least
''There were several churches in the
town, but at the time of which l speak
the Congregational pulpit was empty.
Numerous applications for the position
appeared, but none suited until at last
one of the trustees arrived home after a
short trip and announced that he had
found the very person. A Rev. MI.
Ramsay it was whom he had run across
quite accidentally, and who, though
travelling for his health, had finally con-
sented to come out and preach a trial
sermon and to remain indefinitely If his
hearers were pleased.
well, in due time Mr.. Ramsay ar
rived and delivered discourse which,
for eloquence and logic, l have never
heard excelled. You may be sure the
| church lost not a moment in engaging
| him, and they marveled much at their
| good luck, wondering that so talented a
| man should wish to stay and bury his
| gifts in such small, obscure town.
| 1.-THE new acquisition speedily arose
to the place of first favorite in the ranks
| of the ministers. His sermons fairly
scintillated with brilliancy, and we soon
found that he certainly possessed a re-
markably fine education in the bargain.
Though he never spoke of the past, his
conversation gave evidence of his having
travelled extensively in pretty much
every country on the face of the globe.
Moreover he was young, and such a
genial, warm hearted fellow that every
body liked him at first sight. They
couldn't help it.
! "But, as / said, he never alluded to
his former life. For aught we knew he
might have been a bishop or highway
of an English duke, but the church
members were too proud of the prize
they had captured to be very Gu
rious about the previous record,
and the touch of mystery clinging to
him only rendered him his more at
tractive to us. For my part, / thought
the strangest thing concerning him was
that he seemed never to hold commune
cation with anybody outside the town.
A fellow so engaging and companions
able must have made friends wherever
he went, and yet so long as we knew
him he didn't receive one letter or tele
gram from abroad-not a single message
of any kind.
"At least, that is what the postmaster
and the depot agent said, and thest
officials keep track of such things in lit
tie towns, you had better believe.
Ramsay and l got to be quite init
mate after while, and many were tn,
walks and talks we enjoyed together
But he wasn't any more confidential
with me than he was with others, anC
of course asked no questions. Only
once did he say something which nigh
be construed as bearing upon the secre
was convinced that he had. 1t was il
this way:
Ramsay had dropped into my Office
and we fell TO conversing about heredi
tary disease. 1t grew out of some case
l was treating then. l don't remembe
what. Ramsay in his brilliant, earnes
fashion began to inveigh against peopl
who married and brought into the worl,
children cursed with the seeds of som
dreadful malady,
"'Let me tell you story he said
and it will show you how many live
may be ruined by one such deed. TIL
facts came TO my knowledge years ago
Once there was a boy-never mind hi
name-who, his friends said, showed eA
/ BItdJ III 1Oulu. III
mother, a widow, Sc emed utterly wrappe
up in him, She travelled with him
foreign lands, sent him to the fines
schools and spared neither pains nor ea
pense to improve the talents nature ha
bestowed upon him. He was hopefr
- and happy, and one thing only trouble
him-he used often to wonder about hi
father, whom he couldn't remember, an
es his mother Nss reticent upon that poiu
and replied to all his questions scantil
and vaguely.
ly "'They were living in England at tn
n time, having come there from Americ
after the fathers death, and being
a. easy circumstances financially the futuI
looked very bright and glowing indeed,
"'In due time the young fellow graz
uated from the university with hig
honors, and soon after became engage
to a beautiful girl. He had long bee
destined to enter the ministry VOL
for which his taste and abilities be
" fitted him-and Immediately upon b
marriage he was 10 settle down in char
10 of 4 parish at some distance from b
- home. There was but one drawback
lt happiness. His mother, although 81
consented TO the betrOthal, did not see
to feel the pleasure in il that be cou
have wished But Inc put 1t all Down
l. ! lsss @xiAf Al this nrnEneet af- saxtiAs vi