Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1890-11-06

not single message of any kind.
Ramsay and 1 got to be quite init.
mate after awhile, and many were the
walks and talks we enjoyed together.
But he wasn't any more confidential
with me than he was with others, and
of course asked no questions. Only
once did he say something which might
be construed as bearing upon the secret
was convinced that he had. 1t was in
.his way:
Ramsay had dropped into my Office
and we fell to conversing about heredi-
tary disease. 1t grew out Of some case
Twas treating them don't remember
what Ramsay, in his brilliant, earn
est fashion, began to inveigh against
people who married and brought into
the world children cursed with the seeds
of some dreadful malady.
"'Let me tell you story he said,
and it will show you how many lives
| may be ruined by one such deed. The
facts came to my knowledge years ago.
Once there was a boy-never mind his
name-who, his friends said, showed
exceeding great promise in his youth.
His mother, a widow, seemed utterly
wrapped up in him. She travelled with
him in foreign lands, sent him to the
finest schools, and spared neither pains
nor expense to improve the talents
nature had bestowed upon him. He
was hopeful and happy, and one thing
only troubled him-he used often TO
wonder about his father, whom he
couldn't remember, and his mother was
reticent upon that point, and replied to
all his questions scantily and vaguely.
"'They were living in England at the
time, having come there from America
after the fathers death, and being in
easy circumstances financially the fu-
ture looked very bright and glowing IL
deed.
"'In due time the young fellow grad
uated from the university with high
honors, and soon after became engaged
to beautiful girl. He had long been
destined to enier the ministry-a work
LOT WHICH MS taste ana Abilities pest
fitted him-and Immediately upon his
marriage he was to settle down in
charge of a. parish at some distance
from his home. There was but one
drawback to happiness. His mother, al
though she consented to the betrothal,
did not seem to feel the pleasure in it
that he could have wished. But he put
it all down to her grief at the prospect
of parting with him, and preparations
for the wedding went on in the mer-
REST fashion.
"'But one morning there was an
alarm. The mother was missing-had
disappeared in very unaccountable
and mysterious manner. All the day
they searched for her, and just at night
my hero, passing through some woods in
asecluded part of the grounds, found her
lying, face downward, in a shallow lit
tie pool of water there.
drowned herself during temporary
alteration of the mind, was the verdict
and then it was the young man learned
that insanity had been for generations
back hereditary trait in his mothers
family. Then, also was he told the real
truth about his father; and he found
that that father was not dead, but was
incarcerated in a private hospital in
America-violently,h opelessly mad.
Well, you can understand how he
felt, or, rather, you can't comprehend
it The girl that he loved was true to
him, but how could he marry her,
knowing what he did? Even if the
lunacy slumbered in his veins it would
surely awaken to curse their children.
So he left her, and, almost crazed with
sorrow himself, he sailed for America,
where he still remains. A little while
ago he heard that his betrothed was
dead-killed by the double shock of
his disappearance and his mothers fear
full and untimely end.
"'Can you wonder continued Ram
say, in tone of subdued passion, that
q species of bitterness often mingles,
half unconseiously, with his sorrow for
his parents? And is it strange that he
feels almost as if they had committed
a crime in bringing him into existence,
knowing, as they did, that he must,
perforce, be lowered with the fatal,
inevitable family curse?
"This tale made strong impression
in my mind" the young doctor re-
sumed. cat first 1 seriously questioned
If Ramsay wasn't himself the hero of
it, and, though his apparent gayety led
me to dismiss that thought, still
couldn't help feeling that the events
he'd narrated had in some way pro-
duced lasting effect in his life.
"Well, matters wore quite TRANQUILITY
on for year or so, and Mr.. Ramsay
grew in the popular favor all the while.
'One morning as 1 sat in the drug
store talking Ramsay happened in, and
purchased package of rat poison. He
mentioned, casually, that the mice
were bothering him, and stood a mo-
ment gossiping with careless good
humor, and then went out
''That night the deacon with whom he
was boarding came hurriedly to my
Office to summon me. Rev. Mr.. Ramsay
was taken very suddenly i'll. 1 put on
my hat and coat and went to him t
once, and somehow before I'd reached
had swallowed the poison 1 saw him
buy in the morning. The moment
entered the room 1 knew that it was so.
HE fingered three days, suffering hor-
ribly, but not word would he say as to |
the motive Of his deed. Before he died |
he showed me photograph he wore |
upon his bosom-the picture of young
woman and child, each very beauti- |
full and very like the other. And he |
asked that it be buried with him, and |
so it was. The church gave him most |
imposing funeral, and erected a fine |
monument over his grave; and they |
have never ceased, believe, to mourn |
their mysterious but dearly loved min
lister. For long while they sought to |
find out the secret of his life, but the |
minutest inquiries failed to reveal a |