The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1890-12-26
Highest Leaveng s. Govt Report Aug ~ 1885,
R@E!A!:'!!! g! Rssiss BsMasr
ABSOLUTELY PURE
PURE

him, and preparations for the wedding
went on in the merriest fashion.
"'But one morning there was an
alarm. The mother was missing-had
disappeared in very yunaccountable and
mysterious manner. All the day they
searched for her and just at night my
hero, passing through some woods in a
secluded part of the grounds, found her
lying face downward in shallow little
pool of water there.
"'"Drowned herself during tempo
rary alteration of the mind" was the
verdict, and then it was the young man
learned that insanity had been for gen
erations 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 private hospi-
tai in America-violently, hopelessly
mad.
"'Well, you can understand how he
felt, or, rather, you can't comprehend it.
The girl that he loved wss true to him,
but how could he marry her knowing
what he did? Even if the lunacy slum-
bered 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 disap
pearance and his mothers fearful and
untimely end.
"'Can you wonder continued Ram
say in tone of subdued passion, that
species of bitterness often mingles, half
unconsciously, 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 fam
lily curseY
"This tale made strong impression
in my mind, the young doctor resumed.
cat first ] seriously questioned if Ram
say wasn't himself the hero of it, and
though his apparent gayety led me to
dismiss that thought, still l couldn't
help feeling that the events he'd mar
rated had in some way produced last
| ing effect in his life.
| "Well, matters wore quite TRANQUILITY
on for a year or so, and Mr.. Ramsay
| grew in the popular favor all the while.
| He was q liberal fellow, and his sermons
were frequently rather unorthodox, but
his flock worshiped him to such an ex.
tent that if he had dosed them with
atheism they wouldn't have grumbled 6
bit. The girls were in love with him
every single one of them, but never die
they find the way to his heart. He reso
lutely declined to be drawn into flirta
ton, though he made himself agreeabl,
to all the damsels, taught them German
played tennis and escorted them to pic
MICS with gay impartiality very pro
voking to the sensibilities of the poor
anxious young creatures.
Zone morning as l sat in the dru
store talking Ramsay happened in an
purchased package of rat poison. ii
mentioned casually that the mice wer
bothering him, and stood a moment gos
siping with careless good humor an
then went out.
THAT night the deacon with whom h
was boarding came hurriedly to my offic
to summon me. Rev. Mr.. Ramsay wa
taken very suddenly i'll. / put on IN
hat and coat and went to him at ono,
and somehow before I'd reached his bee
side it flashed over me that he had swa
lowed the poison l saw him buy in IL
morning. The moment l entered IL
room l knew that it was go.
HE fingered three days, suffering no
ribly, but not a word would he say as
the motive of his deed. Before he die
he showed me photograph he wo
upon his bosom-the picture of your
! woman and child, each very beautif
and very like the other. And he ask,
that it be buried with him, and so
was. The church gave him a most il
posing funeral and erected fine mon
ment over his grave, and they have nev
ceased, believe, to mourn their my
terious but dearly beloved minister. +
long while they sought to find out t
secret of his life, but the minutest
qulries failed to reveal a single fax
With characteristic forethought he h
destroyed his papers, leaving nothii
that would throw light upon his form
history.
81 often recall him even now," add
the young doctor, land l can't help We
dering if he was not the hero of {
strange tale he told me And in tn
case was he insane when he killed hi
self, or did he do it because of grief
his betrothed? Who then was the chi
whose portrait he wore upon his brea
: Sometimes fancy that he had Co
mitted an offense which made him
! fugitive from justice and led him at l;
to take his own life in remorse. The
membrance of his open face and kind
sympathetic manner makes this SET
= impossible, and yet in this strange wor
} where people are such curious, cont
r dictory mixtures of good and evil, W
can tellY'-Buffalo Express.
why ne Denied His Mother.