Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1890-10-30
A MYSTERY.
A Minister with a Secret Attached
to His Life.

! - Aiu45GST Will d o6Cr0G AGIdCACO
to His Life.
did you ever bump up against an in
! dividual who baffied your curiosity by
drawing vail of secrecy over his past?''
| queried the young doctor when it came
his turn to contribute story to the gen
! eral fund. 81 used to think" he con-
tinued, "that such characters emanated
solely from the fertile brain of the fic-
ton writer. But I was mistaken. Not
many years since formed the acquaint-
ance of man who was harder to make
out than the most ingenious creation of
a novelist could possibly be. A regular
human enigma in short, and he wasn't
obliging enough, you know, to clear up
the mystery before he died, either.
at was early in the sos" began the
doctor, lighting a cigar, land had
| just finished my medical studies and
was trying to pick up a little practice
in a 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 a
L
remain there, for awhile at least.
There were several churches in the
town, but at the time of which / speak,
the Congregationalistp 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. Mr.
Ramsay 1t 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 az
rived and delivered a discourse which,
for eloquence and logic, have never
heard excelled. You may be sure the
church lost not moment in engaging
him, and they marveled much at their
good luck, wondering that so talented
man should wish to stay and bury his
gifts in such a small, obscure town.
THE new acquisition speedily rose to
the place of first favorite in the ranks
of the ministers His sermons fairly
scintillated with bFilliancy, and we
soon found that he certainly possessed
remarkably fine education in the bar
gain. 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 genial, warm-hearted fellow
that every body liked him at first sight.
They couldn't help it.
But, as I said, he never alluded to his
former life. For aught we knew he
might have been bishop or high
wayman, an American gambler or the
son Of an English duke, but the church
members were too proud of the prize they
had captured to be very curious about
his previous record, and the touch of
mystery clinging to him only rendered
him the more attractive to US. For my
part, thought the strangest thing con-
corning him was that he seemed never
to hold communication with anybody
outside the town. A fellow so engage
ing and companionable must have made
friends wherever he went, and yet so
long as we knew him he didn't receive
one letter or telegram from abroad
not single message of any kind.
Ramsay and 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 1 asked no questions. Only
once did he say something which might
hoa ~
was convinced that he had. 1t was in
this way:
Ramsay had dropped into my Office
and we fell to conversing about heredi-
tary disease. 1t grew out Of some case
was treating then-1 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 a 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.
LIS mother, 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
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-
.ure looked very bright and glowing in
Iced.
In due time the young fellow grad
mated from the university with high
nonors, and soon after became engaged
n f--1