The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1891-01-22


graduated from the university will
high honors, and soon after becam
engaged to beautiful girl. He hat
long been destined to enter the min
istry-a work for which his taste ant
abilities best fitted him-and imme
diately upon his marriage he was tt
settle down in charge of n parish a
some distance from his home. Their,
was but one drawback to happiness
His mother, although she consented
to the betrothal, did not seem to fee
the pleasure in it that he could have
wished. But he put it all down tc
her grief at the prospect of parting
with him, and preparations for thu
wedding went on in the merriest
fashion.
But one morning there was ar
alarm. The mother was missing
had disappeared in very unaccount
able mysterious manner. AN the DAY
they searched for her and Just al
night my hero, passing through some
woods in secluded part of the
grounds, found her lying face down
ward in shallow little pool DIVA ter
there.
:" Drowned herself during tie mpor-
airy alteration of the mind" was
the verdict, and then it was the
young man learned that insanity
had been for generations back n he
redltary trait in his mothers family
Then, also, was he told hereaI truth
about his father, and he found that
that father was not dead, but was
incarcerated in II private hospital in
America-violently, hopelessly mad.
"'Well, you can understand how
he felt, or, rather, you can't compre-
bend it. The girl that he loved was
true to him, but how could he mar
ry 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 fearful and untime-
ly end.
"Can you wonder, continued Ram
say in tone of subdued passion,
that a species of bitterness often
mingles, half unconsciously, with his
sorrow for his parents? And is it
strange that he feels almost rs if
they had committed a crime in bring
ing him into existence, knowing as
they did that he must perrorce he
lowered with the fatal, inevitable
family curse?
"This tale made a strong impress
sion in my mind" the young doctor
resumed. "At first / seriously ques-
toned if Ramsay wasn't himself
the hero of it, and though his appar-
ent gayety led me to dismiss that
thought. still couldn't help feeling
that the events he'd narrated had in
some way produced a lasting effect
in his life,
We'll, matters wore quite tran
gully on Tor year or so, and Mr.
Ramsay grew in the popular favor
all the while. He was a liberal fell
low, and his sermons were frequently
rather unorthodox, but his flock
worshipped him to such an extent
that If he had dosed them with athe.
ism they wouldn't have giumbled a.
bit. The girls we're in love with him,l
every single one of them, but never,
did they find way to his heart. He
resolutely declined to be drawn into
though he made himself
agreeable to all the damsels, taught
them German, played tennis and es-
corted them to picnics with n gay,
lmpartiality very provoking to the
OF the poor, anxious
young creatures.
Zone morning as sat in the drug
store talking Ramsay happened in
and purchased a package of rat
poison. He mentioned casually that
,he mice were bothering him, and
stood moment gossiping with care
css good hnmor and then went out.
THAT night the deacon with whom
he was boarding came hurriedly to
ny office to summon me. Rev. Mr..
Ramsay was taken very suddenly i'll.
put on my hat and coat and went
to him at once, and somehow before
I'd reached his bedside it flashed
over me that he had swallowed the
poison | saw him buy in the morn
ne. The moment | entered the room
knew that it was so.
He fingered three DAYS. suffering
horribly, but not a word would he
say as to the motive of his deed.
Before he died he showed me a photo
graph he wore upon his bosom-the
picture of n young woman and n
,hild, each very beautiful and very
ike the the other. And he asked that
t be buried with him, and so it was.
fhe church gave him most impos-
ng funeral and erected fine monu-
nent over his grave, and they have
never ceased, believe, to mourn
their mysterious but dearly beloved
For a long while they
sought to find out the secret of his
life, bnt the minutest inquiries failed
to reveal a single fact. With char
acteristic forethought he had de-
'troyed his papers, leaving nothing
that would throw light upon his
'ormer history.
Il often recall him even now" add
ID the young doctor, "and | can't
lelp wondering if he was not the
zero of the strange tale he told me.
And in that case was he insane when
he killed himself. or did he do it be
ause of grief for his betrothed? Who |
hen was the child whose portrait he |
vore upon his breast?