The Forrest City times., 1891-01-30
A MYSTERY.

E il up against an in-
 A \ dividual who batiled NlAl your curiosity by ErLO El drawing n veil oi se- lIHSS,,....-- ->/ssAl crecy over his past?"
 ss9r se1l'1s = queried the young E-~z--,:= =l doctor, when it came his turn to contribute story to the general fund "I used to think" he continued, ''that such characters |emanated solely from the fertile brain of the fiction writer. But I was mistaken. Not many years since l formed the ne quaintauce of n man who was harder to make out than the most ingenious creature Of Il 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.
 'lt was early in the sos" began the doctor, lighting cigar, "and I had just finished my medical studies and was trying to pick up n little practice in Il pleasant village in the southern part of Wisconsin. Busi- ness didn't flourish by any means but as had friends there, and was too poor, besides, to think of estab. fishing myself in u large city, was very well content to remain there, for q while at least.
 !. There were several churches in the town, but at the time of which | speak the Congregational pulpit was empty. Numerous applications for the position appeared, but none suit ed until at last one of the trustees arrived home after short trip and announced that he had found the very person. A Rev Mir. Ramsay it was whom he had run across quite accidentally, and who. though tray cling for his health, had finally con sented to come out and preach Il trial sermon and to remain indeti- nitely if his hearers were pleased.
 Well, in due time Mir. Ramsay arrived and delivered discourse which for eloguence and logic, have never heard cxceled. You may be sure the church lost not n moment in engaging him, and then 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 V arose to the place 0. first lavorite in the ranks oi the minister's. His sermons tairly scintillatsd with briiliancy, and We soon found that he certainly pos sessed remarkable fine education in the bargain. Though he never spoke of the past, his conversation gave evidence of his having traveled extensively in pretty much every country on the face of the globe. Moreover he was young. and such a genial warm hearted fellow thatevery body liked him at first sight. They couldn't help it.
 But, as said, he never alluded to his former lie For aught We knew he might have been bishop or a highwayman, an American gambler. or the son of an English duke, but the church members were too proud oi the prize they had captured to be very curious about the previous re- cord and the touch of mystery .clingin2 to him only rendered him more attractive to us. For my part, thought the strangest thing concerning him was that he seemed never to hold communication with anybody outside the town. A fellow SO engaging and companionnble must have made friends wherever he went, and yet so long as We knew him he didn't receive one letter or telegram rom abroad--not Il single message of any kind.
 At least, that is what the post. master and the depot agent said, and these officials keep track of such things in Ii tie towns, you had bet ter believe.
 Ramsay and l got to he quite n- timnte alter a while, and many were the walks and talks we enjoyed to- gether. But he wasn't any more confidential with me than he was with others, and of course l asked no questions. Only once did he say something which might be construed as hearing upon the secret l was convinced that he had. It was in this way:
 Ramsay had dropped into my o'- lice, and We fell to conver-ing about hereditary disease. It grew out ot some cases l was treating then. I don't remem Der what. Ramsay. in his brilliant, earnest fashion began to inveigh against people who mar ried and brought into the world children cursed with the seeds of some dreadful malady.
 Let me tell you q story" he said. ''and it will show you how many lives may be ruined by one such deed. The iaets came to my knowl- sdge years ago. Once there was a boy-never mind his name who, his friends said. showed exceeding great promise in his youth. His mother. n widow, seemed utterly wrapped up in him She traveled with him in foreign lands, sent him to the finest schools and spared neither pains nor expense to improve the talents na- ture had bestowed upon him. He