Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1891-06-12
CARRISTON'S GIFT.
BY HUGH CONWAY.
PART I.
TOLD BY PHILIP BRAND. M. D., LONDON
CHATTER I.-ooNTINUED.

CHATTER Il.-CONIlNUhD.
"That is nonsense; am not genius, and
you must forgive me for my rudeness," said
Carriston, simply.
After walking some distance in silence he
spoke again. IL wish when you are with me
you would try and stop me from getting into
that state. 1t does me no good"
Seeing he was in earnest / promised to do
my best, and was curious enough 10 ask him
whittier his thoughts wandered during those
distracted moments.
II can scarcely tell you" he said. Present
ly he asked, speaking with hesitation, II sup
pose you never feel that under certain cir
cumstances-circumstan which you can
not eXplain-you might be able TO see things
which are invisible TO OthersY"
ITO see things What things%
Things, as | said, which no one else can
see. You must know there are people who
possess this power"
II know that certain people have asserted
they possess what they call second sight; but
the assertion is too absurd to waste time in
efuting."
yet" said Carriston dreamily, II know
that If did not strive TO avoid it some such
power would come to me-"
You are too ridiculous, Carriston," / said.
Some people see what others don't because
they have longer sight. You may, OF course,
imagine anything. But your eyes-hand-,
some eyes they are, too-contain certain prop
critics, known as humors and lenses, there
fore in order to see"
YES, yes" interrupted Carriston; ~ know
exactly all you are going to say You, man
Of science, ridlcule everything which breaks
what you are pleased TO call the law of Nat
ure. Yet take all the unaecountable tales
told. Nine hundred and ninety-nine you eX-
pose to scorn'or throw grave doubt upon, yet
the thousandth rests on evidence which can
not be upset OF disputed. The possibility Of
that one proves the possibility OF ALL"
Not at all; but enough for your argyll
ment," said, amused at the boys wild talk.
you doctors" he continued with that de-
llcious air Of superiority so often assumed by
laymen when they are in good health, put
too much TO the credit of diseased imagina-
ton"
mo doubt; it's a convenient shelf OH which
10 put difficulty. But go on"
''The body is your province, yet you can't
explain why cataleptic patient should hear
watch tick when it is placed against his
foot"
Nor you; nor any one. But perhaps 1t
may aid you 10 get rid of your publishing
theories if tell you that catalepSy, as you
understand il, is disease not known to us;
In fact; it does not exist"
He seemed creStfallen at hearing this. But
what do you want to proven asked. What
have you yourself SEEM?
Nothing, tell you. And pray l may
never see anything"
After this he seemed inclined TO shirk the
subject, but pinned him TO it. was really
anxious TO get at the true state of his nina.
In answer TO the leading questions with
which piled him, CarrSton revealed an
amount of superstition which seemed utterly
childish and out of place beside the intellect
ual faculties which he undoubtedly possessed.
So much so, that at last felt more inclined
70 laugh at than 10 argue with him.
Yet was not altogether amused by his
talk. His wild arguments and wilder beliefs
made me fancy there must be weak spot
somewhere in his brain-even made me fear
lest his end might be madness. The thought
made me sad; for, with the exception of the
eccentricities which | have mentioned, l
reckmed Carriston the pleasantest friend l
had ever made. His amiable nature, his
good looks and perfect breeding had endear-
ed the young man to me; so much so that
resolved, during the remainder of the time
we should spend together, TO do all could
toward talking the nonsense out of him.
My efforts were unavailing. kept sharp
lookout upon him, and let him fall into no
more mysterious reveries; but the curious
idea that he possessed, or could possess, some
gift above human nature, was too firmly root
ed to be displaced. On all other subjects he
argued fairly and was open TO reason. On
this one point he was immovable. When l
could get him to notice my attacks at all, his
answer was:
You doctors, clever as You are with the
body, know as little of psychology as you did
three thousand years ago."
When the time came for me TO fold up my
easel and return 10 the drudgery Of life, l
parted from Carriston with much regret. One
of those solemn, but often broken, promises
10 Join together next year in another sketch
Ing tour passed between us. Then 1 went
back TO London, and during the subsequent
months, although 1 saw nothing of him,
often thought of my friend of the autumn.
III.
In the spring of 1865 went down TO
Bournemouth to see, for the last time, an old
friend who was dying of consumption. Dur
ing great part of the journey down 1 had
Tor travelling companion a well-dreSsed gen.
temanly man of about forty years of age.
We were alone in the compartment, and aft
or interchanging some small civilities, such