The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-06-24
A BODY FOB A SOUL.
Parents of Dying Son Arrange for
His Soul to Enter Another
Habitatiou.


Armour, s. d, June 24.-Nr. and Mrs.
W. H Haroun of Douglas county, s D.,
( believe the soul of their dead son. Wal
den. has been reincarnated and on that
suspicion have adopted Mark Arken, IL
year-old lad in whose body they think
it has established headquarters.
Haroun is a well-to-do farmer. the own
er of two sections of land, one and one
half miles south of Armour. big cattle
ranch in Nowlin county and property in
a number of South Dakota towns. Both
he and his wife are spiritualists. OF late
they had been taking much interest in
theosophy and by mixing the two beliefs
have formed a decidedly peculiar creed of
their own. They had but one child, a son
10 or 20 years old, of whom they were ex-
tremely fond. Something over a year
ago he contracted consumption and des-
pite the efforts of his parents and the
best medical advice money could buy sue
cumbed to the disease after an illness of
eight months.
Shortly before his death he sent for
young Arkell, then employed as general
utility man about his fathers farm, and
held long consultation with him. At
its conclusion he told his parents that on
his own death his soul would enter Ar
kelIs body. The latter is an orphan and
so far as known has not a relative on
EARTH ne WIS VI d DlGldnCHOly QlSpOSl-
ton and frequently declared that, friend
less as he was, life had few charms for
him. Walden Haroun represented to him
that he, on the other hand, had every
thing to live for. He was heir to a COM
potency, surrounded by friends and would
leave his father and mother broken heart
ed by his death. Worn as was his own
body by disease he was certain that his
soul must soon leave it. He expressed
the conviction that it might take up it's
habitation in ArkelTs person if the lat
ter would consent to vacate in his favor,
and besought him to agree to the ar
rangement. Ar1en had received many
kindnesses from his employers son, was
strongly attached to him and after some
consideration gave his sanction to the
proposition.
When the Harouns were told what had
been done their gratitude toward Arken
knew no bounds. They made him men,
Der of the family and heaped kindnesses
upon him during the remainder of their
sons life Within hour after young
Haroun passed away Arken was seized
with something resembling an epileptic
fit. He frothed and struggled for ten or
fifteen minutes and finally sunk into a
heavy sleep from which he did not awake
for nearly "A hours.
When he returned to consciousness he
reSembIed HarOun. so the latter
parents declared in everything but form
and feature. He spoke with his voice,
manifested all his peculiarities and show
ed familiarity with his past life which it
seemed impossible that an outsider should
have acquired More than this he con-
versed huently in French and German,
with which Haroun was acquainted, but
of which Arken had no knowledge.
No clergyman could be secured to
preach sermon over the dead body on
the supposition that it belonged to Ar
keH, so Haroun, Sr., himself made a
brief address, dwelling on the boys good
qualities, etc, the devotion he had dis
played in sacrificing his life to his friend
and petitioning earnestly for his future
welfare.
That no legal complications might arise
concerning his supposed sons recognition
as such the Haroun-Arkeu personality
was formally adopted by the farmer. his
name changed from Mark Arkell to Wal
den Haroun and due notice of the change
served on the public. The family express
no doubt that it has actually been effect
ed and have settled down to the usual
routine observed before the sons death.