The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-07-20

our religious theories, as well as our so- cial laws.
 Captain Clark told his wife nothing until 10 years later, when the mystery was explained to her She had absolutely no recollection of the name of Burke or of the name of Burke's ship. The past was so completely dead to her that she refused to agree that she could ever have been Mrs. Burke She lived happily with her husband. Captain Clark, to a good old age, but never at any time did any recol- lection come to her of her life before she opened her eyes on board the good American ship Tornado.
 The foregoing story would supply the most fincky of novelsts with plot, yet the tale is true in every particular
 Cases Are Not Uncommon.
 Nor are these cases of aphasia un- common. The one reeited is unusual, in that the lady retained the ability to speak and write, and knew the usual things known by person in the middle walk of life. Her mentality was im- paired in no other particular, except that of her memory of her own self and her people and past life.s
 Such an aphasia, or hiatus, may come from score or more of causes. Over indulgence in alcoholic liquors. a blow onsthe left side of the head just back of the temple, if 1t causes any break in the blood vessels of the second cere- bral convolution; the pressure of d piece of bone upon certain nerves, and many other causes may give rise to the condition of aphasia. Most often this aphasia takes the form of inability to write or make written words; 1t Is then called agraphia if an inability to speak, 1t is called amnesia, of which halting speech and stuttering are mild forms.
 4.nother interesting case of aphasia was that of pr. Henry H. Cate of Lakewood, N. J., who left his home or business trip to New York in April, 1903. disappeared, and was found the following August by his sister in la " Mrs. John G. Wilkinson, of 266 Grand street, Newburg, N. Y, at the Morgan house, in Poughkeepsie, where he had registered under the name of e. Eos ter" He had been located by a photo- graphic reproduction circulated by his brother Masons, and Mrs. Wilkinson, whose home at Newburg was not far from Poughkeepsie, was called upon to identify him, which she did readily enough, declaring "G. Foster" to be her brother-in-law, Dr. Henry H. Cate of Lakewood. However, the past was aH apooldle biduk 10 LII dOCIOT. lie denied ever having known Mrs. Wilk- inson, and with dignity resented her familiarity in calling him as Harry ' In vain she went over the story of his past life, recalling to him his courtship days, his wife, his children, and his home, as well as the circumstances of his arrival in New York with s3O0O in his possession, his registering at the Hotel Albert, and his disappearance with the money, asking him if he had any remembrance of losing his pocket book in front of an uncompleted build ing, as well as many other incidents which might throw some ray of light into his clouded brain, but he con- tinued to deny that he was Dr. Cate. Nor could he tell then who he was. more than to say he was e. Foster and that he used that name because Tt was s good as any" and he had seen 1t on billboard. His family was satisfied that this man was the long missing doctor, and he was taken home to his own sanitarium. From there he was sent to the Inter Pines sanitarium at Goshen, N. Y, where one October day six months after his disappearance his memory came back to him.
 Lifting of the Pail.
 When questioned about his experiences he said: 'It is all coming back to me now as clear as day. It Is as if ter rible pail, which has shrouded me for so long, had suddenly been lifted and ] am once, more in possession of my facul- ties. What agony I endured while wan dering oyer the country, unable to make known my identity, unable to formulate a connected sentence in my poor brain no one will ever know. But now I am confident it is all over and I will soon be as well as ever. It has been coming on gradually, this improvement. I knew 1t some time ago, but was afraid it was only temporary and kept silent. Yes terday, while boring over a work on materia medica I suddenly came to my self, realized who I was and what I was This sudden intelligence was al- most overwhelming.
 q left home last April to go to New York city to attend to some business af- fairs, carrying 5000 in bills or large de- nominations on my person. I stopped at the Hotel Albert, Eleventh street and University Place. That evening I called upon former patient on West Fifty seventh street We spent a pleasa mt evening, recalling old incidents, and I took my leave shortly after 10 o'clock. From Fifty-seventh street I strolled down Fifth avenue to Forty-second street, and then walked through to the Grand Cen tral station. From there l don't re- member Just the course l took, but my last impression Is that I was standing upon the edge of an excavation watch ing the workmen who were laboring by the light of torches As I turned to leave the scene I heard men run up behind me, and one of them shouted: Quick Quick" I felt a. terrific blow behind my ear, just at the base of the brain, and then 1 started my aimless wanderngs. Where I went I do not know, but some time afterward I partially rallied, and was told by a stranger that I was in Kansas City. I had four $50 bills pinned on the Inside of my vest, so I hardly think 1t probable that my assailants robbed me.
 Could Remember Nothing.
 T left Kansas City, dimly recognizing that l was in the west, but had no recol- lection of my name, family or friends nor of any of the old ties. and the strange part of it all is that 1 did not care. 1 was happy and as free as q bird. How I lived or how l managed to get from town to town I don't know. but no happier creature ever lived than i. The next faint spark that glimmered in my brain was when l was in Indiana ! was tramping it. It was some time during the summer, and l found myself enc warm afternoon sitting on the banks of small stream, in my usual happy and care-free condition. As I sat there l heard the sound of childish voices sing ing. and following the voices, l found (. party of childen picknicking. They were singing Way down upon the Suwanee River and 1t was this simple old ai.' that brought me to the first realization of my deplorable condition brought to me the first real desire to know my name