The Washington herald., 1909-07-04
By JAMES LAcosrE RoDIER.

town College together Yes. 1 know II ls
. university now, but IL win always De
'ccuege' 70 rs oldsters
II was at the Cozy Corner, and the
physician was fulfilling his promise TO
tell Of a remarkable series Of happenings
which fell under his observation. and
which we're tragically eventful at times.
Frank Magan had an older brother.
Charley. They were both born and reared
in Georgetown, In the section then known
as Holy Hill Their father had gone
South during the war. and was a court
esy colonel until his death, in the early
'10s. when Frank and Charley were left
orphans. The latter, who had taken
course at law, went into a noted real es-
tate Office. acquired a substantial stake
and went to the Middle West TO practice
law But his knowledge Of real estate
values and opportunities was OF such use
10 him that he neglected law and proceed
ed to make a fortune in the town Of his
adoption.
Frank remained in Washington, fin
ishing his rudimentary education with
the Christian Brothers then located on
X street. near Sixteenth street. He and
matIiculated and graduated from
Georgetown. took up medicine, and went
over the rocky road 20 Dublin together
When graduated he went TO local hos
p.tal and I into the navy Eventually d..
Nfagan went to Plainvil}e, where his
brother was. and IN the early SOS 1 got
an offer through him OF consulting sur
geon ar the big hospital there and as
was tired OF the navy / Joined him, we
forming a partnership.
Il had known Charley Magan as my
chum's brother. but only slightly. Frank,
who never married. had his Office on the
ground floor OF a big double house. slept
above the Office, and boarded with his
brother, who. with his wife and two chill
dren. occupied the other half Of the house.
got TO know Charley very well IN a
month. He was tall, broad OF shoulder.
deep OF chest. and strong Of limb. yet
withsl a gentle and kindly man, with
nothing gTOss or peculiar about hiE1.
Though he did not practice law, he was
6eyoted 20 its study, and made specially
OF the criminal branch ] recall that he
was especially fond OF reading criminal
novsls, such as those Of Gaboriau, The
French novelist then at the height of his
vogue.
AT the time I reached Plainvine. then
town Of 700C0. ne was approaching forty
years Of age. had made MS pile, safely
invested Il. and was contemplating taking
Up criminal practice as a preliminary 70
which he laid out course Of study for a
couple of years. One Of his children de-
veloping a weakness Of the lungs. he had
dispatched his wife and children TO South
orn California. and he pursued his studie:
in the house. having as companions only
his brother and myself 81 such times as
was not engaged at the hospital The
only other occupant Of the house was
Aunt Mandy. a middle-aged negro woman
brought West from the District wher
Charley MaEan had returned with his
GeorSetolu bride.
For liscreation. when circumstances
permitted Il, the three OF Us would take
long walks through the woods near By,
and the elder Magan apparently knew
every nook and corner that seemed tc
every one else inaccessible.
Matters ran along uneventfully FOL
about six months. Until DR.. Magan no
ticed that his brother was ailing. and sug
gested that the latter pay a visit to hl:
family. which he did, remaining in Cali
fornia about a month. When he returned
he declared he never was better in hi:
life He was deceiving himself. for i
was apparent TO his brother and 10 my
self that he was the victim OF a slow ma.
larial fever which had the indications o.
typhoid. When we convinced him tha
his condition was sSch as TO demand
proper treatment he consented to 90 q
bed. stipulating that his wife was not q
be disturbed or sent for unless his Condi
ton became serious. He wrote and go
ready for mailing about a dozen letter!
70 his wife. dating them ahead, so We
might mail them during his Illness should
he be unable to write
His fever was a long and stubborn one
and finally ran into typhoid There wa:
nothing alarming in his condition, though
and the fever ran its course 10 apparen
convalescence until, when he was abou
10 sit UP and send for his family. I no
ticed a peculiar ocular detection and ;
tendency 10 unnatural laughter which
attributed 10 q form Of hysteria- This
not disturbing IN itself. was, however, ac
companied by lapses into amnesia. whicl
seemed 20 me 20 be progressive. Or
night Frank and I were discussing with
some concern this condition. and tn
nurse. coming downstairs on some errant
from the sick room, was called into III
conference. which lasted half an hour
Z
mediately he called out 10 Us below: L
Mr.. Magan down there?
This startled Us. and we fastened 4
the sick room. Charley Magan had dis
appeared.
The premises were searched, neigh
bors called in to help our quest, and tn
authorities notified Every effort was pu
forth For a week we vainly sought hin
and then notified his wife. who rushe
home. She was at first overcome, an
threatened 10 lapse into a fever herself
but, woman-like. she proceeded 10 gathe
herself together and made plans 70 eX
tend and more vigorously prosecute n
search. She sent for the nurse and aske
the latter what Mr.. Magan had said II
day he disappeared. and when he replied
All he said. ma am, was Send for En-
ma the missing mans wife turned Z
Us and exclaimed: I'm going back I
California by the first train; Charles
going out 70 me-
arrangements were hurriedly made
for the idea was most plausible. We di
not know whether the missing man ha
anv money. indeed, we did not know
he had any clothes beyond mis- dressin
gown. His bank had cashed none OF III
checks for six weeks or more. and DIaga
was not q man 10 keep much none
about him. So Mrs. Magan returned I
her children IN California, and we contiI
ued the search from Plainvllle in ever
widening circles.
Spring came. and Frank Magan and
roamed the nearby woods. fearful
what we might find Mrs Masan wTot
frequently. and her letters showed grea
solicitude and an abiding faith that he
husband was alive and would come TO he
in California
a year passed. and Frank and ha