Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1912-07-12

~ ANSW l Ah~oASo "a
Investigator of unusual skill and acute
ness, the discoveries he made and the
papers he had written concerning them
gained him a wide reputation in pro-
3essiOnal circles. We were close
friends, and when. on his return from
g prolonged visit to Italy he called
ct my house, I was shocked by the
change in the man He was thin,
haggard, yellow of complexion, n it
did not astonish me when he volun-
teered the information that he was suf-
xering from malaria in a peculiarly ma
lignant form. 1t did, however, sur
prise me when ne stated that he had
resolved to allow nature to take it's
course, and would not enlist medical
aid to fight the disease. He remarked
IA calmly that he was doomed, and
no argument to the contrary proved
of any avail. Furthermore, he de-
clared that when he died a manuscript
explaining his Indifference to death
would be placed in my hands. Three
months later the event which he
~prophesfed came to pass. He was
found dead in his study, having finally
Succumbed to the inroads of the NAL
"NJ. "a IldAoSSllpI dlllOuS LIS S4SSIop
sealed and addressed to me, was
duly forwarded to its destination. 1t
contained the following history, which
I will give in Matcham's own words:
1t was about a year g that Man
sons published discoveries with re-
gard to malaria aroused my interest,
and I determined to make investiga-
tons on his lines for myself. For
this reason 1 resolved to pay a visit
to the Campagna near Rome, and carry
on my Investigations in the most ma
iarial districts Of this unhealthy spot.
The cause Of malaria was known and
Its spread was all but proved, but l
hoped that 1t might be my privilege
to discover the remedy.
l was deeply in love with a young
girl named Rachel Denza, whom 1 had
known s1nce she was a child. Her IA
Their was an ex-colonel in the United
States army. Col. Denza adored his
only child, and she lived only for her
father. 1t was O. the day before
left New York for Italy that l ven
tured to speak openly of my love to
Miss Denza. To my astonishment n
rage she gently but firmly refused me.
L ~ OIlC ulySSll, uOWSfCIp duu nav
Ing promised my old playmate that we
should always remain good friends,
took my departure. Outwardly l was
calm, but inwardly a tempest ragged in
t-my breast. If l had intended Rachel
4 to be mine before l asked her, 1 was
I now like a man possessed on the sub
ject. The next day l sailed for Italy.
The time of year was favorable for my
project, Rome being distinctly ma
larial In the month of August. 1 be-
gan to make my Investigations at once.
My experiments from the start were
more for possible cure of malaria than
on b cause of it's dissemination, but
In order to attain the one 1 had to in
vestigate the other. 1t Is now no Sc
cret that the parasite which causes
malaria in the human subject is to
be found in the bodies of certain
mosquitoes. The special mosquito
which disseminates this terrible dis
ease has spotted wings and lays boat
shaped eggs. For the mosquito in
question, when it bites a man infect
ed with malaria, conveys the disease to
the next healthy person whom it bites.
Up to the present only the mosquito
with spangled wings, the anopheles,
Is believed to be capable of conveying
this dire infection from man to man,
but in all probability there are many
others Of the species which can per-
form equally deadly work. AS an
opheles %abounded on the portion Of the
Campagna where 1 had placed my pat
ent mosquito hut, equipped with wire
gauze door and windows, l had abun-
dant opportunities of studying them.
Having taken the necessary precau-
tons, and being in any case, as l con-
sidered, impervtous to the bite of the
mosquito, l remained free from the
dread disease. l had been a month
on the Campagna when one morning
l received a letter from Rachel in
forming me that she was engaged to
marry a certain Capt. Charming, for
merly in her fathers regiment. 1
wrote a formal note Of congratulations
to Rachel and posted it. Before the
arrival of that letter I was practically
a human scientist who loved his work
and wished to benefit his fellow men.
Now, every thought was concentrated
on one idea-how 1 could Illustrate
Charming n make Rachel my wife.
Before l slept that night 1 took the
first step.
l had a distant cousin by the name
of Marian Fletcher. She was a tall,
dark, handsome girl, owe whom I had
always exercised considerable infu-
ence, although I was not vain enough
to suppose hat she loved me. It oc-
Cured to me hat she would be a use
full tool at any rate. She was visiting
the Denzas at this time, and l wrote
her a letter dealing principally with
ordinary matters; but toward the end
mentioned that I had heard Of
RacheIs engagement. l asked her to
tell me all she could about Claiming,
n in a short while l received a reply
which ran az follows:
my Dear George: 1t Is in my pow
er to give o much information with
regard to Rachel Denza's engagement.
In the first place, h marriage be
tween her and Capt. Claiming must
be performed between o and the
first of January, mex year for by the
will OF Godfrey Channing's late
eccentric uncle, Edward Marbury. he
loses a large estate unless he marries