For many a year did the same man sweep a certain street-crossing in Hampstead. Through, all seasons and in all weathers, there he was, sweeping the crossing and taking such Gratuities as were given him. Time wore Away, and he sume to be eighty years old. He appeared at his post no more, A lady district visitor looked him up at his lodgings, What a picture of squalid destitution. No fire, no food, no friends, Wife and family be had ntone—-hover had." The poor old fellow was perishing of starvation, of want. Nome money was raised for his benefit and he was removed to a London Hospital. Here he lay several weeks sinking daily. One night he was clextly very low. Near him stood one of the hospital physicians and a nurse. Seeing
supposing the t desired to be raised up, him clutch nervously at his pillow, the nuts, put his arm th him to perform that service. In doing so the nurse's hand came in contact with an object which he withdrew. Tt was a dirty little canvas bag tied with a leather string. As it was laid aside the old man perceived what had been done, lifted lis skeleton frame partially from the bed trembling with excitement, said in a shu whisper, Ah my treasure, my treasure It's gone, all gone, and I'm going too and sank back dead. The bag contained £500 in notes—the savings of his miserly life. And he, there, dead of starvation, even more than of age. Well, what of it? you say. The Wretched old man was better dead than Quite so, but most human events have moral, a lesson, about them, if we keep an eye out for it.
What, for example, can we learn from the following facts—Oue night about ten years ago " man whose name we can furnish, went to bed as usual, apparently in good health and spirits, A few hours later he lay unconscious on the floor. In explanation he stated "hat he had been seized, suddenly, with a pain of such violence that he was compelled to rise.—a pain in the chest. After rising he lost his senses and sank down on the spot where he had stood, His wife aroused Ly the noise, struck a light and saw her husband in that situation, She afterwards declared he had gone black in the face, and that his eyes looked as if they were starting out of his head.
Restoratives were applied which brought him to, but he was not as before. So quickly and unexpectedly do we cross the boundary Tine between two opposite bodily conditions, It is like stepping from the broad blaze of day into o damp cavern packed with darkness.
He felt weak and sick. with a strange "all-sensation throughout his whole system His mouth tasted hadly, and was filled with a slimy sort of phlegm, his head ached, he was unable to draw a deep breath he walked with difficulty, and went about his business
dream. like a man who is haunted by a paralysing plexed and alarmed he consulted physicians. who prescribed for him, without
ment. The strong clear-headed man of pre-however, producing any noticeable improv.
ious years was goue—changed as by the wand of a vicious magician into the feeble being he now was, Even with this dismal prospect before him our friend travelled not on level ground; his path led downward; he worse. In December, 1888, he had a /and went to bed. There he remained for a distinct and bad attack, gave up business, weary painful month—thirty days, as long as thirty years of power and occupation. The doctor said there was something wrong with the stomach and bowels.
After he once more rose from his bed he still suffered dreadful pain and could rest neither day nor night. Indeed, some nights he never slept a moment. So weak had he be. come that when he attempted a short walk he was obliged to abandon the effort, return and go to bed.
His own words are these:—"'To give you an idea how reduced I had become I may mention that I lost over three stone weight and was wasting away. I kept on like this until January, 1891, when Mr. Everson, of Oceold, told me of a'medicine called Mother Seigel's Syrup and the good it had done. I tried it and in three days I felt better. Cheered and encouraged by this I continued to use it, with the result that I wholly recovered from my mysterious malady. now strong and hearty, and business is again a pleasure. The Syrup did me more good in a few weeks than all my ten years doctoring put together." (Signed) Albert Thorndyke, Proprietor of the Grapes Inn." Church Street, Eye, Suffolk. May Ist, 1891.
What do' we learn from this? We learn that while a miserly fool like our cross sweeper may starve for money, a wise man with more reverence for his bodily temple, seeks and finds a remedy for a tendency to starvatim, induced by disease that the disease was indigestion and dyspepsia, and the remedy Sfother Seigel's Syrup.
(4) 3, 10 & Ife 37
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.