IT’S GONE, ALL GONE, AND I’M GOING TOO.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 7071, 17 February 1893, Page 4

IT’S GONE, ALL GONE, AND I’M GOING TOO.

For many a year did the same man sweep a certain street-crossing in the Hampstead. 1 Through all seasons and all weathers, there he was, sweeping tbe crossing and taking such gratuities as were given him. Time wore away, and he came to be 80 years old. He appeared at bis post no more. A lady district visitor looked him up at his lodgings. Wha a picture of squalid destitution. No fire, no food, no friends. Wife and family he had not—never had. The poor old fellew was perishing of starvation, of want. Some money was raised for his benefit and he was removed to a London Hospital. Here be lay several weeks sinking daily. One night he was clearly very low. Near him stood one of the hospital physicians and a nurse. Seeing him clutch nervously at his pillow, the nurse, supposing tbe patient desired to be raided up, put bis arm beneath him to perform that service. In doing so the nurse’s band came in contact with an object which he withdrew. It was a dirty little canvas bag tied with a leather string. As it was laid aside tbe old man perceived what had been done, lifted his skeleton frame partially from the bed and, trembling with excitement, said in a shrill whisper, 14 Ah my treasury, my treasure ! It's gone, all gone, and I’m going too 1” and sank back dead. Tbe bag contained £6OO in notes —the sayings of hi* miserly life. And he, there, dead of starvation, even more than of ago. Well, what of it ? you say. The wretched old man wav better dead than alive. Quite so, but most human events have a moral, a lesson, about them, if we keep an eye out for it. What, for example, can we learn from the following facts ? —One night about ten years ago a man whose name we can furnish went to bed as usual, apparently in good health and spirits. A few hours later he lay unconscious 00 the floor. In explanation be stated that 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 whore hu had stood Lm wife aroused by the noise slTuok a light and saw her husband in that situation, Bhe afterwards declared he had gone black in the face, aud that his eyes looked as if they were starting out, of his head. Restoratives were applied, which brought him to, but be was not as before. So quickly and unexpectedly do we cross the boundary line between two opposite bodily conditions. It is like stepping from the broad blaze of day into a damp cavern, packed with darkness. He foifc weak and sick, with a strange 44 all gone” sensation throughout the whole system. Ilia mouth ta-ted badly, and was filled with a slimy sort, of phlegm, his head ached, and he was unable to take a deep breath, he walked with difficulty, and went about his business like a man who is haunted by a paralysing dream. Perplexed and alarmed ho consulted phy eicians, who prescribed for him, without, how ever, producing any noticeable improvement. The strong, clear headed man of previous years was gone - changed as if by the hand 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 ; hia path led downward ; ho grew won’e. In December, 1888, he had a distinct ami bad attack, gave up business, and wem to bed. There no remained for a weary painful month—thirty davs, 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 oould rest neither day nor night. Indeed, some nights be never slept a moment. So weak bad be become that when be attempted a short walk be was obliged to abandon tbe effort, return and go to bed. His own words are these t—“ To give you an idea how reduced I bad 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 Oocold, told me of a medicine called Mother Seigel’s 1 Syrup and the good it* had done. I tried it and in three days I felt better. Oheered and encouraged by this I continued to use it, with the result that I wholly recovered from my mjstcrious malady. I am now strong and hearty, ond business is again a pleasure. The Syrup did me more g r od in a few weeks than all the ten years doctoring put together.” (Signed) Albert Thorndyke, Proprietor of the “ Grapes Inn,” Oburch Street, Eye, Suffolk. May Ist. 1891. What do wo learn from thit ? Wo learn that while a miserly fool like our croesiugsweeper may starve for money, a wise man with more reverence for his bodily temple, seeks aud finds a remedy for a tendency to starvation , induced by disease t—that the (disease was indigestion fend dyspepsia, and tbe remedy Mother Seigel’a Syrup.