The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1868-07-24
A strange history.

A Mr.. w. A. Worth, Of Troy, New York,
died recently. Twenty years ago, Mr..
Worth was young and promising merG
chant. His personal appearance was COM
handing, and he was regarded as enc OF
the finest specimens of manly beauty to be
found in the city In his family relations
he was most happily blessed. But neural
gle pains began TO dart through his person,
and in a short time he was taken down with
confirmed and incurable rheumatism
For some time hopes were entertained that
the disease would give way to medical treat
ment, but these were finally abandoned
when it was discovered that anchylosis of
all the joints in the body was rapidly taking
place. The end was soon reached. Every
bone became ossified and contracted He
was unable to move joint or muscle ofthe
body. Even his jaws became set, and for
yaars he sucked his nourishment through
his teeth. !, His feet BECAME enlarged to
enormous size, and great ulcers formed upon
them.
In this condition he lived for years, sufi
fering at times excruciating torture, though
sometimes he was happily free from pain.
During sixteen years of his invalidism, MIR.
Worth was attended solely by his wife now
we are assured, an angel in heaven, as she
certainly was on earth. That excellent wo-
man nursed and tended him with uncom-
planning love and heroic fortitude, never
murmuring at her lot but cheerfully per-
forming her mission of love and duty. We
doubt if there is on record in the pages of
history or fiction, another instance of more
complete wifely devotion, of stronger CON
jugal fidelity and love- A little more than
a year ago Mrs. Worth died from disease
induced by her long and persistent care of
her husband. 49,
To add to Mr.. Worth's misfortune, about
Blk years ago his eyes were attacked by
disease, and granually he lost his sight
His strong mental faculties, which had all
through his long years of illness remained
unimpaired, absolutely grew stronger He
recognized the steps of visitors with entire
exactness, and could distinguish between
half dozen persons entering the ROOM
He also played chess, and his memory was
so perfect that in this game he was able to
vanquish almost any opponent. The news
papers were read to him daily, and he kept
thoroughly posted upon the current news
and literature of the times. Though he had
not walked the streets of Troy for years, he
knew almost every change that had taken
place in the buildings that line them. His
mental characteristics were almost as re-
as were his physical misfortunes
and terrible deformity. ~ ~. .,.5 ~,
Some months previous to the death of
Mrs. Worth, who only relinquished her care
when disease was fastened upon her, Mr..
Worth was removed to the Troy Hospital.
He appeared to be very tenacious of life
clinging to it with even more desire than
most strong and robust men manifest A
few months since he was again removed to
the Marshall Infrmary, where he died
Every organ in his body, one after another,
had been attacked, and we may say destroy
ed, until only the heart, the citadel of life it
SELF remained unimpaired. This too at last
succumbed, and the poor man, who counted
his suferings, in duration, by years, and
the intensity beyond the power of Ian
guage to describe, was released from the
thraldom Of the body. $50 al'