The Sweetwater forerunner. [volume] (Sweetwater, Tenn.) 1867-1869, 1868-06-04
GREAT SUFFERING.
Eighteen Y ears am Invalid.

BiShteen Y ears an Invalid.
Twenty years ago Mr.. Asa w. Worth
was young and promising merchant Of
Troy. His personal appearance was com.
manding, and he was regarded as one OF
the finest specimens of manly beauty to
be found in the city. In his family rela-
tions he was most happily blessed. An
amiable and accomplished wife and lit.
tie babe, now grown to womanhood, shed
their sweet sunshine around his pathway.
But, alas, great sorrow was pending over
him. Neuralgia pains began to dart
through his person, and in short time he
was taken down with confirmed and in.
durable rheumatism. For some time
hopes were entegttainea that the disease
would give way to medical treatment, 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 ossifed and contracted. He was
unable to move joint or muscle of the
body. Even his jaws became set, and for
years he sucked his nourishment through
his teeth. His feet became enlarged to
an enormous size, and great fetid ulcers
formed upon them. In this condition ho
lived for eighteen years, suffering at times
the most excruciating torture, though
sometimes he was happily freed from pain
During sixteen years of his invalidism,
Mr.. Worth was attended solely by his
wifc-now we are assured an angel in
heaven, as she certainly was on earth.
That excellent woman nursed and tended
hin with accomplishing love and heroic
fortitude-never murmuring at her lot,
but cheerfully, prayerfully preformingher
mission of love and duty, and at last abb
solutely wearing herself out in the care of
her stricken husband. We doubt if there
is on record, in the pages of history or fc.
tion, another instance of more wifely de-
votion, or stronger conjugal fidelity and
love. A little more than year ago, we
believe, Mrs. Worth died, from disease in.
duced by her long and persistent care of
her husband, and when she died, though
the earth opened to receive her body, tho
portals of heaven swung wide open that
her angelic spirit might enter. Verify, she
has her reward.
To add to Mr., Worth's misfortunes,
about six years ago his eyes were attack.
ed by disease, and gradually he lost sight.
Now began singular feature in his case.
His strong mental faculties, which had all
through his long years of illness remained
unimpaired, absolutely grew stronger.
His sense of hearing was wonderfully acute.
He recognized the steps of visitors with
entire exactness, and could distinguish be-
tween 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 op-
ponent. The newspapers 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 tho
buildings that line them. His mental
characteristics were almost as remarkable
as his physical misfortune and deformity.
Some months previous to the death Of
Mrs. Worth, who only relinquished his
care when disease had fastened upon her
vitals, Mr.. W. was removed to the Troy
hospital. Here we visited him once or
twice, and found him cheerful and quite
happy. He appeared to be very tenacious
of life-clinging to it with even more de.
sire than most strong and robust men man.
ifest. A few months since he was again
removed to the Marshall In6rmary, where
he died. Every organ in his body, one
after another, had been attacked, and wo
may say destroyed, until only the heart,
the citadel of life, remained unimpaired.
This, too, at last succumbed; and the poor
man who counted his sufferings in dura-
tion by years and in intensity beyond the
power Of language to describe, was releas-
ed from the thraldom of the body to rejoin
his loved partner in the realms of bliss
above.
T, hu,,d