Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1870-10-13
THE STRUGGLE.

W.
n see him through" and will keep theil
+ promise, for it is sacred; and so he need
1not get out of bed at all, and one hor
irible fear is removed at once.
a Now he takes one of his twenty-grair
ipowders of bromide of potassium, anC
3the internal conflict begins. 1t is :
Hmortal fight with the foul fend himself
A The patient has no cares, no thoughts
sSome one smoothes his pillows, shuts ou
sthe bright light which would tortue his
seyes, airs the room to suit him, and he
Afeels once more as though he were q
! child again, nursed by his mother.
4 He does not wait to eat, and he need
+. not eat, for he has nothing to do but to
lie still and fightl Ali there is the
2point. And now he shall show of what
Stuff he is made,
For there is no sterner, as there is no
nobler, battle waged than this confiic Ct
( of the sick man with himself and with
4 the devil who has got possession OF him.
FIRST RESULTS.
At first the system, surprised by this
novel condition of things, waits pa
Stiently enough for its usual morning cor.
receive, but at length grows weary OF
Swaiting, and becoming even impatient,
as the best regulated systems, not to
speak of ill-regulated ones, sometimes
( will, it begins to make itself heard.
There is gnswing at the pit of the
stomach, cold sweats crawl up and down
1.-The body, the skin is clammy, the head
swims around and about, the muscles
3become completely relaxed the nervous
system is entirely unstrung, strange
dreams perplexp the doing brain, he
y Aslumbers for an instant, and is wakened
sby spasm; cramps assail his limbs, and
HE kicks them out; if pin drops, it has
sthe reverberation Of a ten pin; spots,
5black and white, dance before his eyes,
8 4opened or closed; hideous faces glare at
ahim, and change like the patterns of a
Kaleidoscope; out of the pocket of his
: 7coat, hanging over yonder, there comes a
8wheel, which increases itself, and whirls
{ fspirally in the air toward him, till ii van
4ishes under his very eyes; and still, be.
ahind all this phantasmagoria, he hears a
Ssoft musical voice saying, BE not afraid
syou shall win the fghtP
4 And by-and-by the sedative which has
2been taken, and which has insidiously
tbeen seeking out the enemy weak points
3all this time, finds it, and the patient falls
into sleep, the first natural sleep he has
thad for years.
N But he wakes again to find the conflict
1going on harder than ever, and the
tcraving stronger; and takes a second
2powder, say three hours after the first
land third at nightfall, and so the day
Epasses.
THE SECOND DAY.
The second day is worse than the first
HThe fancies are intensified; the system
Bis coming out from under the alcoholic
einhuence and the reaction is the more
Hterrible. But there must be no fiinchinl
tnowl Keeping continually before the
4mind. as it becomes cleared, the deter
imination to crush out and root out, a
|any cost, this vile enemy 20 health anS
progress, the sufferer may also remember
that each hour orings him more and mor'
aunder the influence of his only friend
land each hour improves his condition
tIand increases his ability TO continue th'
1conhict successfully.
Food should not be taken uuless ur
gently desired, and then II should be o
the most nutritious character. Broths o
fowl or beefsteak, and such other meat
as are best calculated to preserve tn
tone Of the stomach, are to be preferred
s THE VICTORY.
By continuing the powders, the write
'assnres the reader that perfect success
land glorious victory are attainable- Thi
desire for drink win be completely eradI
Gated, and its return viii not be hkell
to occur.