The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1878-01-12
How a Scare Cured Paralytic.

The Troy Times says: In letter re-
ceived a few days since from person in
New Hampshire occurs this sentence:
"Cld Simon Love stopped here yester-
day on his way home. He is almost
ninety-two, and is hale and hearty"
And that brought to mind an incident
which happened five-anG-twenty years
go-yes-twenty-ni years ago-it was
in the autumn of 1S4S. The same Simon
Love, then sixty-three years of age, and
living with son-in-law on the Grand
Intervale road under Mote mountain,
had been laid up for more than a year
with what the doctors called species of
lumbago. He could not arise from his
chair without assistance, nor could he
move from chair to bed without the
help of a strong man, for he was himself
very heavy. There seemed to be a sort
of paralysis of all the muscles of the
lumbar regions, and when the pain came
it came furiously. | don't know how
many bottles of iniment and patent un-
guents had been rubbed upon the out
side, or how many barrels of swash he
poured down his throat. He seemed to
grow worse instead of better, and with
OAiO RIOoPCSO VI lOuS WIlU6I
before him, he didn't think he could sur
vive it.
Well, one day in early October, while
the pigeons were very plenty, Mr.. Ham
mond, Loves son-in-law, was fixing his
double-barrel gun for a shot at them.
He had just cut piece of Indian wheat,
not far away, and there the pigeons
would be sure to gather, and he meant
to be ready for them. He had loaded
both barrels heavily, and put on the per-
cussion caps; but as the caps were
slightly small for the tubes he had to
press them on, which he was wont to do
by easing the hammer down upon them.
Old Simon sat by the fireplace, bolster
ed up in his great easy chair, with pad
ding of pillows and blankets for his back,
and cushions for his feet.
"Look out, Nathanp' he cried, as he
saw the double muzzle pointed uncom-
fortably near to him.
"Pooh, Their amt no danger, dad"
returned Nathan, pressing the hammer
down upon the cap.
But the cap was very sensitive one,
and he pressed little too hard, and
Mercy what a crash! and what a
howl! The right barrel of the gun was
discharged with report that shook the
house from ridge-pole to foundation, and
a few of the shot grazed Simon Loves
leg. He, poor man, believed he was shot
dead. He sent forth howl, loud and
long, and leaped to his feet.
"Murder! Murder! Murderl Pm
dead-killed-shot all to pieces, o. O!
O!-Murder!
And away he leaped out of doors-out
into the yard-where he danced up and
down, yelling like mad all the while, I'M
til Nathan and his wife and hired man
came to his assistance. They got him
into the house, and got him down into
his chair and after a critical examina-
ton they found two or three livid lines
upon the calf of his right leg, where a
stray shot had grazed the skin.
Am / shot?"
"No. Get up and see."
He was up in moment, standing first
upon one leg and then upon the other,
and presently the thought occurred to
him that he had really risen and unaided.
He started off upon brisk walk, with
out pain and without hindrance. He
could hardly credit the evidence of his
own senses. He leaped and he danced
he ran to the wall and back again.
"Glory, hallelujah Nathan, Pm a
we'll man ~
And he spoke truly. The terrific
shock, convulsing every nerve and strain
ing every muscle, had healed him, and
from that time he had not another touch
of the old trouble.