The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1878-03-12
THE SPIRIT OF DEMOCRACY.
Tuesday, M arch I2. 1878.
The Ailing Man.

,7ssSf SzR3 es95 a2i1
The Ailing Man.
Editorial Correspondence of the Burlington
Hawkeya.
had such a pleasant companion on
nv way home from Aurora, He got on
at Bristol and took dinner at the Cos
mopolitan." He sat with me at dinner,
and didn't seem to have much appetite.
He groaned when he took up the bill OF
fare, and sighed as he tooked across the
table ut INV order, and then shook his
head dolefully aud told the waiter to
bring him some hoied trout. with egg
sauce, a bit OF hoiled mutton, with Ca
Der sauce, some roast beef, a trihe rare,
lust taste Of roast lamb, turkey with
CRANBERRY sauce, mashed potatoes. roast
duck, some pork and beans, Boston
style, stewed tomatoes, corn, turnips,
squash, peas, bit of cold tongue, some
, sharp relishes and cup of coffee. Then
he ordered some assorted cake, Gran
berry pie, Indian pudding and ice cream
for dessert, and he felt darned sight
more like dying than eating.
s-e If he dies as we'll as he eats, just i'm
apine, Just think, what a glorious, tri.
7 umphant death that man will die.
Shortly after dinner the poor man
came into the coach and sat down op.
posite me.
: .Ah," he said, with deep groan; 81
don't know what / wouldn't give il l
could eat like you.
"Sir I" / said, in a fine burst of indig-
nation, for feared he was going to ac-
cuse ne of swallowing my knite every
time took bite Of pie, and just
made up my mind that would cut his
heart out il he limited at such q thing
.Oh, it's fact, he replied. 81 havn't
enioyed a meal for wears
- WAS it possible r. l asked in amaze
) ment.
40. .Indeed, yes" be said. I'm all out OF
fix. I've got no liver at all, to speak CT
Z II didn't suppose one liver would be
of any account to him / rather thought
that if he could get couple of gangs
of,liyers, and work them by reliefs,
they might be able to help him along,
especially IL he had them made of tin.
But then he was a stranger TO me, so l
didn't feel justified in making the sug-
gestion.
-.No,'' he continued, "my liver is no
more account than lump of lead. /
suppose," be said plaintivly, Its as big
as four Of yours" :.
And he looked at me with an appeal
ing glance, as though he expected me to
take nv liver out and let 5im examine
It, as though it we're an oroide watch he
wanted to trade fer.,
New If there is anything in this wide,
beautiful world that will make me mad,
tits to have man whois ailing sit down
and bore me with list Of his diseases
and detailed description of his ana
tomicsl arrangements. And the men
OF free America, it seems to me, would
rather talk about their perishing livers
than their never dying souls, and it al
ways makes me mad for man to come
1t me and burden me with complaints
about the torpidity of bis liver,as though
! / we're his physician. am proud to
confess to the blindest, ,densest ignorance
concerning my own inner life. don't
know whether my liver is round or
shaped like gun case, and don't know
where 1t is and / don't care continen-
,al, although always had the impress
sion that it was just under the shoulder
blades. So said to the man with very
great enthusiasm.
ss0h, do tell me all about your. liver
] should so like to know all about it,
i am 80 interested in such things
The man looked little surprised al
nov sudden enthusiasm; but he said
shere wasn't much to tell about it. Ii
was as torpid, he said, as a snake in De-
cember.
.Oh, charming, charming" I ex-
claimed "And is it tame2 DO you
let it lun around loose or do you have
20 keep it chained upf"
The stranger started, and looked as
though he would like to sit little fur
ther away. He said he didn'! just ex.
actly understand me.
ac,..And how is your spleen r asked ea
gerly, s.and your ventricles? And do tell
me about your thoracic duct, and how do
you get along with your tonsilsP And
lave you raised any new homes since ]
saw you last; and when did you hear
from your diaphragm? ? Do tell me all
about your viscera; make clinic OF
yourself, and tell me the Christian names
ofall yourbones and the appurtenances
thereunte appertaining. Tell me-"
But he got up and slowly backed out OF
the Car, and the conductor shortly after
ward told me that the man with liver
told him that the man who escaped from
the asylum at Jacksonville last week was
in the rear coach.