, 1879-06-27
TwESTY-THREE YEARS In A CHAIR.
The Sad cnsc Of Matthew Hanklns, OF LOWS.
ton, Sic.

The Sad casc Of Matthew Ranklns, OF Lewis.
ton, Mc.
L<efstoa tlf.) journal.
Twcnty'nfnc years 1go two boys, about tozcu
years OF age, we're playing stag" In Lewiston.
They werc merry and active lads. nnl wcro
frock1ng With school.boy enthusiasm and caro-
fessncss. One lad caught the other, struck
his heels, and plaYfu!ly tipped him
over. Ills whole weight cama down
upan h!a falling playmate, whose sptnc
was seriously Injured In consequence. Tie was
conveyed home, and 1t was found that he Was a
physical wreck. Fur two years he was able 10
walk around very little, a,d then, ~ tic r.
sults Of his Injuries gradually grew more
Berioust he was Obliged to be carried from ono
plasc 10 anots,er. entirely losing tho use OF his
lower limbs. A. length his who1e body
became rigid, u.nl he was powerIcss. For
twenty-thrcc years Matthew isa.,lsins has sat
tsed Ia his etIair as IN y1sc, night unt1 day.
4 Journal reporter called OH Mr. Kanki1s. Mt
.its rSaideicc on summer street. the otlier dny.
pleasant wiuduw when Tie reporter wen, Into
iIH ruo1E,-ttu same chatr tn which he has
p7sscd the last twenty.ttree years Of hts life,
from SUNRISE to sunrise. Ills head Is turned tt
one sidc by n contraction Of the muscles
lakcd, anu it is impossible for or him m
even to turn his neck to LOOK cut Of Tie
window. W contrlyanco Of bis own, be Is
bright stSy. a small 1oukngglass Is hung OF,
tile enu OF a short stick. lie other cpl Is
placed between the contracted Gngcrs of one
llnn'i, and tue glass Es held 70 that he may see
II; NATURES facs reflected in That 1uby-l3 franc.
T!!s Is Mr. Rahkins way Of "takng utl airing"
IL Ia fayorite occupation, unu the mirror was
betore !liln when ttlc reporter entered.
Mr.. ltanklrs IL Il Yeara Of age. but looks Rur-
pris!nGly yuun. for a man shusu constitution
Inns bornb twerty-ntno vears ot unrc,ntttlng
pain. tlcEas handsome, Intelligent face, which
apcais but slightly Of hts sut1ornes, ami looks
rs cheerful n!,i hlppy as human counteuanee
tAn. Head, body, legs. md arms arc Us clods So
for rs Ills power them is coDcerued. Lie cau
work his ankles a very little. Ills f1ngora nnd
toes arc oil dslosnled, md In ono thumb ta tho
only material joint In hfs whole body. H. can
produce slight, rocking. motion BY working
his ankles llttfo. Its bed IL made Ut night by
putting blocks under bis chair-rockgrs, tippine
tie chair back little, aud eoverns hn With
quilts. Mr. Nanktps' eyes and tongues arc thy
only n!cmbcss lhnt he tas not lost command OF.
Hslold our reporter tut lie suffered continual
y, without moments intcrnltsston, soycro
pain IN t!!r maFraW or Ills boncs. TilEs COLI
ttnued pain brings on SIolcnt attacks OF vomIt-
tns about "uco week. in which his suilcrIncs
are intense. tic can move Ills lla1lis few
Inches up and down hs breast.
Whet, llc WIS first strlckem lio waa a5lo to
whttle images a'.l make sl'ali urtictes Vi wood
with his AauR, hut this privtlegu has been
taken from him. lie can, however, both read
and write BY tneans OF Ingenious con.riyauces
which he planned after much thought. a,,l
which friends made according 10 his iustructiou.
b0ard with sliding edge is iastened 10 tho
arm Of Ills chair In nearly perpendicular POSI-
,i,n. His wcll-wosn quarto bible Ia jafi on
tlb' A metallic hook, With II ~oolen handle, IL
placed hstwcen ti'c finger and thumb Of Una
hand, md with this hook, BY a peculiar jerk ut
The wrist, ha fs able to turn ttte leaves. lie
rcatls considerably, giving much time 10 tl,t,
Bible. Tie Lewiston Joar,'at Is Ills fayorlte
newspapes. For reatlinE newspaper, he llas
ha'kud stick upn wlileh the sheet is hung.
When he wants tn write, longur GUurd Is
placed hetore bin With q contriynler for lull-
ing a sllcst VI papcr. 4 pen.stuvk tw. tcet long,
aud without moving muscle, sure thosu Of the
wrist, hc is bble to wrtte perfectly trgiblu
haul. flc u unable to din Ills pen into ,l,r Ink
stand, which lungs Oh the boarl, hut Ills Ills
pun BIZ catching urOn uf ink oil his "toukn in
the otl.er, ,l,n,i., atla to,ehng 1t to The nib oi
the pro. Tic wt!trs great deal.
liz Is cared for BY hls sister nntl tbs niece, tho
latter, y9,'ng I ady oi ~ years, visiting tpon
,otl1lg cir chccr!nlly fossakcs her companions
and youthful pleasures to give tl,c best part Of
her !te to her suffering unclc I. an injecting
instances Of kc'l-:sacEltlrc. Thu young lady Is
Mr.. RanlHlls' mother, ludy 81 scnss old, was
very s!ck when Thu ropnrter called. AR. Rankins
ctnllst AeyutetllY watch hIs pArcilt nn, bsitsh
with hts s,tyk the troublesome lilies from her
said Mr. 1sankins' sitter, ''nlsl 70 away saying
TINT they have ucen taught MI impressive lea
sotl." atr. llankns l'as hccu frequently lt.ctl-
toned In tln, Lewiston pulpit ~ a,l exponent
nf true Chrlstlan p!ety ar,I resignation.
a Visit. 10, this geatcmau Is ,cssou
Tint all creation IL at swordst points With sucl,
an insignificant atom Ut the t,lltvcrsu aa him
Eelf will feel happier after call on Mr.. Ran-
kius. No ono but God AMI myself knuw what |
+ suilcr," said he. 'but guess an about ua |
hnpUy as lhuy mako 'rn,. duu't buIleya lint |
tIhtc passes more rapidly with Bcllon!.boy than
viii, nlu, lluYs a rreat many visitors every |
.taY. nlMi my frfeuls Include good part OF thu
population Of Iewistnti. Sunday yssttura to thu /
ccmetcsy frequently call upon me-. 6otnc-
lines they s!ng will Hlc, mud
they used to hold prayer-nleusInss In
my room. When my acqua!n,anrcs get Inv
spirited OF IN trouble uiN! uccl adYicc, they
eop,o tu ne. fase lclsuEo to think nn,l plan
Tor them, nttI tAef seek my c>l,llsrl. Some day
| shall 6e ~ Wvll OH as tho rnnt 0f You. Aly |
lot Ia to stt III thta cinir, and would nut get
out until 1t wus GD1's Will Sumc friends once
called oil i1ls ns,u asxed my colscnt to hold q
special prayer~meettug to pray los my recovery.
told ehun ! was willing tlnAt they slloulu pray
that might ret well II It wAs GoQ'h pcasute.h
Tho CoIt!eat Tuwm In the World. "
Hers It may relieve US, when thu mercury has
l..G A., k1xh$L tt kfr$x II