The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1879-02-13
A MODERN MIRACLE.

Mrs rrank w. WOOu was soldier
in the Confederate army. At the close
of the war his father and himself found
themselves in straitened circumstances,
an the latter, in order TO earn q liveli-
hood, became a..dealer in boots and shoes,
in the city of New Orleans. Too close an
attention to business overtaxed bis
strength and seriously impaired his
health, and to add to this affliction he
soon afterward received q sunstroke
which entirely prostrated him. Pa
ralysis was an immediate consequence.
He soon recovered the power OF loco
motion, and at first the disease did not
seem to affect very seriously the organs
of speech but by-and-by he expert.
enced marked difficulty OF utterance,
which gradually grew upon him. His
mental sensations, in the meantime,
while they did not betoken any weak.
ening OF the brain, were far from pleas.
ant. 1t was not till 1876 that he entire
ly lost the power of articulation. For
some time previously his symptoms had
given him warning that his calamity
was near at hand. In the month OF
May, at the wedding OF his sister in
Baltimore, he found himself unable, for
the first time, to articulate. The deep
anguish which the shock caused him
could only be realized by one who had
been similarly visited.
From that time until the return OF his
speech, all OF his communications with
those around him were made in writing.
His hearing was always perfectly good,
but the little voice that remained to him
almost entirely disappeared. The only
vocal sound that he could make was
sort of whistle. In all other respects
his health steadily improved. A friend
named John T. Peters, a lawyer, visited
him at hospital in Hartford, to which
he had gone, and conceived the idea that
he would be greatly benefited if he were
to come to New York and remain here
with his friends. He was received here
at the residence of Mr.. J. j. McComb.
An eminent physician, who is special
lst In throat and nervous diseases, made
an examination of his condition, and was
the first to give the true diagnosis of it.
Hitherto those members of the faculty
who had treated him had acknowledged
their ignorance. They had all predicted
that he would never speak again. DIR.
Rucomer Immediately declared that he
would some day be able to speak, and
attributed his dumbness to the paralysis
of the vocal cords in the larynx. "He
is gradually recovering" said he; "and
as soon as these cords become vitalized
again, their functions will return to
them. 1t may be suddenly, or it may be
slowly" Subsequently, about twelve
months ago, DIR. Rucomer gave the
strongest possible assurances that Mr..
Wood would entirely recover his speech.
1t was thought advisable, however, that
he should return to Hartford. In last
November he went to New Orleans,
where his wife and two children now
are. The climate of Louisiana did moi
prove beneficial to him, and after SO.
iourn of two or three weeks he started
for the North. Now comes the wonder.
full part of the story. When the train
on which he was travelling approached
Pittsburgh, it came in collision with
another train. The engine was smashed
and the cars we're violently shaken. The
dumb man felt new and peculiar sen.
sation that seemed to indicate change
of some sort in his condition. Suddenly
consciousness of its significance came
to him, and, springing from his seat. he
rushed to the platform of the car, where
brakeman was standing, and tried tc
address him. As he now relates the in
cident, he opened his mouth, moved hi
tongue and felt that he was speaking
The brakeman looked at him obviously
as if he had heard his voice but failed tc
understand its import. He answered by
exclaiming, "What2" Too excited then
to make further attempt to speak, Mr..
Wood returned to his seat.
kha ha
York, and as soon as he met his friends
he eagerly related to them in writing the
hopeful experience which he bad SC
lately had. They hoped. but scarcely
believed in his bright anticipation. On
Tuesday last he was engaged in discuss.
ing some personal and business matters
with Mr.. McComb at the Office of the
latter. Mr.. McComb remarked to hin
that his general health was fully re,
stored and expressed the most cheerful
views about his future. He urged him
to make the utmost efforts to regain hit
utterance. Mr.. Wood seemed to form
the resolution to follow this advice, AM
became excited and enthusiastic. He
then seized a pencil and wrote the las
communication which he made on paper
1t was as follows:
"Don't be surprised, but when come
back to-day 1 will talk to you with my
tongue. have it now."
Handing this to Mr.. McComb he wen
out. He afterward related that he wen
to Staten Island ferry and took passagt
on one of the boats. His mental feel
ings were peculiar, and perhaps could
only be understood by child who hat
Just learned to lisp her first syllables
were she capable enough. He was bash
full, timid, distrustful of himself, anS
yet eager to make the essay which nigh
reveal for him the delightful release o
his thoughts from their bondage of ST
lence. IT he moved his lips he fancie(
that every one was looking curiously a
him. Fortunately there were few peo
pie on board, 80 he had no difficulty il
finding quiet corner on the deck
Seated on stool near the rail he opene,
his mouth and lifted up his voice II
use and infection all came back to hin
in an instant. 1t did not even sount
strange to him. He could hardly real
ize his own Joy. He sang, spoke, shout
ed, and tried his voice in every wa,
which happened to occur to him.
was perfect. He acoosted people ant
they did not stare at him, but took it al
matter of course.
The next returning boat brought hin
back to New York. Breathless ant
flushed, he entered the Office of hi
brother in-law and exclaimed:
"It's all rightp
Mr.. McOomb jumped up, rushed for