New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1880-01-07
TWENTY.THREE YEARS CONFINED
TO A CHAIR.

TWENTY.THREE YEARS CONFINED
TO A CHAIR.
The Sad Case or Matthew Rankins,
OF LEWISTON Me.
TwENTY-N1NE years ago two boys,
about . dozen years of age, were play
ing "tag'' in lewiston. They were
merry and active lads, and were
frulicking with school-bo enthusiasm
and carelessness. One lad caught the
other, struck his heels, and playfullY
tipped him over. His whole weight
came down upon his falling playmate,
whose spine was seriously injured in
consequence. He was conveyed home,
and it was found that he was q physical
wreck. For two years he was able to
walk around very little, and then, as
the results of his injuries gradually
grew more serious, he was obliged to
be carried from one place to another,
entirely losing the use of his lower
limbs. At length his whole body be-
came rigid, and he was powerless. For
twenty-three years Matthew Rankins
has sat fixed in his chair as in q wise,
night and day.
A Journal reporter called on Mr..
Rankins, at his residence on Summer
street, the other day. Mr.. Rankins
was in his low rocking chair by pleas
ant window when the reporter went
into the room-the same chair in
which he has passed the last twenty
three years of his life. from sunrise to
sunrise. His head is turned to one
side by a contraction of the muscles of
the neck, which cannot be relaxed, and
it is impossible for him even to turn his
neck to look out of the window. By
contrivance of his own, he is able to
see the green fields, the flowers and
the bright sky. A small looking glass
is hung on the end of short stick.
The other end is placed between the
contracted fingers of one hand, and the
glass is held So that he may see Ma
lures face reflected in that 1O-by-12
frame. This is Mr.. Rankin's way of
taking an airing" 1t is favorite
occupation, and the mirror was before
him when the reporter entered.
Mr.. Rankins is forty-one years of age,
but looks surprisingly young for man
whose constitution has borne twenty
nine wears OF unremitting pain. He
has handsome, intelligent face, which
speaks but slightly of his sufferings.
and looks as cheerful and happy as
human countenance can. Head, body,
legs and arms are as clods so far as his
power in them is concerned. He can
work his ankles very little. His fingers
and toes are all disjointed, and in one
thumb is the only material joint in his
whole body. He can produce slight,
rocking motion by working his ankles
little. His bed is made at night by
putting blocks under his chair-rocke1s,
tipping the chair back little and COW
ering him with quilts. Mr.. Rankins'
eyes and tongue are tho only members
that he has not lost command of. He
told our reporter that he suffered con-
tinually, without moments intermis-
sion. severe pain in the marrow
of his bones. This continued pain
brings on violent attacks of vomiting
about once week, in which his suffer
ings are intense. He can move his
hands few inches up and down his
breast.
When he was first stricken he was
able to white images and make small
articles of wood with his hands, but
this privilege has been taken from him.
he can, however, both read and write
by means of ingenious contrivances
which he planned after much thought,
and which friends made according to
his instruction. A board with a Slid
ing edge is fastened to the arms of his
chair in a nearly perpendicular posi-
ton. His well-worn quarto Bible is
laid on this. A metallic hook, with 8
wooden handle, is placed between the
finger and thumb of one hand, and with
this hook, by peculiar jerk of the
wrist, he is able to turn the leaves. He
reads considerably, giving much time
to the Bible. For reading newspaper,
he has hooked stick upon which the
sheet is hung. When he wants to write,
longer board is placed before him
with a continuance for holding sheet
of paper. A pen-stock two feet long,
holding pen, is placed between his
fingers, and without moving muscle,
save those of the wrist. he is able to
write a perfectly legible hand. He is
unable to dip his pen into the ink
stand, which hangs on the board, but
fills his pen by catching drop of ink
on his shook" in the other hand, and
touching it to the nib of the pen. He
writes a great deal.
He is cared for by his sister and his
niece, the latter, young lady of six
teen years, waiting upon him chiefly.
The fortitude with which this .',1g
girl cheerfully forsakes her COZ. VI
ions and youthful pleasures to give the
best part of her life to her suffering
uncle is an affecting instance of self
sacrifice. The young lady is unremit-
ting in her attentions to the invalid.
Mr.. Rankins' mother, lady eighty
three years el ed; v as vesrryy siek when,
the reporter called. Mr.. Rankins
could devotedly watch his parent and
brush with his stick the troublesome
flies from her pillow. "Clergymen
often call on brother" said Mr.. Ran
kins' sister, and go away saying that
they have been taught an impressive
lesson" Mr.. Rankins has been fire.
quently mentioned in the Lewiston
pulpit as an exponent of true Chris
tian piety and resignation. A visit to
this gentleman is lesson for life
time. The man who imagines that all
creation is at swords points with such
an Insignificant atom of the universe as
himself will feel happier after call
on Mr.. Rankins. mo one but God
and myself know what suffer-" said
he, :" but l guess I am about as happy
as they make 'em. / don't believe
that time passes more rapidly with
school-boy than with me. have .
great many visitors every day, and
my friends include good part Of the
population Of Lewiston. Sunday Wis
itors to the cemetery frequently call
upon me. Sometimes they sing with
me, and they used to hold prayer-meet-
ings in my room: When my acquaint-
ances get low-spirited or in trouble and
need advice, they come to me. have
leisure to think and plan for them,
and they seek my counsel. Some day