Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1882-03-04
The Quest for Health.
AllantA CONSTITUTION

The train on which we are rid
Ing towards Florida is filled with
c0nsnmptives seeking a new lease
Of ,ife in the tropics. They are in
All the ears and travelling under all
conditions. In the second-rate Cars
you see here and there an invalid
TOO poor TO afford a sleeper, crowd
ed aud hemmed in, his pale face
made still paler and his weak
lungs irritated constantly IA he
breathes the heavy air made foul
with smoke and dirt. He IS trav-
cling Offering about the
ears and waiting on him self
snouldered this way and that, get
ting little sympathy or kindness,
reeliug at last into the worst COR
ner OF the car because ne Il too
weak TO contend for the best one.
In the sleeper you see the rich in
valid reclining upon soft pillows,
surrounded by friends who minis
ter 10 every wish before IL Is Spok-
ca wealth, ha1,ening to console
where il cannot relieve and bright.
en- the approaches To a death 1t
cannot avert.
There are all sorts of parties on
the train. Here Is Il worn, weary
look ing wife, with love In her pa
tient eyes, mini.tering to her huS-
band, whose hectic flush tells too
plainly that her laburs are nearly
ended. There father, with u
brood of little children, are gath
cred about IA dying mother, whose
sweet Sun Ia aud loving words ev-
en- impending death cannot still or
subdue. Yonder Is a father and I
mother watching sou, and read
ing in each others anxious looks
the truth that either is afraid to !
speak. An interesting pair is
father, on whose life this dread
di,et~e has { stened itself, travel
ing alone with his boy-a chubby
youngs,er of ten years, surrender
ed possibly by mother to watch
over a life that Is precious to her,
but that she cannot follow. Right
across the car from me is one of
the most touching figures in the
car A young woman OF perhaps
thirty years with pale, res0lute
face--alone. She wears that in
discribabe air of reserve and sad
ness that invests all women who
have lived their lives apart. Sne
Is dressed plainly, and her well
worn habit tells OF privation aud
struggle. She Is probably teach
er, VINO, walking To and from her
work in some bleak New England &
village, thinly clad and lily pro- &
tected, the winds and storms of
winter whipped into her slender
form the seeds of disease. She
has remained at her post too long
so long that death has already
J 4 its seal on her cheeks, and looks =
gaunt and memorable out of her
eyes. 1t was probably poverty
that kept her there-probably the
demands of a mother or d sister
upon her small resources pinched
them SO that they pinned her to
her martyrdom. And now at last,
uu the savings of many years, the
price of her life, she comes 10 fluid
balm and healing In the South.
There is dispair In her face, but
there is no trouble there. Her
great eyes are cloudless--her thin
lips are peacefully closed-her
brow IL calm, and there IL gentle
resignal ion in every feature. Per-
haps she looks with little regret 10
the end of a life that has been hard
and laborious and lonely, and feels
tnat God will give her at last the
rest and pedce so long denied her.
Just beyond her there Is strong
man, chatting uneasily In the thrall
OF disease. His face IL knot ed
with suffering and dread His
wealth, his strength, his resources
none of these give him the peace
and content that has come to this
trail and slender girl. Truly. there
is no power like the conscious
ness of life we'll spent, duty full
ly performed, a mission accom-
plished, a martyrdom endured.
To the girl across the way death
il but falling asIeep-a sweet,
dreamless rest after long and
weary work.