Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-11-16
ON FOOT IN EUROPE.
Lillian Spencer Starts Out to Walk a
Thousand Miles or So
ON ORDER OF HER WELSH DOCTOR
Very Much of Female Failure According
to Her Own Opinion.
THE FIRST DAY ON BELGIAN ROADS

| rCoRREsPoNDENCE OF THE D1sPATCH.l
| ANTWERP, November 4.-Once upon
time there was a young woman who was
born an invalid, lived an invalid, but oddly
enough didn't die an invalid, despite the
representations of the many doctors called
in to attend her. Not that she did not make
a brave effort in that direction, for she did,
but for the very reason that, try as she
would, she could not manage to get more
than one foot at time in the grave that the
| physicians so condescendingly dug Tor her'
Ungrateful, inconsiderate young woman.
The ailments with which she was afflicted
were heterogeneous, to say the least! one
had spinal complaint, or some sort OF weak
ness in the muscles of the spine; vertigo,
dyspepsia, congestive headaches; neuralgia,
liver complaint, rheumatism, malaria and
every kind of invalid weakness to which
human flesh is heir. AS matter Of course,
these ailments did not visit her like an
army of creditors all the same day. They
came and went like the summer boarder
and not unfreq uently stayed to wear their
welcome out after the fashion of the country
| cousin.
OLD DOCIOh SAhhID'
It is perhaps needless to state that this
young woman's lot, like the policeman's,
was not happy one. In appearance sne
was lean, lank, bilious, cadaverous; IN
| spirits, suicidal; in disposition-l dare not
write it, but it's quite as strong as your
| Imagination can possibly lead you to sup
pose. She never saw the sun shine, took no
pleasure in things pleasurable and, on the
whole, found lite q miserable and dismal
bore.
And no wonderl Well, time went on and
| this "female failure" went on, too getting
more bilious and more cadaverous every
day. Finally there came upon the scene
a rough, blunt-mannered old Welsh doctor.
| with the voice of Trombone and the tread
of drum ma jor.
The anxious relatives of the failure"
called him in for consultation. He had
great reputation and wasn't at all backward
about speaking his mind.
"Hum," he grunted, fixing a pair OF
shrewd, gray eyes upon the woe-begone face
of the patient and taking in the whole situ-
alton at glance. "Hum."
"You find me very low, DOCTOR" the fail
ure ventured. "and SO am, very, very low,
indeed; almost past hope. But don't hesi'
tate to tell me the truth. 7 am used to it.
1 hear it every day." Whereupon the fail
ure sighed resignedly.
A CASE, OF HYPo.
"Hear what every day?" the doctor
snapped, 'hear that the children in Amer
lea are tortured worse than the Bengalese
children, for the begging trade. In winter
steam heat and water and temperature of
800 or 900. In summer ices, and all the
year around sweets and nuts. No exercise,
no gymnastics, no regular, wholesome food,
late hours, hot breads, damn me! no wonder
the brat grows up without backbone or
stomach and finishes off b dying of moth
ing more or less than hypechondria. Yet
hypochondria is what ypu'd hear, if
| You've got it, and so have twozthirds1 Of
| your sickly American sisters"
| And the doctor jumped up from his chair
and staggered across the room, and the poor
invalid sank back on the sofa speechless, in
fright and amaze.
Finally the doctor laid hold OF chair,
dragged it up in front Of her, and seating
himself, said: "Put yourself in my hands
and 1 will cure you. Aud what is more, I
won't charge you penny"
"How," cried the invalid, showing the
first signs of animation. How, how, how?"
easily enough-you have simply to
| take walk"
TOO SIMPLE A MEDICINE.
The invalid sank back hopelessly.
"a walk" she repeated, 81 have tried
that and it did me 40 more good than any
thing else"
"Where did you walk" inquired the
doctor.
"Oh in the park and down the street, but
it was no use, felt the worse OF it"
Have you tried walk through Europe7"
"No, but couldn't do that. 1t would be
impossible"
"Why?"
'I am weak-ill-I never went more than
six blocks at time in my life. I have no
strength. Ny back aches. AS for walking
through Europe, ridiculous, preposterous,
| absurd"
"It's not far" reassured the doctor
"Only thousand miles or so, by the route
prescribe" Whereupon this extraordinary
doctor proceeded to lay out the details of
the plan, which it is needless to say struck
this American family dumb with surprise.
| Two weeks later however the invalid was on
board one of the Union Line steamers bound
for Liverpool. A friend accompanied her
and a host of sympathizing friends and ac-
| quaintances waved her an adieu from the re-
ceding shore.
EQUIPPED FOR WALK.
Eleven days later she landed in Liverpool.
Her costume consisted of a blue flannel
sailor suit, short walking jacket, pair of
fat-heeled English boots and a sailor hat.
Her underwear was merino. She had on a
JenBess Miller divided skirt made of flannel,
blank stockings and no linen whatsoever.
In the canvas knapsack strapped to her
shoulders, she carried a change of under
garments and hose, few handkcrchiefs, a
comb, a toothbrush and a cake of soap.
Thus equipped, she started out on her walk
through Europe.
And a notable journey it turned out
to be.
The first day was spent in Liverpool,
where she walked six miles without know
ing or feeling it. But the sea voyage had
proved great tonic and the cool English
climate a great invigorator.
Decidedly the Welsh doctor knew what
he was about
VERY COMFORTABLE INN.
From Liverpool she went by rail to Nor
mantown, quaint old Yorkshire town, with
typical English inn, where one sleeps in
great soft spacious bed, big enough TOR four,
and eats Yorkshire ham and fresh country
| oil ir,l II IL