The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1890-05-24
A REMARKABLY SAD CASE.
STRANGE AFFLlcTlON OF A GIN
clNNATl MERCHANTS SON.

Boy while wrlthing with Epilepsy Re-
enacts Two Terrible Events In His Life.
After Hours Intonse Struggle He RE-
covers Completely.
One Monday. afternoon boy, hand
some and well dressed, suddenly fell TO
the floor of the postoffice corridor aud
lay as if dead. Several persons hastened
TO carry him into Postmaster Rileys pri.
vate Office, where he was stretched upon
table near the door. The postmaster
at once sent for the nearest physician,
DIR. Heron, and while awaiting his COM
ing directed and assisted in the work Of
restoring the lad to consciousness. All
efforts were in vain, and the boy lay with
his eyes closed and his breath coming
family and spasmodically through his
parted lips.
The postmaster found in the lads in-
side pocket card. on which was writ
ten: eff | am taken sick send for my
father, - -, No. Sycamore
street." The boy is the son OF very
wealthy merchant, and the grandson of
one of the pioneer citizens of Cincinnati.
The beautiful family homestead is near
Latonia, KY. Postmaster Riley at once
sent for the father, who arrived stimuli
taneously with the DOCTORS
The father looked at his boy sadly,
and shook his head, while the tears
coursed down his cheeks. The boy was
still in the same peculiar state of uncon-
sciousness. DIR. Heron was preparing
to supplement the simple restoratives
already applied, but the father told him
it was of no use. Said he;
my boy has within the past year be-
come subject to fits of very remark
able character. He is about to have one
of these fits, and it will last an hour"
HISTORY OF THE BOY.
The character of the boys attack is in
deed strange. He is now about II years
old. About four years ago he was a stu
dent in the preparatory department OF
Kenyon college, at Gambler o. At that
time he had quarrel with one of his
fellow students, older than himself The
quarrel resulted in fight which was
bitterly contested, and during which his
boy strained himself and overweight
his entire nervous system. Shortly after
ward he was sent to Colorado on visit.
One day he was out hunting with a
friend and was shot through the left
lung, The shooting is said to have been
accidental, but there has always been
mystery about it, and the boy would
never tell what happened.
His nervous system, impaired by the
II.
by the wound. Some months afterward
the boy was seized with an epileptic at
tack, during which he acted over again
| in detail the two great and unfortunate
| events of his life
| About ten persons were standing about
the unconscious lad, who lay upon the
e1oor where his iather had directed tiesn
to put him. The father took away hi
watch and his knife and left him hi
handkerchief. In few moments th,
boy began to writhe, and then followed
a scene which has probably never beer
duplicated "a the history of pIediciae.
THE TERRIBI4E SCENE,
The boy proceeded to act out the fgh
at Gambler First he thrust out boil
fists and struck several blows at tn,
empty air. Then came the graphing
The lad seemed to be straining TO throw
or shake off his unseen and mythical an
tagonist. The muscles of his neck swell
ed out, his hands twitched, his face be
came dark red from the rush of blood
Now and then he would strike out will
all his might, and grit his teeth savagely
Finally he seemed to writhe and strain
| L. h,,f
against his adversary. At last his bacl
was arched high from the floor upor
which he was lying, and then he SUM
back as if exhausted and overcome. III
had given perfect picture of a terrific
athletic contest Of weak man against 6
stronger.
For few moments he lay very still
and then began to act out the shooting
in Colorado. Suddenly he threw himself
along the floor, while his face writheC
with agony He then clutched at hi
breast in the left side, and his face grew
deathly white. His lips murmured, anC
ne was heard to say in a low, hoars'
voice: Don't telegraph father that In
shot. Don't-don't-don't." Then h'
muttered: at is bleeding. l must stoI
the blood, and ceasing to clutch at th'
place where only scar now remains o.
once terrible wound. he began to lool
through his pockets. He soon found hi
handkerchief, and raising himself upol
his elbow pressed the cloth against hi
breast, while his closed eyes seemed ben
upon it.
, "Too large, too large" he muttered
and, putting the end OF the handkerchie
in his mouth he twisted it until he haC
made sharp point. This he thrus
. against his breast His features relaxed
a satisfied smile came over his face, anC
! ne sank back into what seemed almOs
as natural as sleep,
E During all this time the father ha'
stood by with blanched face and eye
: streaming tears, watching every move
/ ment of the writhing body OF his child
? When the last act of tie shooting TRACED.
? was over he gave a sigh Of relief. In
3 few minutes the boys eyes opened. Il
{ five minutes more he was sitting up an'
in fifteen minutes he walked from tn
Office with his father, apparently not tn
least exhausted from what he had jus
been through. Cincinnati Commercial
Gazette
Color and Music Allled.