Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-03-02
LAYING ON OF HANDS.
Mrs. Kendall, the Noted English
Actress, is Endeayoring to
CURE MRS. BLAINE, JR., THAT WAY.
The Treatment is Combination Of Faith
Cure and Massage.
SHE SAYS IT is ONLY COMMON SENSE,
But Others Assert That She Possesses Magnetic
Healing Power.

Mrs. James G. Blaine. Jr., is slowly re-
covering from her severe illness. She gives
the credit for this to Mrs. Kendall, the En-
gIish actress, who has visited her every
m orning for two weeks past. Mrs. Kendall
is believed to possess some magnetic power
of healing, but denies that she uses any but
common sense methods.
NEW YORK, March I'm one OF the
pleasant apartments at the Percival, sur
rounded by testimonials of affection from
her friends and admirers, Marie Nevins
Blaine is slowly progressing toward recov-
cry. An open fire burns cheeriully behind
the polished fender in the little parlor.
Nine. Modjeska's gift of growing terms mods
and sways in a corner; pretty hangings from
an unknown donor drspe the mantel, and
ph otograp phs of familiar faces smile from
une1 pected hiding places.
There are pretty litter OF bric-a-brac and
little tray of delicate cups, and behind the
screens, propped up with cushions, rests
the invalid. Disease has been merciful and
spared her beauty while it racked her body.
A gown OF creamy silk, with frills OF lace
about the open neck, is fastened with little
twist of pearl-set gold. Soft pink blankets
conceal the helpless leg in its plaster cast,
and the old bright smile and merry chatter
make one forget the illness which keeps her a
prisoner.
SHE IS OF GOOD COURAGE.
She talks bravely of the dread possibility
of never recovering entirely the use Of the
leg, which rheumatism has left with pecu-
liar malady having a scientific title which
signifies an acute inflammation of the carti-
lano of he Eno nd he
be out OF the question, in the future she may
be able to do something with her voice in 5
musical way to support herself
Two weeks ago she lay helpless in the sur
geon's bed, suspended by straps and bands
depending from the ceiling to sustain her
body with the least possible strain One leg,
wrapped in its heavy cast of plaster, could
not be moved; one hand lay helpless and
powerless. She refused the nourishment
ordered by her physicians, and seemed to
have lost all hope of recovery. She had a
caller, CHEEKY, bright, hopeful woman,
who said just the right words TO rouse hef
and then went away.
The next morning the caller came again.
tossed aside wrap and gloves, tied nurses
apron about her waist and bent over that
hospital bed an hour rubbing, manipula-
ting and smoothing the invalid. At night
the visitor played to a crowded enthusiastic
audience. All New York is talking of the
won anliness and sweet graciousness of the
English actress, and yet in no role she plays
are these displayed so exquisitely as at the
bedside of Mrs. Blaine.
DEVOTED FRIEND.
Every morning for the past two weeks
Mrs. Kendall has devoted one or two hours
to rubbing the invalid with her magic
touch, applying some kind Of oil of her own
IL L..
guine, hopeful words, persuading her to
take little nourishment, once each hour to
essay little efforts of molten which seemed
to the invalid impossible, and coaxing,
persuading and charming her back to
life again. One morning, with no
questions or comments, she lifted her in
in her blankets out OF the bed, which
she had not left for six months, into
the inyalid's chair and raised the
head little. The next day she did the
same, and adjusted the chair a little more
uprightly, until now Mrs. Blaine half sits
and half reclines in such a way that she can
amuse herself touching the keys of her piano
with one hand. One day Mrs. Kendall per-
suaded her to use the hand she had not ased
for so long, despite the pain it cost.
The next day little greater effort was in
sisted upon, and now that is the hand Mrs.
Blaine offers her friends in greeting. 1t seems
this little magic gift of healing has been
exercised before in the hospitals of London,
where Mrs. Kendall always has her visiting
day. and where she enjoys more than any
thing else to take half dead baby which
the doctors have given up and nurse it back
to life again. She knows nothing OF the
science OF medicine, rejects the idea of hav-
ing any special healing power, doesn't be-
lieve in Christian science or the mind cure
and insists that it is nothing wonderful at
all, but Just the utilizing of simple common
sense. She insists that she must see Mrs.
Blaine on her crutches before long.
A MODEST ACTRESS,
Mrs Blaine said to one of the friends that
gathered about her last night at her usual
little levee between 5 and s: Mrs. Kendall
didn't want me to say anything about her
coming here to do all these things for me,
because she didn't like it to get in the news
papers lest people think she only did it for
notoriety, and L didn't say anything, but
somehow it leaked out, and now / can't help
talking about all her kindness and how
wonderfully she has helped me. Some
one said the other day that they should think
the doctors would consider it rather a rehec-
ton on their skill and would object. On
the contrary, DR.. Wyncoop, who has been
like father to me, and to whose skill, to-
gether with his counsel, 1 owe my life very
heartily indorses all that Mrs. Kendall does.
1t doesn't conflict with his treatment in any
way, and 1 take tie same medicines, but it
is wonderful nursing-a magnetic something
which she gives out from her own PERSONAL
ity that seems to give me new life"