The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1891-10-21
FELTERs STRANGELY BROKEN.

that all weakness and depression have
vanished, and that the fetters of old ap-
petites and habits have fallen away from
him, and when he steps out of the dark
ness of the wilderness into the full light
of day and knows that once more he has
mans strength to do mans work
among men. My own experience was
somewhat rare, because went to Dwight
free from any direct effect of alcohol. l
experienced no loss of memory or defec-
ton of eyesight, but after a week had
passed I felt that if had been anywhere
else would have had return of the pc.
riodical appetite, and might have yielded
to it because of my depression. 1 re-
member the terror this feeling gave me.
As I stood in line I said to DR.. Keely
II am glad that I came at this time. I
think that 1 have hit one of my periodi-
cal attacks, for I feel 80 blue and
wretched that if I were in New York I
should yield and drink" "And the
boy" inquired the doctor, looking search
ipgly at me, "you wouldn't leave him 2"
"Of course not," said ); II do not intend
to drink, but I thought it right to tell
you the symptoms" He bade me welt
until the line of patients had gone
through their treatment, then took me
into his own Office, poured out nearly
half tumbler of whiskey, with little
water added, and said: "Drink it."
"What is itW I asked. mo NATTER"
was the reply; "drink it." I drank half
of it and said: "Why, it's whiskey."
''Drink it all," said DR.. Keeley. "When
you need whiskey, I would as readily
give you that as anything else" I drank,
went to dinner, went walking in the
afternoon, and never thought of it again
until I went back to the Office at the reg
ulsr hour. Nor did I want any more,
nor want to take the two ounce bottle of
whisky which was handed me at noon
next day with ipjunctions to take the
dose in about twenty minutes. That was
the end of my drinking, and all that has
passed my lips since the alst day of Jan.
uary. Formerly drink of whisky would
have set my brain on fire, and in an
hours time I would have walked ten
miles to get the second one, and had it at
all hazards. When I saw that it had
ceased to make me its victim and slave, I
could have cried for joy. knew from
that moment that the bichloride of gold
had gotten the upper hand, broken the
fetters of disease and made me whole.
Yet I was not entirely out of the woods.
When this hour of temporary temptation
had gone by, I passed through such an
experience as is apt to follow prolonged
debauch, and for two weeks could
scarcely eat or sleep. Then, suddenly,
as if I had stepped out of the blackneas
of an African jungle into the quiet sun
shine of Central Park, I broke out Of my
living tomb and knew that I was cured.
The knowledge came to me like bene-
diction from heaven.
LIFE WITH A NEW MEANING.
had taken with me for company my
son, little lad who had not quite
reached his 18th birthday, and who, as
"Master Felix" is known to thousands
who have ever seen him. He saw and
heard everything at Dwight. The stake
was large one to him, and he watched
the process anxiously. When We came
away life had new meaning for US both.
he has had happy summer, for he has
never doubted, and has never had fear,
whether I was with him or absent. To
him, as to me. the memory of that hand.
full of white houses set among stately cot.
tonwoods on the prairie, will always
come up stepped with the fragrance of
the May blossoms that first taught hope,
and then impressed faith In the work that
was doing.
Master Felix knew every patient there,
and studied them all without prejudices.
Elected an honorary member of the
Bichloride of Gold Club, to which I had
also been elected, he attended every
meeting, and by gift of books laid the
foundation of the club library which was
called by his name. His companions
there and mine were Mr.. Opie Read, edi>
tor of the arkansas Traveller; ex Con.
gresham Tarseny, of Michigan; George
Work, Of New York; Judge J. D.
Thsyer, of Warshsw, Ind. State Seua-
tor Rust, of Wisconsin; Captain Robert
Ayres, late of the United States Army, a
graduate of West Point and veteran OF
the war, and many others who have given