The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1893-08-30
INVALID MoLLle EANcneR.
How Blind and Bedridden Sufferer Passes
Her Days and Nights.


How blind and Bedridden Sufferer Passes
Her Days and Nights.
On warm afternoon in July the writer
walked up Downing street to the house OF
Miss Mollie Faucher. widely known as
most remarkable invalid, in whom many
physicians have taken interest, some hav-
ing even journeyed from England to see
her. Roth windows were wide open and
the sha1es half way up. The invalid was
propped with pillows, in that
bed where she has lain helpless for 81
years. 1t is well known that her eyes
are sightless, but she was embroidering
with eolored silk. Scattered over the GOV
erlet, though in perfect order, were papers
of needles, packages Of silk, scrapbook, let
tiers neatly tied in parcels and many other
objects Indicative of the activity of Miss
Fancher's brain and fingers. Laying aside
her work with pleasant smile of welcome,
she extended her hands, which, by the way
are exceedingly pretty.
Mollies room, her prison, Is tastefully
decorated with many touching souvenirs Of
brighter days when pain had not become a
constant guest, and when loving hearts
hoped that the gifted girl had a sunny path
before her. Miss 8. Crosby, Mollie's de-
voted aunt, often expressed the hope that
she would outliye her long suffering dear
ly loved charge, but she was summoned
first to the great unknown beyond. Faith
ful friends do what lies in their power to
compensate in some degree for such an ir-
reparable loss, and Miss Fancher has a
grateful as well as a brave heart. But in
talking with her one iorgets that she is
suffering. Having keen sense of humor,
she loves fun and tries hard to forget pain
when friends are by her side.
Her many pets, too-dogs, cats, squirrels,
birds, mice, etc-have been n consolation
through many weary hours. By one win
dow stands an aquarium containing gold
fish. In connection with this the writer
heard the following story from Its owners
lips; Once l had polliwog in there
among the fish. After it developed into a
frog made a pet of it, and it learned to
know my voice. used to have the aquari-
nm brought beside the bed so that the pol.
liwog could easily jump ont Of it down up.
on the coverlct, and he did it every time
and came hopping to my hand when
scratched the bedclothes and called it.
would just put it here and rub its little bit
of head with one finger, and it would
never move. One day that polliwog was
gone-eould not be found anywhere-and
didn't miss the poor little thingl
"a few days later / took up some work
that had been laid aside for few days. Ii
was white wooden shawl that was knit
ting and which ] kept in low basket or
this side of my bed. Well, what do yor
thinkS When l took up that shawl, there
was the polliwog all dried and shrunk NJ
SO that he looked about like a spider. II,
had been nothing but wind and water any
way, and he was changed into dried VI
mummy. l suppose the poor little thint
had jumped out of the aquarium to leol
for me and hoped along the floor unde
the bed till he came to that white wool
which he probably took to be the coyerlet
his feet got entangled in it, and he had t,
stay there and dry up"
When asked if she ever invited him t,
dry up, Molle said she certainly had not
At one time a family of flying squirrel
kept her company and amused her during
many sleepless nights. She said, II havl
owned and lost so many pets that the yak
at the back of this house is pet cemetery
for they have all been buried there"
Turning suddenly to the writer, Mollie
with closed eyelids, remarked, What
peculiar brooch you have, like an open fal
turned upside down"
Yes, 1t was given to me by friend WIFI
brought 1t from Egypt 1t represents Maui
mother of Isis, with outspread wings Blu
tell me more of your pets"
SOh, / have had so many. One was
three cornered-no, mean a three lcggp,
mouse. The poor little thing. When an,
one asks you how many legs a mouse has
you had better reply that it depends upOi
how many it has lost. Well, the hero il
Question was minus one trotter Whethe
lost In noble warfare or in a common nous
trap never ascertained Trois picds wa
very soclable and grew so intimate wit
my canary bird that the two became fas
! friends The mouse would frequently ru
up the white curtain to the cage, and jus
as soon as he came within reach the canar
would take seed in his beak and hurry t
feed the cripple. At night the mouse 20
| right into the cage, and the two friend
slept side by side there on the perch. HuN
, ITrois picds managed to hold himself o
> with ease and comfort is more than ca
! tell. n-Brooklyn Eagle.