The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-02-02
lovely LADY'S Secret
She Talks Very Frankly and
Earnestly to the Writer.
JUST WHAT SHE SAYS
One Of the Most Serious Of Condi-
tions and How Light Came
Out Of Darkness.

reproduced almost exactly in the
words of the lady from whose lips it
fell-Mrs. S. B. Cook, of go Tompkins
Avenue, Brooklyn. N. Y. Her hus-
band, Mr. S. B. Cook, has for many
years held responsible position in the
Registered Letter Department OF the
New York Post office.
We three sat at tho front windows OF
their home overlooking the park, ms
Mrs Cook gave this leaflet OF her life,
one of her little children nesting
against her knee.
Should confirmation of our report be
desired Mr.. Cook will respond to any
inquiries that may be addressed to
him.
ITO make my story plain" said the
lady, 81 shall have to go back just n
year-to January. 1898 1t was then |
began so feel bedly. There was moth.
ing like what is commonly called an
attack of any practical disease. No,
my troubles came on very much as
summer changes into autumn. The
trees were green, now they are brown;
it was like that; no sharp symptoms, no
sudden collaspe 1t was fading and
sinking down. All women will under.
stand what that means.
II felt tired, week and exhausted
No, it was not from overwOrk or worry.
| The life and strength seemed to be
passing from mo- | couldn't tell why
To get up and down stairs was hard
task for me. l became so weak that on
any exertion l would almost faint
away. All my hopes of gaining
strength by eating were failures. Ny
appetite was fitful, and food distressed
me.
Perhaps l really ought to date my
illness further back than last January.
l will give you the facts, and people
can Judge for themselves.
my husband and | have been mar.
rieI nine years. Before my marriage
l was troubled great deal with indi-
gestion and dyspepsia. and sometimes
since. would be well two or three
months and sick two or three months,
off and on. That was the history Of
several years-indeed. of many years.
Four years ago l bad a serious time
with that complaint. sleeping badly
aud suffering all the symptoms that
are 80 much written about. couldn't
eat any solid food. 1 lived on boiled
milk, taken hot, right off the stove.
That was my diet, and l got very tired
of it; Dut | was afraid to touch any.
thing else, | say l had years of this
sort of thing, and possibly it may make
what am going to tell you easier to
understand. or 1t may not, However
it is part OF the truth.
Now to get back to the year 1893,
last year, long and sad one for me.
AS the warm weather came on hoped
to get better, but did not. The OPEN
ing buds on the trees out there in the
park found me as weak, low and miser.
able as had been in the winter l was
losing flesh and strength, slowly but
surely, all the time. My nerves were
feeble and shaken so that my sleep
was habitually bad. During the warm
nights OF June often left my bed aud
sat by the window and looked out
When one cant sleep, almost any di
version is better than to lie in bed wait
ing for the clock to let you know that
another hour has dragged by.
"Well there is no need to dwell on
this part of my experience was run
ming down, and nothing that could be
done here in Brooklyn appeared likely
to help me. My relatives live in Peeks
kill on the Hudson, and to them
went early in July. taking our three
children and leaving my husband to
attend to his work in New York and to
take care of our home here.
"Peekskill lies on the hills, and, oh
how fresh the air is 1t was in hope
Of benefit from that, and from the
change of scene. that | went there. But
| was destined to be disappointed.
The country, even with all the beauty
and glory of summer upon it, was no
bet er for me than the city. In the
midst of it all | was the same weak
and weary woman. The slightest ex-
ertion tired me, and any continued
effort made me faint. About the first
of August broke down altogether and
took to my bed. When entered my
room | little thought it would be three
long months before l should come out
of it. Yet that was my fate. 1t was
dreary imprisonment, lightened only
by what kind friends and the best Of
medical attention could effect Now
and then they got me up to have the
bed made, and to rest me but l couldn't
sit mp long
Yes, took nourishment, Of course,
brotbs soups, etc, and kept alive on
them but lost fish just the same and
got weaker-that is, if l could be any
weaker.
my friends saw l was growing thin.
ner, and expressed the opinion to one
another that | was in decline.
The doctor suggested that | take
cod liver oil, but | told him | couldn't
bear the looks or the taste of it, either
in its natural state or as an emulsion.
He looked grave at this but said nc
more about it. So l layed there and
fingered aud sank; that is all there is
to say of the result Of my trip to the
country,
Every time / went up to visit my
wife, said Mr.. Cook, II could see she
was much thinner and more feeble
than before, although she didn't like
to admit il"
We'll" continued the lady, III must
get home, and so on the 3rd of Novem-
Der, they wrapped me up and brought
me home, what was left Of me; and
what their was of me weighted Just 9S
, pounds, 81 pounds less than l weighed
in my girlhood. Here could do moth.
ing, eat nothing; only wait for what
might happen. had tried doctors and
drugs-oftsn useful to others-but of
no use to me.
ION the next day after my return
my husband brought me q bottle OF
something called Paskola. a pre- digest
ed food, and said friend of his recon-
mended it aud hoped would try 1t,
tnsted it and it tasted good, nothing
like cod liver oil. l began taking it &C,
cording to the directions without feel :
ing the least confidence in it or indulg.
ing any hope from it. But it did have
good effect, and that quickly. II
gave me an appetite.
III could eat the old kinds of food
and they didn't distress mo. Then