Birmingham age-herald., 1895-02-26
PLAIN INDIGESTION.
Case of nears Disease That Was Not
 Dangerous.

Dangerous.
 She was always nervous sort of creature and her family labored under a heavy atmosphere of continual de- pression.
 She had managed in her girlhood to educate her father up to the point where he believed her fragile constitu- ton would be crushed by crossed de- sire and her mother had been led to believe early in her child's babyhood that she was more than liable to per ish of consumption at moments mo- tice, expire of diphtheria or naturally vanish in thin air. In order for people to be thoroughly impressed with the idea it is necessary to believe in it ones self to the uttermost and this she did.
 She longcd to be healthy and strong like other girls with an intense and honest ycarn. She was never precisely i'll but passed her time expectantly lowering on the brink of broken health. Her friends said it was pity she was so delicate and admired her beautiful face in the same breath. She possessed one of those fine cameo countenances which always suggest frailncss.
  ciety and managed to extract a good deal of enjoyment from life. Every one tried to make her happy because if SIC had but short space to live she might as well have good time.
 And then she got married. He was breezy, jolly fellow from San Fran cisco, and promptly fcllin love the first time he saw her, which happened when she walked into a ballroom looking like spring flower in q misty pale green gown. She was so happy during the snort engagement that she quite forgot to sigh over her approaching dcrnlsc, and when her mother begged him to watch over her child most care fully he took it us a matter of course, and gladly promised. He had an idea that all women were to be watched over, as if they were plants under hothouse glass shivcring at the winds, and did not dream that his wife was marked for the grave.
 One morning, when she had been set tied in her new horne sonac months, she bent over to pick up paper from the floor and u sharp pain struck through her heart.
 She sank into Il chair, EaS.o;ng, pale wib fright. The pain came again and again with terrible persistence. Heart diseasc! The dread of her life-and to take her HOW when life YVES so worth living! Mechanically sine walked across the room and looked at her husbands picture on the mantel.
 She did not tell him that day. When he smiled into her face that evening and said: How like rose you lookf'' lump rose in Ter throat, her sorrow for him was so great. All that week the pain in her heart came daily. and suffocating beating that made her struggle for breath. Finally she told him.
 It will kill me in month";" she said, holding his hands. "1 know what heart trouble is. And have no constitution to help me struggle. have always been frail and they did not think would live this long"
 "Oh," he groaned, ''it can't be! Why, you always look so we'll and bright, dear"
 She sighed tremulously. 'There is no hope" she answered. ''I have felt myself grow weak since this pain came and it will not take long. You must lose me-"
 In an hour he was back at his home, pale and desperate, with the best heart specialist in San Francisco. Now that the authentic and final sentence was to be pronounced he was cold and shiver- ing. The physician busted himself with his stethoscope and regarded the sui ferer keenly.
 Ever been troubled this way be- forc?" he inquired.
 "No," she said, faintly But have always known was liable to die at any moment l am very delicate; l can't stand anything at all. I know this is the end"
 ''H'm, remarked the specialist. You are young to die" Then he sounded her heart and lungs.
 When he strengthened up from the task there was breathless silence. A queer expression came into his face as he glanced into her resigned eyes, but as the suspense of her husband came to his consciousness he cleared his throat.
 My dear madam" he said, q am sorry to say that I find your lungs as strong as they can be and your heart irreproachable. You couldn't have n better one if you had taken your pick of an assortment. You could n't be killed by anything short of club. You won't die"
 But the sharp pains in my heart9" she queried, shocked, indignant.
 Caused by sympathy. Indigestion.
 "Thank heavenl" her husband fal- tered, and walked to the window.
 He was perfect brute," wept the