The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1896-08-30
GOOD HEALTH.
There Is No Create blessing This side
~ ,h


Of the Tomb.
There is no greater blessing this side
the tomb than good health. There may
be worse things than sickness. Dis
honor, the loss of character, the dis
ruption of home aud the breaking OF
the hearts OF those who love us; these
are worse than sickness. Yet it is true
that some of those who enjoy the best
of health make our most consummate
vagabonds and most useless citizens;
while in come cases the invalid those
wiro have never known what viCor and
good health was, have been giants in
usefulness and accomplishments Very
few people are well all the time. More
than half of the human race are sick or
in pain nearly all the time. A person
over 40 years Of age with perfect health
is hard to find. The sick beds and nch-
ing bodies and invalid chairs can he
found on every street, and frequently
in almost every house. 1t is either fn-
ther or mother. son or daughter, who
is physically unable to bear the pain
or endure the pressure. I'VE that are
strong ought to bear the infirmities of
the weak" No finer trait in strong
manhood than that which becomes
support TO those who nerd support.
How helpless the sick are, How little
sympathy they get from the world.
On lightning express, on trolley cars,
driving or walking. IA thousand times a
day we may pass the home where sif-
fering is, without u thought OF the lone
ly suffering inmate within. Lately I
have sat beside loved ones who seemed
near the grave. How helpless they were
and how helpless | was to help them!
Comforts | could give them, but n,
downy bed is hard To one who has lain
there long. The most dainty food nau-
seouS, the most effective remedies pow
erlerss. How stubborn disease is, How
steep the hill we pull as we come back
from sickness 10 health: from weak
ness to strength! An aged mother in
her invalid chair or confined to her
room, how she deserves our sympathy
and kindness, We cannot do too much
for her, for when we were helpless she
did all for us.
a suffering invalid wife-the highest
type of manhood Is shown in the tender
care and patient watchfuness of the
husband rs he watches and waits by her
side. Not only the ties of blood shall
control us here, but he is n neighlDr
indeed who is first 10 the bedside of the
suffering one across the street or down
the way. friend in need is ncighbor
Indeed. We need others help when we
cannot do for ourselves. The we'll neg
Ieet the sick; the strong neglect the
weak; the rich neglect the poor; the
prince neRlects the pauper
hat bencdiction an institution like
Johns Hopkins hospital, of Baltimore,
and the various institutions of other
cities to care for the sick and weary.
mil with pleasure whatever institution
und whatever hand is extended to help
the suffering, to cure the sick and pro-
tect the weak. Only when sickness
comes To our own home, only when we
surfer ourselves. or those whom we love
better than ourselves suffer, are we
drawn towards the sick. or brought TO
realize how unsynlpathctic we have
been towards the world about us. You
frequently hear the strong and vigur-
Gus one say, am no nurse, am Of no
account about the sick. It is II shame
ON anyone to maize such declaration.
for it is n onfcssion OF sclNshness which
d.s2raccs the author OF such words.
have known strong, vigorous women
who never lend II helping hand about n
sick bed. ! have known invalid worn-
en- who were angels of mercy by the
bedside OF the sick and the diving.
There is more real pleasure in the life
OF such an invalid than in the life of
1000 vigorous women and men who are
not conscious of having done n single
kindly deed to others.
hlng David said that it was good
Tor him that he had been afflicted. /
have no doubt whatever that IL was
good for others that he was afflicted
lor IL made him more kindly to the af-
ilctcd and more helpful to others in
distress.
We should be ready to visit and will
ing To help and anxious to relieve
every case OF distress in the world.
Let those whose eyes run over this
arhcie ask themselves the question.
nave l done right toward those who
suffer about me? Let every husband
with an invalid wife: every son with m
!hNa!,d mother; every brother with an
Invalid sister: every neighbor with n
SICK neighhor. say, | will be more use.
,ui 10 those who need me and mora
heIpiul TO those who need helm in tho
coming days of my life.