The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-08-01
A LONG SLEEP.
Mr.. McCIeIIand Knows How Rip Van
Wrinkle Felt.
From the Philadelphia Press.

From the Philadelphia Press,
The village of GraysviIe has developed
a strange case as viewed from a medi-
cal standpoint-that Of a man who had
lain upon his bed for "a years, during a
great part of which time he was blind and
speeches., and sometimes unable to -hear,
but can now walk about with the aid of
crutches, and his eyesight, voice and
hearing all restored. This man is Asa
McCleiland. He was a soldier in the late
war, being a member of company c. 18th
Pennsylvania cavalry, and will be re-
membered by many of his old comrades.
In the early part of the 70s he was tax
en- Ill and became belfast. He lost the
use of his body, and finally sank into a
halt-conscious state, during which he lost
both eyesight apd power 70 speak. and for
time could not hear. Some time before
his illness his mind became temporarily
affected, and he attempted to take his
life by shooting. The ball struck him
near the base of the BRAIN but failed to
penetrate the skull. But little injury was
done, apparently, by the wound, and he
went about for several months afterWard.
After he became i'll his case baffled the
aid of physicians.
Much of the time he would lie upon his
bed with his head and entire body under
covers. He would show no sign of rec
ignition, and his food was frequently
pushed under the covers within his reach.
and thus he ate enough to sustain life
This lasted during a period Of "a years
After the first few years old acquaint-
ances ceased their visits, and he almost
dropped out Of their reTnem brance He
now relates the following strange story:
A short time ago he felt strength sud
denly return to his body and had an
impulse to rise. He tried to do so, and
found that he could get up. About the
same time he found his eyesight restored.
He had not uttered a sound for years
but the thought occurred to him to speak
and he found his voice restored.
His first attempt was to walk was by
resting his hands upon the back of a
chair and pushing It along, but he now
uses crutches. He had forgotten many
words, and those were taught him lust
as a little child is instructed. In the same
way he was taught to read again Ev-
erything was new to him.s He however
remembered the names and faces Of for
mer acquaintances. An old acquaintance
who had not seen him for many years
met him at the store at GraysViile, and
was quickly recognized by McC1eliand
The latter refers to the period of his
life prior to his Illness as one who has
been away in another part of the coun-
try for many years and just returned. He
speaks of places about the village as
when 1 was here before they looked SO
and so" He says there We're but two
or three houses in GraysviIle when he
was there then.
Like Rip Van Wrinkle, he seems to have
awakened from a long dream. He saws
that during his illness he was many times
able to hear what was said but had
not the power TO whisper even I'm reply
He has an interest in piece Of land
and draws a small pension, and says he
now is able to conduct his own business.
M. McClelland is 81 years old. and former
" worked at the nainting trade.