Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1897-04-01
Mr.. Rouss Abandons Hope.

Charles Broadway Rouss, of New
York, has given up hope that he will
ever recover his sight. Nothing short
of a miracle, he says, can now restore
it to him, and Mr.. Rouss, free think
er, and great friend of Robert G.
Ingersoll, does not believe in miracles.
Still his substitute, John Martin,
the young fellow who is afflicted with
similar trouble-atrophy Of the op-
tic nerve-goes on trying the rene
dies suggested by the hundreds of
persons who hope to gain the stand
Ing reward of 100000 which Mr..
Rouss has offered to anyone who can
restore to him his sight. Still, too,
the people keep going into his store
on Broadway in the expectation of
inducing the multi-millionaire to try
their suggestions,
mo, said Mr.. Rouss resignedly. II
have given up all hope. l can just
see the light, and that is all. l can
not distinguish faces or make out
small objects. Young Martin is still
trying the cures that are suggested to
me. pay him 81 day. He drops in
every day, but he has given up all
hope, too, Of ever getting back his
sight"
So many alleged cures keep coming
in every day that Mr.. Rouss has been
obliged to get out typewriter let
ter, which he sends to every one who
forwards suggestion to him. It is
characteristic of the man. Here it is
Dear Sir i am instructed to say, IN
reply to your letter, that Mr.. RousS S
mail is flooded daily with letters from
every section of the United States and
Europe suggesting remedies FOR the cure
Of his blindness. and it would require
that he should be possessed Of hun
dred lives in order TO test One-tenth of
the propositions submitted. He has
come TO the conclusion that nothing but
a miracle can restore his sight and as
he does not believe in the ability of man
to exercise supernatural power he has
made up his mind to submit philOSoph
ically to the inevitable, which means
that while he can discern objects dimly
now, yet in IA year or two he must be-
come totally blind.
Thanking you for your interest in his
case, | am, very truly yours,
a. J. SMITH,
For Charles Broadway Rouss.
Mr. ROnsS is as cheerful as ever He
still does his daily routine of thirteen
hours, getting down town at 6 a. m.
and staying at his desk until p. m,
toiling like a beaver. He returns
home only to dine and 60 right to
bed. His general health is excellent.
The other day one Of his callers was a
woman in queer attire, who carried
with her a blue bottle that held about
pint. Mr.. Rouss admitted her, as
he admits every one. This, said the
visitor, handing over the bottle, "is
water from Lourdes. Put it on your
eyes and have faith and your sight
will be restored Immediately I'm
fortunately she could not guarantee
that the water was from Louldes, and
as, moreover, Mr.. Rouss could not
summon up the necessary faith, the
bottle still reposes on his desk I'M
opened.
Not one of all the hundreds of rem
edies tried have done young Martin
any good. The X-rays, which were
experimental with, he could see, but
it was simply because of their great
power. They did not help to discern
other objects.
"Our only hope, said Mr.. Smith,
Mr.. Rousss ight-hand man, sis in
Edison. 1t may be just possible that
with the aid of electricity he may be
able to restore vitality to the optic
nerve. That would bring back Mr..
Rouss sight