The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1897-09-09

Rome, N. Y, has always possessed deep
interest to the historian. Here were enacted
some of the most stirring incidents of the
American revolution. Here stood Fort stan
wix which never surrendered and from which
the first flag, hastily made from the shirts and
uniforms Of the soldiers, was waved in def
ance of the enemy, and here was consummated
the treaty of the six nations.
Among those who, by long residence and
active participation in business affairs, have
become closely identified with the city, prob
ably none are better known than Mr.. II. o.
Tooker, whose gun store and repair shop is
one of the landmarks. Though seventy years
have sprinkled his hair with white, his eye
has lost none of its brightness nor his hand its
cunning, and he still gives his personal man.
agement to the business ut which he has worked
for half century. He has keen sense of
humor, a rare faculty for story telling, and
warm sympathetic nature tha1has made him
many firm friends. His love OF nature has
always been his ruling passonj his rod and
gun the dearest companions of his leisure
hours. He knows the thickets whore the part
ridge feed, and the trees where the squirrels
have their holes: and every noisy brook and
shady pool where the trout lie hidden, he
knows. He has lived near to nature and to
natures laws, and as u result has had strong
constitution and splendid health, until four
years ago, when he experienced the most seri-
Gus sickness of his life, the story of which he
told to a reporter as he sat at his bench mending
a gun lock in the little shop back of his store.
81 never knew much about sickpess," he
said, turning on his stool, "until about four
years ago; then / got enough to make up for
all had missed, and to last me the rest of my
life, | hope. IL wasn't that kind of sickness
that puts fellow into nice soft bed, with
cool cloths on his head, and makes his rela.
tions worry and send him chicken broth and
jelly and such things. 1t began in mighty
mean way, and it stayed mean just as long as
it lasted. AT first ! had bad taste in my
mouth, which finally became so bad that
did not relish anything ate. Then | began
having spells of bloatng, with terrible pains
in my stomach, and daily headaches. This
kept up for six months or more, during which
/ kept at my work and took all sorts of medi-
cine without receiving any relief. The doctors
said | had indigestion. Then worse thing
happened. / was sitting here at the bench
one day when q strange dizzy feeling came
over me. 1t seemed as though the top of my
head had been lifted of. Everything seemed
to be whirling around me, and had TO hang
on to the bench to keep from falling from my
stool. ] don't know how long the spell lasted
but it left suddenly and | resumed my work.
"The next day / had another spell, and
they continued to come almost daily. Then
| noticed that just before the attacks my
mind was not clear, and | could not trust
myself to give rational answer when
spoken TO. / worried about it a good deal.
| was sensitive and avoided people for fear
that vOuld say or do something ridiculous
At last | made up my mind that needed
rest AMI recreation. ! talked with my old
fishing partner, Norman X. Graves, the
druggist, about the matter and the next day
found us snugly settled in one of our old
camps on the west branch of the Mohawk.
The fresh air and the smell of the woods
seemed to do me good, and the next morning
we started out at day break, both feeling as
frisky as boys. We had been fishing about
an hour, and each had several speckled
beauties in his basket, when, as | was wad-
ing into the stream to make cast in a pool
where / had seen big trout rise TO a grass
hopper, felt one of those spells of dizziness
coming over me. The water was waist deep,
and fearing that l would fall | called to my
companion, who came quickly and helped
me up the bank. We took few steps
toward camp, then everything turned dark
before me, and / remember nothing more
until ! awoke as from sleep and found my
self lying on the ground wrapped up in blan-
kets, with the green leaves rustling above my
head. At first 1 did not know where was,