The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-03-16

family, so that they did not think of the
sick woman upstairs, or that she might
have some anxiety. AS the cries grew
louder with the increasing crowd and tho
engines rumbled along the streets, and the
woman realized that the fire was close at
hand, her agony became almost uBendur-
able. The thought Of being burned alive
as she lay there excited her TO the verge
of madness. Suddenly, as the noises
swelied into great cry, and as she
thought she heard the kissing Of the flames
as the water fell on them she leaped with
bound from the bed and ran down tho
stairs. She had been shocked into life.
This is not a solitary case. The story OF
this event in the newspapers called out
from various sources accounts of similar
events in which a cure has been wrought
by strong excitement In one case IL was
the shock OF an earthquake---in another
case Overwhelming jealousy upon the part
or the wife, and In yet another case the
dread of fire., as in this instance, which
effected the cure.
The remarkable fact is that from a con-
diti0n of absolute helpisssness, with not
the slightest hope OF recovery--a condition
In which there was absolute incapacity to
act. TO move, or stand or walk; these peo-
ple have, in moment, found themselves
in the active possession OF al their powers
and faculties with perfect freedom OF move
f1ent ann an entirely new life opening mp
before them. These facts are important
because they prove that there Is great re-
serve force in nature upon which the sick
can draw n they can once be brought
into contact with that reserved force by the
use Of proper means, There are thousands
of people, men aud women, who have
sunk into similar condition of apathetir
helplessness. who are diseased beyond help
AS they believe, and who simply live along
bearing as best they may the pangs and
pains OF their malpdy, waiting for the last
sharp agony that shall put an end to their
suffering. In large majority OF cases,
these people. II they could be acted upon
by the required force. could he restored 70
a condition Of healthy. hgppr living. There
IL for these. as there js for every one, q
great reserve force In nature. great
power OF recuperation, when the proper
means can be brought into use, TO cause
this reserved force to flow and TO start up
the machinery 81 recuperaton. The great
need Of the despairlng and helpless sick Is
HOPE. People who have tried doctor at
ter doctor and prescription otter prescrip
lion and have failed TO find any relief for
their ailments, have steadily gone down
the decline OF health fnto condition which
has grown steadily worse with every day
such people lost the most precious possess
elcn that any single person car have. and
that is the one thing--HOPE.
Imagine typical case. Here at the open
window In the warm days OF Indian sum
mer sits a young woman. The hectic Of
consumption is burning In her cheeks and
she breathe5 painfully. She looks out upon
the landscape. glowing in the beautiful
colors OF autumn, and shining In the elo-
rious warmth of the sun. As she looks she
hears the voices OF the birds and notices
the gathering flock OF blackbirds as they
swing and sway in their passage TO the
South How she envies the birds that tell
her Of the change Of climate that might
help her. But that Is absolutely 4rnpossi-
BILE. and she sinks back Into her chair as
the last stragglers OF the rearguard OF
birds pass out OF view. with an utter sink
Ing OF the heart All her hope OF health
and life absolutely gone!
What could put hope back into her heart
Suppose that down that street, beneath
her window. there should come an army
A QUARTER OF A MILLION
strong Of men and women. young and
old. husbands and wives, mothers and
fathers. sons and daughters. the very
pictures OF perfect strength and health.
Suppose that she were told that every
person OF this great army, every one OF
that quarter OF million. had been in q
condition ~ desperate as her own:
though not all from the same disease.
Suppose II were polluted out to her that
II per cent OF that great army. or more.
had been sick OF the samc. disease as hers.
and had been as helpless and hopeless as
herself Would not such scene as this.
such evidence OF health and healing cause
hope TO spring once more into her breast
and reanimate her with the purpose to
struggle against the dread disease that
was dragging her down.
This Ii not a fancy picture. but an ac-
tual life sketch. Not one woman alone
ats at her window. watching the birds
In their flight 10 the south and longing
TO follow them; watching the crimson
fires burn hercer In the forest and feel
Ing that these typify the increasing flush
OF her own cheek There are hundreds
or such sufferers who never dream Of
passing from the chamber where they sit
imprisoned. hearing the ebb- and How OF
tha dde N life A IL risaa and falls sInke