Evening star., 1902-08-30
WALKED OFF CONSUMPTION.
Between San Francisco and Toronto
He Gained SIS Pounds and Got Well,
the Tor0nto Man and Emnire

From the Toronto Mall and Empire.
If the experiences Of Alfred Y. Allen, an
old Toronto boy, are any criterion, he has
discovered a cure for consumption that
leaves Koch and other lymph compounds
in the "also started list. His remedy is
certainly an heroic one, and, efficacious as
he found it, is scarcely likely to become
popular. This is his story:
On being told by a doctor at San Fran
cisco that his lungs were almost used up
and he had better go home to die Mr.. AL
len retired to his room to consider what
he would do Many would have done moth
ing, or committed suicide; while idly pom
dering over how to spend his few remain
ing days, however, a sudden inspiration
came to Mr.. Allen. He decided to take a
walk-back to his old Canadian home In
Toronto.
He at once decided to try the experiment
and the next day, August S, 1901, he started
out, with his best suit on, one lung out of
business, S1.6o in his pockets, and a gross
tonnage over all OF eighty-one pounds He
was very weak at first, and found it hard
work to cover mile and a half a day. For
two months he walked along, keeping his
money-as long as he looked respectable no
one would take 1t, but when he became
more weather-worn and needy-looking II
soon went. So weak was he that on one
occasion he got permission to cut wood for
meal, but was unable to handle the AK.
Slowly and painfully he tramped on, fol-
lowing the ties north through California
and Oregon. Then he left the tracks to
take a short cut, and lost himself two days
and a night in the dense forests, but in
spite of il all he started to gain strength,
and was soon able to average thirty-five
miles day, one day actually walking fifty
one miles. In Oregon he earned $1I cooking
for some hungry sheep herders, strangers
to dyspepsia, and started off again, rich
once more, until he cached Idaho. There
he had terrible eXperienpa. tramntup q
across 113 miles of blazing hot desert, with
out food or water, unttl he reached an
oasis, where some adventurous spirit had,
by irrigation, reclaimed enough land to pro-
duce a scanty living.
BY this time Aliens tongue was parched
and swollen, his lips cracked, and he was
completely exhausted by his privations, so
much so that Ii took several days of water
and food TO put him in shape to continue
his walk. With the aid of big water bot
tie he managed to cross the rest Of the
arid, sun-parched plain, and crossed into
Utah, through which state he Strolled. hos
pitaby received everywhere by the lonely
railroad section men, to whom the sight Of
a face from the outside world was a real
godsend. In fact, at one place, where he
had to face a fearful cold snap, with snow
waist deep family toCk him in and kept
him three weeks When finally he did
start off the lady of the house gave him
kiss and a flve-dollar bill TO cheer his
lonely pilgrimage. The money has gone,
but the memory of that kiss is still fresh.
Through storm and snow, wind and rain,
he plodded along. traVerSing Iowa into I'LL
nois, through Illinois TO Michigan and at
Detroit he crossed TO Windsor, once more
in Canada. From Windsor he walked across
to Buffalo, from Buffalo to Lewiston,
where he crossed the Old suspension bridge
and once again landed on Canadian soil.
There he took the Grand Trunk ties and
landed in Toronto last Wednesday, wealth
erworn and weary. but well man, weigh
ing 1876 pounds OF hard. healthy manhood,
and without a trace Of his old foe, consump-
tion.
During his long tramp Mr. Allen walked
through thirty-fve pairs of boots and used
up more clothes than he could keep track
of. He was much impressed with the un-
failing kindness he met with everywhere,
having always plenty Of food and clothes.
On only one occasion did he lack house
to sleep in--when he was lost In Oregon's
wilds.
Mr. Allen has been examined by physi-
cians who have been amazed to find him
perfectly free from the white plague. and
still more astounded at the extraordinary
method by which he cured himself