The San Francisco call., 1903-01-01

1 Il Ork told this story: When was III 9alt
L. Lake City | was called downstairs IN the hotel
10 see case There girl about 10, weeping, and
An older brother also was in tears. asked what the
trouble was and she said that years ago She tell
and hurt her hip and had had to use crutches ever
since. examined her later in hospital and found
not the slightest trace OF injury. She had pain
when She FELL two years before and started to use
crutches and after that imagined she couldn't get
along without them ] threw them away and told
her to walk and she did That IS the only miracle
I have performed in America:
That is not only good story in ITSELF but II has
moral worthy the consideration OF those who purpose
TO make and keep set of good resolutions ior the
year Why not resolve TO put away useless crutches
Why not get rid OF imaginary weaknesses by simply
having confidence in the strength to stand erect TO
walk. and eyen If need be. to join football game:
There are more kinds Of crurches than those made
OF wood. There mental and moral crutches
galore There are also crutehes made OF stimulants
OF various kinds Some folks believe they cannot
get through the day without cup OF strong coffee
10 start with Some believe drink absolutely feees-
arv to brace them up to their work in the afternoon
There many who victims TO conviction that
they cannot enjoy dinner without a preliminary
cocktail :.........
Those are the minor crutches, and il used in mod
Grafton do not seriously hurt anybody but there are
a good many people in every community who use big
Ger crrrtches The enormous use OF drugs in the
United States shows that there millions OF people
who believe they cannot live without a daily dose
OF some sort OF potion, pill powder. They really
disorder the functions OF their various organs by the
very means they take to cure them, Of iancied
abnormality High authorities report that the crav-
ing for drugs by increasing numbers Of our people
has led to startling use OF even such dangerous
stuffs as cocaine and morphia.
Then there is the long array Of the selfdeluded who
use mental or moral crutches These are the people
who believe they can do nothing for themselves
the host that are forever amenting that they never
had show" They go through the world relying
upon their friends, upon luck upon anything rathe
than upon their own strength and vigor 1t maj
OF this type who when told that Peter Cartwright hac
risen from blacksmith shop to be scholar and al
orator Of high eminence replied by lamenting tha
he had never had a blacksmith shop to start with.
It Is quite true that no one in the world can stan
utterly alone. The strongest and the wisest hav
need OF friends. and they show their strength an
their wisdom by making them, but the less ther
are thousands OF people mourning in the world be
cause of fancied incapacty to make themselves in
dependent Lord Bacon noted that the men OF hi
time overrated the power OF money and underrate
the power OF human exertion The same mistak
IS made to-day People go about complaining tha
they have not money crutch TO lean upon wher
il they would simply take confidence as did the gil
10 whom DR. Lorenz spoke, they might 60 ahead an
achieve their desire by the exercise OF the viti
force within them.
There is an old Scottish proverb which says: Bod
silk gown and you'll wear it; bode a beggar's sac
snd You'll bear it." The truth OF that old saying hs
beer attested in many life The Utah girl VIII
went about boding useless limb for years ha
auseiess lab and pain along with il Tor all that time
but when aroused to confidence by the words OF ii
great surgeon the limb straightway vigorous.
gloomy mind goes far to make gloomy forum
Crr1tches whether taken in the shape OF wood or
stimulants drugs and pills, or OF help from others, a.
in many cases both useless and harmful There ar
OF course some who must lean them and to SUI
the worlds full sympathy should go out abundant
but good many OF those who lean on crutches cou
stand upright If they would To them it is to
hoped Dr. Lorenzs story will teach its lesson