The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-09-02
NHY THEY VANISHED
FROM HIS PRESENCE,
. HE new arrival at Mrs. Barnaby's
boarding house sat chatting

" HE new arrival at Mrs. Barnaby's
boarding house sat chatting
pleasantly with the others after
dinner. A middle aged gentleman
came in with slow. stiff steps, as
though stepping at all were irksome to
him. He sat down beside one of the
ladies and began to speak.
Excuse me-" she said, 'T really have
to go and write a letter for the next
mail"
The middle aged gentleman turned to
a young man on the other side. A sud-
den thought struck the young man.
There" he exclaimed, 81 forgot it
till this minute, but promised to meet
a man at the club. I've got to go at
once"
A pretty girl remarked that she was
to attend a little dance that night and
it was time to dress. She slid out the
back parlor door and made her escape.
The middle aged gentleman gave a
sigh that seemed to come from his
toes upward. He coughed and in a
despairing double bass voice observed
to nobody in particular:
81 used to dance, too, thirty years
ago; dance all night. but I can't do 1t
any more"
Just then one of the married ladies
ner; she thought it was good for the
health, and she likewise rose and made
her exit, dignified and in good order.
Her husband evidently thought walking
was good for his health, too, for he i'm
mediately followed her without max
ing any apology at all. The company
thinned rapidly. The middle aged man
coughed slightly again and in his mel
ancholy voice of double bass observed.
= I,;= 20 h. hoo
yes used to be great on the foot.
1 used to walk thirty-seven miles a day
and think nothing of it thirty years
ago, but now 1 can't do it any more,
since I've got heart trouble and rbeu-
matism. r.
BY that time nearly everybody had
disappeared but the new boarder, the
middle aged gentleman and his wife
and son, a boy of twelve. The son
winxed at one of his mates to go into
the next room and play checkers. They
did so. The gentleman's wife could not
desert the scene very we'll, but she sat
down at the farthest window and COM
posedly opened a magazine and began
to read. Now only the new boarder
was left, sitting in her place. The mid
die aged gentleman edged along thith-
erward and opened out:
eyes, thirty years ago was a well
man, strong and healthy as anybody
could be. overworked. Once I was
at a funeral and touched my knee
against the chair 1 was sitting on.
Something seemed to crack in it, and
the pain nearly made me cry out That
was the first knew I had rheuma-
tisrn, and now it keeps up. I can't
sleep nights, and have no appetite
can't eat anything like other people.
Thirty years ago I enjoyed my food
better than anybody else, but 1 got
dyspepsia and things don't taste good
any more. Then I lost my teeth, and
can't masticate food. There's ten
der spot on the bottom of my right foot
that keeps me from getting the exer-
else need. You see, 1 have to wear
this cap all the time, even in doors, to
keep from taking cold. When I take
cold my rheumatism gets SO bad can
scarcely walk at all. My hearts weak,
and doctor says must avoid all ex-
element. 1 suffer from complica-
ton of diseases and any of them may