Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1905-08-11
HEROISMOF AUTHORS
BRAVE BATTLES WAGED AGAINST
The AGONY OF DISEASE.

| ehce hhd ntstors, II Indtbted to
Pain and worry and suffering FoI
Some of It's Choicest Gems.
There are heroes of the pen as well
as of the sword, and the Victories of the
study are quite as affecting and mem
orable as those OF the battlefield.
If "A complete list OF the fine exam
plies of heroism of authors were com
piled IL would reach well out into the
thousands and include large number
of illustrious names. In fact. II is said
that few authors have done really great
work except under adverse circum-
stances. Literature. as well as science.
art and history, is indebted to pain and
worry ana suffering for some OF its
choicest gems.
There are few finer examples of the
heroism OF the study than that present
ed by Professor Finsen. the discoverer
OF the light cure for lupus. For the
last twenty years OF his too short life
he suffered from painful diseases OF
the heart and liver, TO which dropsy
was superadded, and IL was only by
daily self denial and the strictest diet
ing that he was able to live at all.
Yet for all these years, lived IN the
very shadow OF death and In constant
suffering. he stuck bravely 10 his great
life work, even studying his own dis
eases with the keenest attention and
writing articles on them for medical
Journals The last two or three years
OF his lie were Spent lying on his back,
unable even TO be carried TO HIS be
loved institute a few yards away, and
yet the lion hearted scientist never re
Taxed for single day his gallant fight
for his fellow men against disease
The heroism OF the Danish profess
or suggests n similar brave battle
waged by en- English professor, ]. r..
Green, the historian, against disease
and pain. IT was In 1869. when the
disease which had assailed him for
many years finally Frustrated him aud
when the doctors gave him no hope Of
living more than six months, that
Green set 10 work TO write his famous
Short History OF the English Peo-
pie" Day after day he toiled at his
and in a state OF ceaseless pain and ex-
haustion. and so brave was the mans
spirit that he actually prolonged his
life for five years. Even he was bound
TO confess. Il wonder how In those
years Of physical pal: and despond-
ency / could ever have written the
book at all"
a ~ aAtr tCh
brought his widow the enormous sum
OF 100000. were written under even
more trying conditions than Green's
history. In 1884, the year before his
death. the ex-president found himself
bankrupt through the failure OF the
Marine bank and face 10 face with the
prospect OF dying penniless and leav-
ing his wife destitute II was at this
terrible crisis that he began 10 write
the story OF his stirring career But
the cup OF his misfortune was not yet
full A cancer formed at the root Of
his tongue, and the gallant soldier was
compelled 10 write day after day, suf-
fering constant and severe agony.
Mrs Browning. too. wrote most OF
her beautiful poems confined to n
darkened chamber, TO which only her
own family and few devoted friends
could bc admitted I'm great weakness
and almost unintermittent suffering
with her favorite spaniel as her COM
panion
The German poet Hcine was another
martyr and hero OF the study. The
l.r - III. NJ
on his mattress grave" racked with
such excruciating pain that he had 10
take doses of opium large enough to
have killed several men IN order TO
give him few blessed hours OF free
dom from IT, Through ell these years
OF torture he not only bore himself
with noble resignation and cheerful
ness. but produced many OF his finest
and most finished works including his
Last Poems and Thoughts" and his
Confessions
Sir Walter Scott's heroic struggle
with misfortune and falling health dur
ing the closing years OF his life Is per
haps too well known 10 call for more
than mention. After the commercial
CRUSH WHICH, ltll hin
with debt and with shattered health he
set 10 work with wearied eyes and
worn brain" and tciled for years. often
as much as fourteen hours a day, until
the end came and with II the lifting OF
all burdens, including that OF his debts.
every penny OF which his monumental
toll had paid.
In the list are also Frank smedley,
who wrote his book Oh "a bed OF an
guish:" Edna Lyall. who kept death at
bay 10y her brave spirit and busy pen,
and Clark Russell. who set a magnlf-
icent example OF patience by his In
dustry when racked with rheumatism.
II is also said that much OF Sir Arthur
Sullivan's sweetest music was distilled
from pain.-New York Herald.