The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-01-26
MIR. 5ILLToPs' COLD.
It Was Pretty Bad for About Four
 Days, But He's Getting Better.

] From the Washington Post. Mrs Billtops says" said MT. B., that when I'm sick I fall down and break up
 and collapse and go to pieces generally. i She doesn't say this unkindly, you know,
 or anything like that, but she says that
 when I'm sick I'm like a baby, and I guess that's so.
 Now for the last four days I've had
 a cold, bad cold lame and sore all
 over; and so weak that it's hard work
 for me to drag around. And yet I l haven't been dreadfully uncomfortable;
 in fact, l find sitting around in easy
 chairs rather pleasant than otherwise
 And Mrs. Billtops smiles and says she
 guesses I'm not so dreadfully sick and l when l tell her about all my pains and l tell her how miserable l feel generally l she says, Why that's just a cold Ezra; | you've got a hard cold, that't all and i. then ashe smiles some more and goes on l about her work-she never let's up on l that-and l sit back and make myself
 as near comfortable as 1 can, thinking 1 that. well perhaps that's all that Is the I matter with me, but wishing that what ever il is l might soon get over it. But the worst thing about it all is that | I've still got some appetite. You wouldn't think that anybody feeling the way I've been feeling the last four days could eat thing, but l have eaten fairly we'll and Mrs. B. smiles over that a little too and says that anybody that can eat can't be so very sick, but she doesn't say that to make fun of me-far from it she says that to encourage me and make me get well quicker And as a matter of fact, I am begin ming to mend some. Coming home last night I found myself whistling as l came along the street, which is something | never do unless I feel we'll I had just spontaneously, without knowing it. start ed whistling. And that was a pleasant surprise to me, but l stopped 1t right away, knowing that l was not as well as l might be; I had got to nurse my Illness a little yet: but I hadn't gone more'n ten rods further before I found myself humming a tune; apparently my body was feeling much better that 1t was bound to express itself somehow even if l did try to choke 1t off; and when l got into the house and Mrs. Billtops had taken look a me:
 Ezra, she says, cheerfully, T think you are feeling better tonight. and I said:
 Yes, I think I am feeling a little better and before the evening was over l found myself laughing at something: and this morning l am really feeling quite considerable better, and l think that by couple of days more 1 shall be back to normal
 (Which is my usual condition I am very rarely ailing at all; almost invaria- bly, l enjoy excellent good health and keen good spirits, and l am always a little inclined to wonder that people should let themselves be cast down as they are just because they are little off. What's the use of telling the whole world you cant stand little bit of pain and suffering?
 So it strikes me when I'm feeling, as I almost invariably do. fit as a nddle and looking at everything with the brightest possible view But do you know. I find it makes all the difference in the world about this whether it's the other fellow that's sick or you.
 Yes. sir When I'm we'll I wonder why the ailing man doesn't look cheerful anyway; but when I'm sick I feel right 7 away the need of sympathy"