The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-02-24

10 man alone beneath the heaven:
1t IS not fantasy's hot fire
?. Whose wishes, soon as granted, fly;
1t iveth not in fierce desire.
| 1t is the secret sympathy,
| The silver link, the silken tie
| winch heart to heart, and mind to mind,
In body and in soul can bind
Married when young and in good
health, comfortable in his own little
home with a good position to keep him
happy, blessed with a little child-and
then to lose the little baby, to lose the
working ability of the body, closely fol-
| lowed by the loss of all means of keep
ing body and soul together, Percy o.
Winstead, young man only 80 years
| old is on his back in the little wind
sifted cottage at the corner of Ninth
and Monroe,-death staring him in the
face and starvation at his very door.
with nothing in the world but the love
of his little wife and the confidence in
the Maker-twO of the greatest treas
ures in the world but still not valuable
enough to guard against the grave.
Following a long siege of typhoid fe-
yer four years ago Percy Winstead was
suddenly attacked by stomach trouble
The could not keep anything on, his
stomach and he was losing strength
day by day. His work as stenographer
was burdensome and he could not re-
main in the office any length of time.
Matters gradually grew worse and the
funds in the little household narrowed
down to the bare necessities of life. Ev
cry sort OF medicine was taSted-eVery |
inexpensive means of cure was used
dieting which caused intense pain was |
tried without aVail-then the man had
to resign his position and attempt work |
that would keep him out doors in such |
a manner that he would be able to |
vomit whenever the system demanded |
such an action. But Jobs were scarce |
al nd n
him position after position-he could |
not explain his condition to his en- |
ployers and at last he gave it up-gave
up everything but home and the last |
little thread of life that hung loosely |
by his side. He was too brave to COM |
nit suicide and he loved the world
loved to live in it and loved the love |
of his faithful wife, who watched his |
every movement and was at his side
through every trial and hardship.
The rent was due for their dingy |
rooms in the little stone building at |
8151a Monroe street. not a bite of food |
was in the house and Percy o. Win
stead was fighting death with every
ounce of strength and manhood. At
last he decided to let the world know |
of his trouble and see if he could not
sacrifice his body for relief-also for
science. AS a result on January %,
1903, this sensational and heart-rend-
ing want ad appeared in the State
Journal:
WANTED-Some kind hearted doctor to
perform an operation upon my stomach
10 STOP X0I9i1ins SICKNESS or oyer Two
to earn very much money L will sign a
contract to deliver to such doctor my body
room.-Percy o. Winstead.
This want ad stirred up the hearts of
the people of the city and the State
Journal printed the story of the life
OF the unlucky man and pleaded for
his relief. 1t was arranged to have
the man operated upon at Christ's
hospital at once and DR.. ]. c. McClin-
took, DR.. w. F. Bowen and DIR. Otto
Kfene performed on the man for ap-
pendicitis. His appendix was removed
and he gained health-was able to
walk around and do more of his old
work. But that vomiting habit appear
ed again and it was not long before he
was in as bad condition as ever. The
second operation was performed July I
posed he had liver trouble. On Sep ]
TENDER Is, 1908 he was taken to the
University Hospital in Rosedale which
is conducted by Kansas university
Again he allowed his SCARED body to
undergo the knife and still the sick
ness held him to his home.
A week before this last Christmas
Mr.. W1nstead went to the university
hospital again, but with the same re-
suit. The doctors puzzled and no one
seems to be able to diagnose his case.
1t is one of the mysteries of the medi-
cal world and nothing can relieve the
SulLGIIlS anu anguish OF the Door man. |
The State Journal reporter made
visit to the home at the corner of
Ninth and Monroe last night. The |
mouse is a small implanted, ready-to-
faI affair. 1t is hard to see how the !
couple have been able to
endure the wintry blasts Inside it is
different. There is nothing in the room
that is not needed but everything is
clean and simple. The two rooms are
heated by a little iron coal stove
when there is coal. The cooking is
done On the same stOve-when there /
is food. Percy Winstead is now in bed
and will undoubtedly remain in bed
the rest of his life. He has stood the
hard test as long as any human being
could and since the last operation he
has been too weak and too near the
grave to do any manner of work.
When the reporter entered the door,
with a broad smile which spread all
over his well formed face he held
out his hand in greeting. He at
tempted to talk of everything except
his sickness and he is well read and
speaks easily and knowingly His lit
tie wife sat at his bedside-Iaughing
and talking with her devoted husband
but her smiles and cheerful manner
We're mingled with an almost hysteri-
cal strain. 1t was hard for her to
keep the once happy home cheerful
and especially since she has worked
and toiled until her own system is
broken down and it is but question
of a short time when she also will be
that love is loveliest when ernbalmed
with tears" but when the tears are
embalming dying husband the say
ing cannot carry.
Mrs. Winstead has been earning a |
living for the two by washing dishes,
doing scrubbing or anything in the
world that will bring rnoney-by hon
est toll, Her loneliness. her attrac-