The Kansas City sun. (Kansas City, Mo.) 1908-1924, 1918-09-21
GRIP? KNOCK
Victim Tells of Decoction That
Cured Him Quickly.
Prescription Brought From France BY
Soldier Son Saved Him Many
Days and Nights Of Misery,
and a Doctors Bill.

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The symptoms were ~unmlstakable.
Pains shot up my back and through
my head. Sneeze followed sneeze, and
I felt as weak as, but more helpless
than, a kitten.
When I got home from the Office
and 1 don't know how 1 managed to
crawl fhere-my whole body was one
large ache. Ny wife rushed to meet
me at the gate.
Jacks come home on leave, dear"
she said, throwing her arms around my
neck In sheer ecstasy. HE got four
teen days. Isn't 1t simply g%loriousf"
(Jack is our soldier boy.)
I didn't like to do go, but on the
grounds of expedien~y L gently but
firmly pushed her off.
"Be careful, old GIRL" ! explained.
"T've got It."
She knew by my watery eyes what
I meant by 1t, and slipped her arm
in mine to help me up the path. I vas
glad of her assistance, for / was shiv-
ering all over and felt very depressed.
sack will be disappointed. He's
looking forward to having such a good
time, and now it looks as II you will
be In all the time"
With a groan, I curled up on the
couch.
"Whatever are we to dol" she asked
as she brought my slippers. "Tve moth
ing in the house and the shops are all
closed. Goodness knows where we can
find a doctor, and poor Jack win soon
be back. He's just run round to have
a peep at Gwen"
The situation vas certainly desper-
ate. My head seemed to be bursting,
and so did my heart. This was a poor
sort Of welcome to give to our sonnie
after years of absence, and I will free
ly own that by this time something
else as well as influenza was respon-
sible for my watery eyes.
"Yes, dad" said Jack half an hour
later as he sat by my bed, "a month
ago / thought some of us were in for
a terrible time. We never had such a
drenching and couldn't get a blessed
bit Of clothing dry. We ached all over.
In fact, we were just about like you.
1t was rotten luck, too, for we missed
some of the fun. But just when we
were at u worst, a French peasant
told us he knew of something that
would Don put us right. He told us
he had two herbs in his garden which
he believed would save half the world
If they were only used. Elder blossom
and peppermint, those were the two.
swell he dropped a handful of each
In a jug and made a strong infusion
by pouring a pint and a half of boil
ing water over them, just as I have
done. He let it steep for about half
an hour on the hob, hen strained and
sweetened 1t, and made us drink it as
hot as we could stand 1t. He simply
soaked us with it, but the next day
we were like new men.
"What, do you say you can hardly
believe 1t? Well, here mother
with a jugful. 1t was lucky 1 had some
with me, and I'll take good care never
to be without it. Now take a good
swig of this. It's quite nice. Then
cover up and Wen pile on the clothes"
Sooner than I could have believed,
the p~erspiration was rolling down my
face in grand style. Later on I emptied
the jug and fell into a deep, refreshing
sleep.
The next morning the feeling of en-
nui had passed away. My head was
clearer, and 1 could even make q joke.
The day after I was able to sit up, and
I've never looked back since.
Now this is not a fairy tale, but a
sober fact, and If all who are victims
OF the Influenza fiend would try this
magic potion they would soon be
breathing benedictions on the head Of
that unknown peasant in Flanders. It
Is so harmless that you cannot use 1t
amiss, and so effectual that you can
not give 1t In vain.-Buffalo Express.
Al