HEROES OF PEACE.

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 7800, 5 June 1886, Page 4

HEROES OF PEACE.

Addison happily enough—thus writes—- ‘ Troops of heroes undistinguished die.’ It is certain that in the daily battle of life ; in that great conflict which, even under the ajgia of peace, is fought every day, and which is so much more pathetlCi so much more terrible, than the most stupendous struggle between the hosts and armies of war, heroism, unseen atld unrecorded, is a very Common matter- It needs not the surroundings of a bloody battle to develop the God-like qualities which makes the heroic. In the patient suffering, the cheerfvl resignation, the unselfishness, the honorable fidelity to duty, which, thank God, are so common as to command no surprise when they are discovered, vVe behold hefoism as I'Ofty, as Wdrtby, as lovely and admirable as any exhibited by the soldier ‘in the imminent deadly breach ’ or the forlorn hope. We are here reminded, that among the fighters in the battle of peace, the enginedriver stands forth as the embodiment of the heroic. The incidents recorded of the coo! bravery and unselfish heroism of engine-drivers are numberless. We r'ead the other day of the driver of a wrecked train, mutilated and in great ajgohy, iu dense darkneSs aknid life warring of the elements, crawling along the slippery line ’with a lantern-, to warn an approaching train against danger. We know.how nobly the driver ef the Geelong train behaved in the disastrous collision at the Werribee; how he died comforted \Vith the reflection that he had d'One his duty, and holding, tightly grimed in his hand, the telegram which had caused the mischief. We have read of the driver who, seeing a little child playing upon the line, and knowing that it was impossible to stop the train in time to avoid crushing it, crawled along the engine and lifted the little one out of danger. Such stories are common, and so grow, to the unreflecting, tO become commonplace. But the thoughtful tecoghise the spirit of heroism Which resides in these narratives, and understand how terrible is the mental and physical strain which the engine-driver has to bear. This tax upon the nervous system of necessity contributes to disease and debility, and the wear and tear of energy and health. Every sympathiser with the brave men who thus suffer in the cause of the public, will be glad to hear that medical science supplies a remedy, at once prompt, effective and permanent in its aciion. Mr James J. Wright, who is now editor of the Brunswick Reformer, Victoria, testifies to this fact. He says that for eleven years, previous to the year ISS3, he was employed in the locomotive department of the Victorian railways. About 1881 he experienced serious kidney troubles, coupled with rheumatism. He grew worse in spite of medical assistance. He becam. so bad that he had to be carried to his engine —and here, surely, we perceive the heroic spirit of fidelity to duty. His agonies were intense, but he held on to his post, until at last, in May, 1883, he was forced to take to his bed. The doctors did their best for him, but he grew worse, and began to despair of recovery. Controlled by the conviction that his case was hopeless, he resigned his post, a step supported by the statement of the Government medical officer, that Mr Wright was suffering from chronic rheumatism caused by kidney disease, which had poisoned his blood. This gentleman also pronounced theoasetobe hopeless. Mr Wright’s resignation was therefore accepted and compensation granted. For eight months he hobbled about on crutches scarcely able to pass from room to room, and wholly confined to his house. However his pluck carried him along. He obtained work on the Daily Telegraph newspaper, of Melbourne, and from this circumstance traces his cure. He was sent down by his editor to describe H. H. Warner’s safe cure establishment, then just opened in Little Lonsdale-street west. The manager, observing that Mr Wright was serioudy unwell, presented him with a bottle of Warner’s safe cure, which was accepted with that courteous soeptiohm with which the invalid, who has gone through the ’ course ’ of legitimate medical treatment, regards all proprietary specifics. However, doubt soon changed to faith. Mr Wright speedily found that there are more things than are’ dreamt of in the philosophy of the doctors. He kept on with the medicine with the happiest results. He says ‘ I have completely recovered ray health ; I have had no attack of rheumatism since last June, nor have I suffered from any kidney complaints, and this in the face of the fact that I have worked early and late, and necessarily, have been irregular with my meals. Mr Wright adds—‘ Knowing as I do the hardships engineers are exposed to, the great nervous strain, the cold, wet, heat, long standing, and the constant jolt of the engine, I feel I am only doing my duty in recommending to my fellow enginemen, Warner’s safe cure and safe pills; believing that they are honest medicines and capable of great good in relieving pain and sustaining the system under the severe strains incident to the lives of those whose business is that of engine-driving.’ Testimony stronger than this could scarcely be given. It has been sent in by Mr Wright without solicitation. It is the outcome of the very natural gratitude of one who, despairing of cure, found it by accident, and who, lacking faith at first, has been forced to accord it at last. It is the honest tribute of one who belonging to a class of men trained to suffer and endure, only yield to the force of illness when powerless to resist. It is the certificate of a man who carried his ailments as one of the great army of the heroes of peace, and who records his cure with the simplicity of truth, and the candor of conviction.