27. Paysons Humor - A Specimen

Paysons Humor - A Specimen

After speaking of attacks from other diseases, he writes, “Rheumatism next arrived, eager to pay his respects, and embraced my right shoulder with such ardor of affection that he had well-nigh torn it from its socket. I had not thought much of this gentle-man’s powers before, but he has convinced me of them so thoroughly, that I shall think and speak of them with respect as long as I live. Not content with giving me his company all day, for a fortnight he insisted on sitting up with me every night, and what is worse, made me sit up too. During this time my poor neck, back, and shoulder, seemed to be a place in which the various pains and aches had assembled to keep holiday, and the delectable sensations of stinging, pricking, cutting, lacerating, wrenching, burning, gnawing, succeeded each other, or all mingled together in the wildest confusion.

"The cross old gentleman, though his zeal is somewhat abated by fomentations and blisters with which we welcomed him, still stands at my back, threatening that he will not allow me to finish my letter."