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Show WORKING UNDER 1 DIFFICULTIES By THOMAS ARKLE CLARK Dean of Men, Univeritjr of Illinois. ,t"yOU'LL have to go to bed and be flat on your back for some time," the doctor said to me. I knew his reputation and that he was no doubt right There would be no argument. I had a tremendous lot of work that should be done writing most of L I had no temperature; I was not really sick ; what little brain I have was working In as active and normal a way as It had ever done. It I was only that an accident had made It necessary to spread me out and hang weights on my left arm to pull It back i into a position which It refused to as-! as-! sume. I write with my right hand ; even lying on my back my knee can ' be flexed and a pad of paper balanced I upon It. I would write even If I were on my back! The process was slow and wearisome. weari-some. I had to rest at short Intervals, . but it was amazing how much I could , get done In a day, strained though the j position was. And tht work made the I time pass more quickly. I was more . cheerful from having something to do; I my back ached less ecause I had less time to give to pondering over my aches. Difficult as It was, I came to ' enjoy It; and the svork got done. A friend of mine, because of a peculiar accident was forced for a month to be face downward on her hed. She could look over the edge of the bed which was low and near the floor, and she devised all sorts of things to occupy her time some of them useful work, others play nnd so, while doing something worthwhile, kept herself cheerful and happy. It was not an easy condition under which to work, but she was resourceful and energetic. I have Just been told of two men lying In a hospital, neither permitted to move his body, but free to do what I lie wished with his hands. One was a I stock broker who had a long-distance ! telephone Installed and did business t regularly during business hours. lie J admitted that he got on more success-' success-' fully than when he was In his office In the city because, lying prone In bed, he was not Interrupted, not disturbed, lie gave his letters to his stenographer stenog-rapher curly In the morning and then he had all his time to himself. The second man was a writer. lie hud a typewriting machine suspended above the bed In such n way as per-initteu per-initteu him to move It up and down to admit the sheet of paper on which he was writing, and In such n position posi-tion as to make It possible, lying as ho was, to operate It. He worked along all dny, forgetting that he wus Invalided, In-valided, that at times he suffered pain, und got his regular work done almost as well as If It were possible for him to be on his feet. He was the sort Unit wouldn't let difficulties keep him from work. Whether a man works or not often depends upon the difficulties which he la willing to overcome. (C). 1027, WuBtorn NuwHpaper Union.) |