The Hawaiian gazette., 1884-12-03

How many pleasant gatherings were
held last Thanksgiving Day. How many
troop of bright merry children sported
on our green lawns, ID our ever beautif nj
homesteads. How the tropic foliage uuiv-
cred with the shouts of glee, how the
rooms resounded with the merry laughter.
Many was the gray head that grew young
again, many the shriTelled heart that ex-
banded under the genial warmth of guile
less, infant love and merriment With
what pride has grandpapa seen the image
OF his own loved daughter, now a buxom
matron, repeated in some toddling little
beauty, rosy of cheek, imperious of manner,
that sweet imperiousness that comes of
innocence. And grandmamma in some
stalwart boy may have seen once more the
image of favorite son very dear to her,
but who, alas was taken from her years
ago, now only to be treasured as a memory
in the most sacred recesses of her
heart of hearts. Lost! yes, but there was
a comfort in the loss. There was the little
green mound in some quiet cemetery, some
retired churchyard, the seat was vacant,
but the bitterness of sorrow had passed
and there was that blessed hope that the
spirit was at rest, and that after her own
struggle in life was over, across the dark
waters of death would come the voice of
the long lost one, that he was waiting on
the golden sands of the shores of the ever
lasting. And so the comfort comes and
such sorrow serves but TO shadow for
moment the sunshine of life, as passing
cloud but obscures an instant the brilliant
colors of koolau, when we gaze on it from
the Pail.
Of most of those who celebrated
Thanksgiving last Thursday. the Joy was
great, the sorrow a sweet sorrow. There
were some homes here, however, where the
sorrow was not such, where it was a grow
ing pain, eating into the mothers heart
Turn moment, there are darker colors
than this, in which life may be painted.
In Kakaako Hospital, last Thursday
there were thIrty-one leper children under
the age of fifteen. OF these eighteen were
boys, thirteen were girls. How young did
they run down to? Three were under
seven, two girls and boy. Who took
charge of them? There was one leper
woman to look after the girls, and man
to look after the boy. These very young
children had not leper parents with them?
No They were alonel Poor little seven
years old children alonel
Think of it good Christian people! think
of it you who had your children clinging
around you the other dsy-think of it you
who have buried your loved ones under
the sod, and be thankful Yours are at
rest, these lve-alonel For what is Ka-
kaako? There are there at the present
moment 176 patients, of all ages, of all
degrees. There have been as many as 236
there, cooped into an enclosed space, fairly
fed, nothing to do. The children have a
little schooling from 8 to IL a. m, and
again from to 2 p, m, so said our inform
ant, That is three hours a day The rest
of the time they run about in the lot, they
miDgle with the grown men, the grown
women. They r-Heavensl what do
they not hear7 What do you expect they
hear among set of people drawn from
the sources some of these unfortunates
are? The very dregs of the people. The
good Catholic sisters are oYerworked; these
noble women do a super-human work, but
the work is too great, they cannot do all
Poor little waifsi poor suffering outcasts!
surely something ought to be done for
them more than is donel surely they, who
have been deprived of home, have claim
upon us who have homes, to supply, in
some sort better place than they have
now; better atmosphere than they now
dwell in.
You who are looking forward to making
Christmas presents.to delighting the hearts
Of the healthy: think of these unfortunate,
loveless children, and spare something for
them. Many and many do think of them,
Money, to considerable amount has been,
Or is ready to be subscribed by few truly
charitable ladies, but we need great and
united effort, we need all to come forward
and help in work like this, If the hard
heart of the Middle Ages could be touched
by such sorrow and misery as the poor
eper, and could pour forth its thousands,
nay, millions in such cause, surely the
susceptible nineteenth century will not be
Dehindhand and will, in Honolulu gladly
come forward and assist in raising Hos
'ITAL FOR THE LEPER CHILDREN