Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1884-02-16
The Leosr's Last PARTING.

Wnen leper IS reported to the
police OF any district, an officer, says
correspondent of the Philadelphia
Times, is sent to fetch him or her
to Honolulu, where there is a de-
tentIon hospital on the outskirts OF
the city and on the bank of the
beautiful bay. The patient is ex-
amined by the doctor, who de-
cides whether it is case of leprosy
or not.
Once declared a leper, the person
is civilly dead, and is Incapable of
suing in the courts or being sued.
At the hospital there are accommO-
dations for about one hundred and
twenty. 1t is filed every two
months. In this place the leper
must give up all hope. Before his
admission here he had, at least, the
expectation of dying among friends
friends so loyal that they hide
their afflicted relatives in the noun
tains and bring them poi and water
in calabashes.
But now comes the harsh disci-
pline of a government institution.
No wandering in the cool Algeroba
forest, or bathing in the loved surf,
but simply period of suffering and
waiting for death by a necessary, if
cruel law, and from whose horrible
provisions there is no escape.
The hospital full steamer comes
to take to the Island of Mulokai
those whose condition is most adj
vanced, there to remain until death.
1t was with such party that /
travelled finally to Molokai. 1t has
been my lot to witness many sad
scenes, but none of them approach
ed in any way those which attended
the separation of families as this
handful of lepers sailed away to
their exile. Daughters reached out
their arms to mothers whom they
might not embrace; wives held up
their mouthes for kisses which their
husbands could not give; babes,
held in arms of strangers, laughed
and coOed to their mothers, to
whose breaking hearts they might
not be held in one last, loving clasp.
And sobs-such sObs, "alas that
came from the depths of hearts
wrung with the misery of a hope
less condition. Presently the
lines were cast off, the little steamer
turned her head away and steamed
slowly towards the bar.
/ went into the little cabin set
apart for the captain and closed the
door, determined to hear no more
and see no more of such grief. The
little port was open, when suddenly
it was darkened, and looking up [
1nrl| h1It haanNifs.I fann IF 4,
woman whose young. husband was
on his way to MOlokai. She had
swan out to intercept the steamer
and being-as, indeed, are all her
race-as much at home in water as
on land, she had no difficulty in ac-
complishing her purpose.
"Ah," she said, ''you're not
doctor nor q constable. Tell my
husband to look over the side to
me and God will bless you"
/ went on deck. We were steam
ing slowly, waiting for the govern
ment inspector to complete his task
before taking his own boat for the
shore. The lepers had become
quiet, or comparatively so except for
pain.
"a lew WOfuCia WCIC IOChliiS anu
a young half-white girl
had flung herself on the deck in
wild abandonment of grief, and
behind the smOke-stack L found the
husband kneeling in prayer. His
face, serrated by the leprous sores
was held towards the sun, the tears
were streaming down his cheeks
and disease-cut features, soften
ing them by the agony of their sup
plicatiOn.
William" said, "your wife is
Go quickly to the place
| shall point TO you and you will see
her."
The.man sprang up, and for a
moment Was perfectly beautiful,
such joy came in his face. Then
he turned and ran to the place L
Half an hour afterward
saw him alone. We were then
under full head of steam, passing
Diamond Head.
"Where is she ?" i asked. He
pointed astern, and there, not an
eighth of a mile away, we saw her
towards some fishing
boats, her soft black hair floating
out behind her, and her arm every
now and again waving to us good