The Magnolia gazette. [volume] (Magnolia, Miss.) 1872-current, 1886-03-05
BACK TO LEPER'S LAND.
Daughter Overjoyed at Being
Sent "Home."

I'M Daughter Overjoyed at Being
'yhid Sent "Home."
pix
n mi There is dreary, desolate region on
brmI ayou L, not very far from New
entd rleans, which is Stunned and dreaded
,wita all men.
ve1 1t is not that the gray Spanish moss,
hose lugubrious festoons cover the
h ii ees and hang their funereal banners to
| all e earth, seem to whisper to the slug
I'D sh air: malaria! malaria!'
spad 1t is not because of the fostering la
pom Pons, with their green scum, broken
aS ,1s;, bw and then by the flat, waving head
Inde a water moccasin, nor yet for the
loo kly swamp stretching back, with its
an untastic lines, like monstrous serpents
ther listing around the trees, and green,
prne lastly light iiltering through the
;cb nsely-woven branches overhead and
kseml laying on the brown water of the swamp
Ii Pols, like witch's dance of light and
Boil adow.
lentE No; nature had done her part to make
kablA lat portion of Bayou L. hideous,
FROM t heavier curse rests upon it. 1t is
terre des Lepreur Ueper's Land).
will Many years ago the dreaded disease
s as peared on one of the French colon
wisl IS, shortly after Louisiana was settled.
18th i'll fled from his family and buried him
crea n in that wild region. His family
j that ned him there, either because some
stayl per member was stricken or from
u outEotion, and one by one sue
river mbed to the fatal plague. Mean
be- oh he other lepers had Joined them, for
which one time there was great many
|1t pes among the foreigners, and Bayou
|bdile] = became a common refuge for
&y ind Pse pariahs. They cultivated the
I'd we pund, and took into their wretched
foved3 les such enjoyments as lay in their
logs. 2wer. They were not forgotten by the
near taritable. Catholic priests visited
that4m at intervals, carrying the dona-
arely Ens of the pious, and though mystery
WadyE yEeloped the country of these hapless
andMngs, they were assisted whenever they
have& &ded assistance. -
PdingEpne morning was sitting on bench
|everyE Jackson Square, when 1 saw coming
harks of the cathedral the good priest
times her Raymond, holding a little girl by
OF hand. They crossed the street, en-
ks OF FED the Square, and approached the
Irlous Rnze equestrian figure of the great
|ullets neral near which was sitting. The
andNle girl, "a beautiful child she was.
his but ten years old, was looking about
places h grave, pre-occupied air, which
Under Nmed strange in one SO Young. Father
the ymond had been my friend from
This Hldhood, and we were always happy
b was meet, in spite of the difference in our
lsand his.
revsr EWhat lovely child that is, Fatherr'
seen bid, when the first greeting was over.
hinged ho is sheP"
and Marie St. Cyr," he answered. $50,
the n, ma petite, and look at the flowers
basks trees. Thou wilt find me here
lures en thou art tired, and we will go
the ne"
ote is he child moved slowly off, not with
P-day, floyant, light step, but heavily, and
say evident reluctance.
times fShe is not sick, is shep" I asked.
inded be looks SO blooming! I never saw
ma Is ovelier creature, with those sunny
denly kurn curls, and those soft gray eyes,
Ps the their long black lashes. She can
that be sickpn
inside he priest shook his head gravely.
his &She is not sick now, but there is lit
fpan- OF the child in that ten-year-old
|ht he lden. You will understand me when
opera ell you she comes from Ieper's
d.. Her father was attacked by lep-
five years ago, and his wife and
srs u followed him. Madame ST. Cvr
on a reason IN believe that sbe bas oon.
over ted the disease, and, having no rela-
were in tb;O oou,,trr sha haS aont;dod
half child 70 mo She Wishes Sno I ta os;na ho,
bosely only chance 20 asoano. ,,orfoet isaio-
,aoss. ~ from the lepers. She said to me-
mcom 1T breaks my heart to part with my
IN III ng, my only child; but we must give
wis chance. Father, she must never
i;t.1a HaIa us again, even in our death hour.
kept out her, for leprosy kills by slow SLOW,
es, but bid farewell to her forever.
orr INK the death agony will be more
sor borne by the poor mother thar
~ ~ eparation from her child. She tried
,Ilow- to be brave, but it was pitifu
pano fage. The father-poor wretch!-
,era + Pc days are numbered. broke down
bvaro1 Fly. He was afraid to touch his
|taIen or caress her, for hands and face
as a alike leprous, but he sank on his
obarN and cried aloud amidst sobs:
|houts " ma petite, never to see thy sweet
walk, again! never to hear thy voice
,tford help me to bear it, y
go md poor Mariep" / asked "How
he child bear itpn
s, of he clung to her mother, screaming,
til Of Fefused { to e come. She can not un' n
badly and why she is banished She
ID be- Is, no one better, what fearful
lat the Sc leprosy is, and that it will
|ieces, kill her father, but she wants to
! gave home. 1t seems to her worse than
valet, to be separated from her parents.
% the ot. Cyrs are people of education
/ him e1npmopt CD fhai1. cit1 tion is fhe