St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-01-08

" + I'll Kagge has IA, r pov est.
" Hh G;N.&M1LFdetailed account.
~ L,tS$IIHy}(.k ESQ l shall let the
= 'Wk& Yworld share it with
My name in those days was Esther
Dane, my home in Charleston, and l
worked in printing office.
My father was we'll off, but 1 had a
passionate love for my work, typeset-
ting, and worked in the Office of a popu-
lar daily much against his will.
The summer was eighteen 1 became
afflicted with singular disease. / was
very fair, with gray eyes and golden
were kind enough to call me fair to
look upon, and | loved my own face be-
cause it gained love from others.
One day discovered a small black
spot upon my right ear. l wondered
over it very much, and when | saw it
grow from day to day, spreading over
my entire ear in few weeks, it made
me feel terribly.
arranged my hair in way to hide
it, but when it spread upon the side of
my face l gave up my place and went
home.
Father was frightened nearly to death
over my strange appearance, and could
scarcely believe it afforded me no pain
or inconvenience.
He would have me see physician, so
at my entreaty he took me to great
doctor in New York. We carefully con-
cealed our identity, for l was very
sensitive over the matter then.
The case puzzled the learned man
and in fact we journeyed from city to
city, puzzling every one we visited in
turn.
Some talked learnedly, using string
of unintelligible medical phrases. But
none prescribed remedy. All the time
it grew and spread, until half my face
was covered.
Our constant travelling, and seeing so
many strange doctors, and hearing the
matter so fully discussed, had cured me
of my foolish SenSitiveneSS.
Of course l would not go out without
veil. but l ceased to worry and cry
over it, and could even make merry
about it. / remember telling Chicago
doctor, when my face was about equally
divided into two cOlOrs, that was a big
dose of ''arf and 'arf.'
My chin became wholly black, and
over half of my forehead, but my nose
and the rest renamed white. There it
stopped, and began spreading down.
ward over my body.
Then we noticed a difference in it.
From being natural the black skin be-
came velvety to the touch, like'it some
times is Oh large mole or birth mark.
Oh, but L was a Queer-loOking body
then, but became so accustomed to it
that became careless about veil, and
would stupidity wonder what the matter
was when people would cry out at sight
of my hideOusness.
Then father took me to Paris. 1t was
on the steamer that we made DR.. Kane'S
acquaintance. He was young man,
but already had gained some reputation.
He had become convinced that he had
much yet to learn, so had thrown up a
lucrative practice to walk the Paris hos
pitfalls year, or perhaps two.
My strange case at once interested
him. He asked questions until he knew
as much about the matter as did.
He examined the black growth closely,
| and eventually owned himself puzzled,
as had many famous men before him.
liked him immensely, and, in my
merry uncOncern, turned much of his
questioning into ridicule.
Soon after our arrival in Paris a great
medical convention took place, and one
day Dr.. Kane came for me.
Only few OF the celebrities had ever
unanimous i'll the opinion that there
was no cure. l must go piebald all my
life.
We returned home, and father sold
his possessions in Charleston. We hid
ourselves in a pretty New York sub
urb.
DR.. Kane returned a year later, and
our curious friendship was renewed.
He was very kind to me. was often at
our house, rode, drove, and walked with
me, spending as much time as he could
spare from professional and other duties.
He was always studying over my case,
and tried many experiments, all to no
purpose.
took good deal of quiet comfort
that summer. was not happy.
God help me, | never could be happy
again, for | loved Harry Kane.
Sometimes | thought he cared for me,
but that was when we were riding or
driving, and was closely veiled-when
he could not see my very hideOus face.
Along in the fall he was called away,
and would be absent some months.
Soon after his departure l first became
conscious, by physical sensations, that
the blackneSS was disease.
A singing, burning sensation began
wherever there was a spot of color. |
suffered fortunes.
Every cooling, soothing lotion mag
| Unable was reSOrted to, advice was pro-
| cured. but naught availed to allay my
| suffering.
1t lasted months. For many nights
never slept, and at length brain and
| nerve gave way, and died.
Strange assertion to make, you say.
Yes, L died, or the people thought L did.
But every sense remained acutely alert
save feeling and breathing.
l knew my body grew rigid, and cold
as ice. l knew when l was arrayed for
the grave and placed in my caSket. |
knew the peril l was in; that of being
buried alive; but the rest from that
agoniZed suffering was so exquisite that
all else seemed of little moment.
l heard, as one hears from afar, the
voice of man of God speaking words
of comfort to my sorrowing friends. l
heard the solemn dust to DUST rattle
upon my coffin, then sank to total I'M
consciousness, as one sinks to sweet
sleep.
| death y cold, and feeling of numbnesS.
| could not stir, or open my eyes, but
feeling had returned to my whole body.
Every part of it tingled and ached,
and my hands and feet felt like blocks
of ice.
Presently I felt hands grasp me and
extend me on what seemed board.
Loud EXPLANATIONS in different voices
reached my dulled ears; then a dead
silence followed.
1t was broken by voice that-ah.
| GOd!-had power to call me from the
| dead.
"What is the matter, gentlemen" it
asked, and footsteps approached me
and paused beside me.
"GOod God! Esther!"
Oh, how ! struggled to break the in
visible bonds that held me.
SSEothar Ectbo,t nb 49,, noIy