The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1889-05-23
AMnnIoAH IHDusTaY PRopnopnD

parih Impohturs Vh, Christian Wrtue,'
Father Damien ana Miss Fabian--A Re-
mArkabls story, Full Of Dramatic in-
teTeAt,
ED, NEWS DRMOoRAr-ln evidence
Of your appreciation OF sanity mah
and ~ u deserved tribute 10 his Christ
like nobility OF nature, you say IN your
issue OF yesterday
"lllAt0ry does not contain q more
noble example Of Christian helt'aaefl'
ice than that OF the Catholic priest,
Father Damien, who ded OF lepr0sy,
while acting aa u missionary IN the
lepTOua settlement on one OF the lla'
wall islanda IN tho Pacific ocean"
There is recalled 10 mind an event
which occurred last February, The n,
Y, Worlds reporter shall describe " IN
his own language
"AmOng the Engliah passengers
stranded upon the shoals OF our custom
house on the arrival OF steamer last
week was u pale, frail little woman
with apectaclea, That she was N 80
we're distress waa very evident, Not far
at her right was q dlstuTbed old lady
explaining 10 deferential inspector
how some dozen Of black silk half'hOse
and u large supply Of red flannel under
wear OF such strongly masculine per
auaBIOn, aud such abnormal length,
could possibly DO for her Town personal
use"
The apectacled little woman watched
her nerY0ualy and when her own turn
came disclosed the secret OF her inmOht
heart and declared the secret OF the
lower layer OF her trunk, liluahlng fur
iOualy she lay before the officer u com
pete set OF pries's Yeatments, beauti'
FULLY embroidered and exQulallely me,
"They are for Father Damien, the
leper priest OF the sandwich lhlandn,
aud am taking them out, she said,
This made no impression whatever
upon the a0rdid soul Of the Inspector,
and no insisted that the owner should
pay the 10 per cent, duty, or aa she call
cd II In English idlom, "the 80 per cent
lmpOature,' Neither would he hear 10
her wOman'a request, that she might
take the things with her 'Jubt 10 SHOW
some friends" on her Solemn word OF
honor that SHE was going 70 take them
straight out 20 the Sandwich Islands
within month" The upshOt of II all
was that the yeatmenta were shipped
direct 10 San Francisco, there TO be
claimed on the dedarture Of her ship
and with that Miss Fabian was torctd
TO be content
The reporter interviewed Miss Fabian
nj her quarters IN tho city aud was told
the story Of the yestmentA and her mis-
siOu, She said she was going M nurse
10 the leper8 In the sandwich Islands
and had left brother and two sisters
whom her voluntary aud lTetrieyaOlr
step into exile would prevent her ever
seeing again, For two years she had
hecn 0iudying everything possible on
the subject OF leprosy nnd hAd under
goue r course OF hospital training
Father Damien who had left England q
well mau, had then been with the leptr
t0rsIxtCcn years ~ their nurse, prieuL
brother, grave digger everything llc
had, rs was unavoidable, taken the ais
ease and was then In an advanced stage
being completely dIsAgWGd ana his
voice extinct. Miss Fabian was asked,
Is this disease as horrible as we be-
leye II Is, Miss Fabian ~
"More loNthsome than anything you
can imagine
"Are you not afraid Of ity'
"Oh, now rs mildly as a child,
"YOu expect 10 escape II them
~ expect | shall bo Ns 0ther8-l shall
he contaminated when my time comes,
| am not seeking for u0lOrlely, for 10.
ward, for anything, 8aye tho spiritual
comfort Of doing for these dying cren'
lures what their condition keeps Others
from doing s4tEs
IL Is TO this place, then, that Miss Fa
bian has eXled herself, n land yiyldly
described by Mrs. Bird rs the most h0r'
rlble spot on all the EARTH home OF
hideous disease and slOw'ooming death,
with which science In despair has ceas'
ed TO grapple; u community Of people
socially dead "whOse only business Is TO
perish; !" wifeess husbands, husbaudless
wiyes,ChildTen without parents, parents
without children, men and women who,
without hope are condemned 10 watch
the repulsiye steps by which eOch Of
their fellows 90 down TO u lOathsome
death, knowing that by the same they
too must pnsS,
Andit was this angel of mercy whom
tins great Christian ~ nation subject
ed to "imposture," preventing her even
from showing TO sympathetic friends
her cherished treasures pledges Of
love aud honor 10 a sanity man, toll
somely wrought with tear dimmed eyes
for fear "Amenaan industry" would
not be protected SD, II.
CANTON, May 10.