Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1890-02-20
LIFE AMONG LEPERs.
A Resident of Moiokai Sends Home al
Account of His Environments.

A Resident of Moiokai Sends Home an
Account of His Environments.
A thick, comfortable letter that
looked as if it might be the bearer of
good news and much loving gossip,
passed from hand to hand in the De-
troit post-office, says the Free Press OF
that city, and at last found refuge in
the mailbag Of postman whose route
is on jefferson avenue, and was duly
delivered to the address recorded on
the envelope. 1t would have startled
the post-office officials and the postman
who delivered it could they have known
that it was leper's letter, and that it
came from a leper's island. 1t is, in
deed, doubtful if any one of those who
shandled it noticed the postmark "Molo-
kai, " or if they did would have known
any reason why they should throw it
aside and cry "Uncleanl Uncleanl" Nor
could they Judge by the pleasing bulk
of the missive that it was the last fare
we'll of a wretched leper to his former
friends and relatives in Michigan. 1t
has been permitted the Free Press to
make few extracts:
The writer states: "The location of
this place is about fifty miles from Hon
olulu, on the island of Molokai, with
weekly communication by steamer 1t
is a point of land of about 5000 acres,
thrown out of the sea abreast of a range
of mountains. Its height is 1000 feet.
1t is the bed of an extinct crater and is
fine grazing land for cattle and horses,
and is as beautiful and romantic as any
thing that can be found in the new
world; tropical vegetation is perpetual.
The cattle feeding on the mountains are
wild, and in driving down herd ten or
a dozen of them will fall, and when
found nothing will be left but the hides
and horns. This is one of the liveliest
places / ever have seen. Lepers are full
of hilarity. Girls, boys, children-some
very bad-all playing together as il
there was nothing wrong. They play
the guitar and flute constantly When
i first came here and had TO 60 through
a row of lepers with their hideous faces
and hands I wanted to die, but now l
am used to them / don't mind them so
much.
when first came up here / wanted
to commit suicide, but l am Gained
down now. / have built a neat little
cottage some distance away from every
body, all inclosed with a stone wall.
have horse and sulky, plenty of news
papers and magazines. My great trouble
now is my eyesight. When can't read
any more then want to die. / would
sooner be here with this disease than in
any other part OF the world, where j
would be Stunned by every body.
my right hand is giving out. / have
two fingers that do not have much feel
ing in them. My left foot is also af- |
fected. / am breaking in horse. He |
stepped on my foot / let him stand |
there some time and had no pain. You |
see, it is curious disease that appears |
TO destroy without pain. There is no
cure for IL. 1t is sure to kill and is only |
a question of time"
In postscript sheet he says: ~ have
now good nurse who will see me prop
erly buried, which l hope will be soon."
The letter abounds in horrible details
of life among the lepers, and is gro
tesque at times in its hideousness, but
these scenes and descriptions are better
left to the Imagination. Since its re-
ceipt the news of the unfortunate mans
death by suicide at the leper hospital
in Honolulu, has been received. His
friends live at Plymouth in this State,
and the leper's letter isgoing the rounds
among them as valuable mortuary testi-
mony to a fantastic and dreaded disease
which the ancient Israelites bequeathed
to posterity-the plague of leprosy.