Mohave County miner. [volume] (Mineral Park, A.T. [Ariz.]) 1882-1918, 1890-05-03
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The difficulties In the way Of the
seeker after information Ct Molokaf III
numerous and great, but I finally man.
aged to overcome them, and induced I
humber Of the white lepers 10 talk
about themselves. One Of these & 1
woman nearly 10 years old. Though
she has been 1t the settlement ! niiin-
bsr Of years. she Il, almost entirely free
from any visible faint Of the dread dis.
ease. Her face Is without blemish, and
she would be even handsome II one
ccSSiia forget while one looks upon her
that she Is leper. Moreover. she IL q
highly intelligent woman. and 1t must
be believed from her own story thai
she was not MANY years ago 4 society
lady Si influence and popularity In 1
city not great distance from San
Francisco. !.
You must not mention ny name, y
said she, when she finally Yielded To
persuasion and consented TO tell her
story. for. though ! have 1 husband
and several children. to say nothing oil
! large circle Of friends, In the United
States. there Ia only one person, H. In
deed, she be still alive. who knows
anything Of my condition or where.
abouts.
Il propose TO talk to you frankly, "
continued the unfortunate woman. Il
have sinned--sinned grievcusly, and
sometimes think this Is my punish
meut BE that rs It may am here and
must remain for life. / care not how
soon the end comes, the sooner the bet,
ter--but TO my story.
my father was Methodist minister
In Connecticut town. ! was educated
1t n Eastern college. When / was
nearly 20 ] accompanied my parents on
. visit to Washington, D. c. 1t was
there ! met my husband. to be more
accurate, the gentleman who was to be
my husband few months later. He
was New Yorker. but had been to
California, where he then had valuable
mining and landed interests. Within
4 year from the time we met we were
man and wife, and settled down In one
Of the cosiest little homes III all the
West. The town In which we lived
grew rapidly into city of Importance.
My husband became . very wealthy
man.
-Four sons and two daughters were
born to US, aud we were the happiest
family In the world. I went q great
deal into society. Ny husband hated
the social world. but that did not deter
me. ! went just the same; and led
! ruled the highest circles.
1T had been fifteen years since 4
lady, friend Of mine, induced me to
accompany her on ayisit to some of her
acquaintances at Honolulu. At that
time trip across the ocean was not
what 1t is now, but nothing daunted,
we started on the journey and In the
course Of time reached our destination.
At Honolulu ! met q man and / sinned,
Is I have said. It was the first crime
Of my life. The shame of II, the horror
Of 1t seized upon me. and, forcing my
friend to cut short her visit, we hurried
away across the sea again.
My husband and children met me
with open arms and loving kisses. But
] skulked among them. q wretched
traitress to every trust. my load Of
shame heavy on my heart. l summed
society and held my polluted self alooi
from all my friends. My life was . pro
longed misery, and longed for death.
don't know why / didn't, in that sore
trial, cnt the thread OF life and set free
my sin-ladened soul.
Throughout all this never blamed
any one but myself until years
after my return home, when / made .
discovery. Oh. that was worse than
the bitterest misery; II was utter dam.
nation! fed from home In frenzy
Of excitement and rage which was ut.
terly new to me. The friend whom ]
had accompanied across the sea years
before now bore me company across
The same watery waste. But 1t was not
} trip for pleasure this time. A thirst
Tor vengeance filed my heart. It was
} mission Of murder.
my real object was not confided to
my companion until were far out q
yea. l then told her all. At first she
fought to dissuade me from my pur-
pose. but failing in this she soon fell
n with my design Tor seemed to at
east Sometimes l think she deceived
MOI
''On the day. nay the hour, of our
arrival at Honolulu veiled my face,
caught up q pistol, hailed passing
and was driven straight TO
he business house Of the man who had
wrecked my life and willfully chained
ne to living. loathsome death. ]
'airly gloated over the prospect Of .
quick revenge.
Il sprang from the cab at the door,
md, hurryfng into the house, called
loud for my victim. The place was
changed. The faces were new. A man
,ame running after me. asking who it
vas wanted. breathed the cursed
lame. At its mention the man seemed
Him. he cried: why.
,e fed the country long ago. to escape
dolokai. He was last heard Of 10
tally
They told me that night at the hotel
hat had swooned and remained un-
conscious for hours. All the next day
laid 10 bed, half oblivious of all about
ne. When night came my scattered
enses returned, and, taking advantage
4 short absence Of my friend.I hasti.
y dressed myself and hurried from the
lotel. left . note for my friend, say
ng:
Tomorrow shall be at Moiokai. Fate has
ahmed nae and there Ia no escape from the
arsh decree. must suffer for my sin. In
ent any story which seems plausible. Say
hat hare gone 70 Japan-anywhere, but lei
10 living soul know what has been the fate Of
ours trlstingly.
"And So" concluded the poor
voman. Il suppose 1 am the only in
nate Of this terrible place who did NOT
ave to be dragged here by the authori-