Waterbury evening Democrat., 1890-03-22
A WOMAN LEPEFs sronY.
The Strange Confession Heard by . vis-
 itOr In Molokal.

Inc strange CO0t0161Ou Heard Oy VtSs
 itor In Molokal.
 The difficulties in the way of the seeker after information at Molokai are numerous and great, but finally man. aged to overcome them, writes a Phila- delphia Press correspondent, and in duced number of the white lepers to talk about themselves. One of these is Q woman nearly fifty years old. Though she has been at the settlement number of years, she is almost entirely free from any visible taint of the dread disease. Her face is without blemish, and she would be even handsome if one could forget while ono looks upon her ; that sho is 8 leper. Moreover, she is a i highly intelligent woman, and it must { be believed from her own story that she was not many years ago a society lady of influence and popularity in a city not Q great distance from San Francisco.
 ''You must not mention my name," said she, when she finally yielded to persuasion and consented to tell her story, flor, though have a husband and several children, to say nothing of Q large circle of friends, in the United States, there is only one person, if, in deed she be still alive, who knows any thing of my condition or whereabouts.
 II propose to talk to you frankly" continued the unfortunate. woman. 'I have sinned-sinned griU Ufously, and sometimes I think this is my punish ment. Bo that as it may, am here and must remain for life. l care not i how soon the end comes; the sooner the 1 better-but to my story.
 | My father was Methodist minister in Connecticut town. was educated at an Eastern college. When 1 was nearly twenty I accompanied my par ents on visit to Washington, D. c. It was there met my husband, or, to bo moro 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 land ed interests. Within year from tho time we met we were man and wife, and settled down in one of the coziest little homes in all the West. The town in which we lived grew rapidly into city of importance. My husband became a very wealthy man.
 "Four sons and two daughters were born to us, and we were the happiest family in the world. I went a great deal into society. My husband hated l me. went just the same. and l led--f ruled the highest circles.
 "lt had been fifteen years since 8 lady, a friend of mine, induced me to accompany her on visit to some of her acquaintances at Honolulu. At that time a trip across tho ocean was not what it Is now, but, nothing daunted, we started on tho journey and in tho course IoE nI 1aSt Honolulu met ;a man and sinned, as have said. It was the first crime of my life. The shamo of it, tho horror of it seized upon me, and furoins my friend to cut short her visit, wo hurried away across the sea again.
 My husband and children met mo with open arms and loving kisses. But I skulked among them a wretched trai- tress to every trust, my load of shame heavy on my heart. 1 summed society and held my polluted self aloof fir m all my friends. My life Was ! prolonged misery, and l longed for death. don'I know why didn't, in that sore trial, cut the thread of life and set free my sin ladcned soul.
 ''Thrvuglout all this I :ierer blamed any one but mySelf--never until years after my return home, when l made < discovery. Oh, that was worse than the bitterest misery; 1t was utter damna' tion. fled from home in G frenzy oi lexcitemont and rage which was utterly |new to me. The friend whom l had ac- companied across the sea years before now bore me company across the same watcry waste, But it was not trip for pleasure this time. A thirst for yen geanco filled my heart. It wss missfoh of murder.
 My real object was not confined to nay companion until we were far out at sea. then told her all. At first she sought to dissuade me from my purpose, but failing in this she soon fell in with my design lor seemed to, at least. Some- times think she deceived mel
 ''On the day, nay the hour, of our ar rival at Honolulu l vailed my face, caught ap 2 pistol, hailed 8 passing hackman,' and was driven straight te the business house of the maR who had wrecked my life and willfully chained , me to living, loathsome death. fair ilv ploated over the prospect of Q quick 3 revenge.
 'I sprang from tho cab at the door, and, hurrying into the house, called aloud for my victim. Tho place was } changed. The faces were new. A man came running after me. asking who it was wanted. l breathed the cursed name. At it's mention the man seemed thunderstruck. 'Him! he cried; why, he lied ths country long ago, to escape Mo!okai. He was last heard of in Italy.
 "They told me that night at the hotel that had swooned and remained un- conscious for hours. All the next day laid in bed. half oblivious of all about me. When night came my scattered senses returned, and, taking advantage of short absence of my friend, hasti. ly dressed myself and hurried from the hotel. left a note for my friend, say Ing,
 "'To-morrow l shall Oe at Moloksi. Fats pas damned mo and there Is no escape from thd harsh decree. l must suIer for my sin. In. vent any story which seems plausible Say that T hava pone to Jnpan-anVWhero. let