The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-03-02
TOLD BY A WOMAN LEPER.
The Strange Confession Heard by a
Visitor in MoloEa.
From the Philadelphia Press.

The Strange Confession Heard by q
Visitor in Moloka.
From the Philadelphia Press
The difHeulties in the way of the seeker
after information at Molokai are numerous
and great. but 1 finally managed to over
come them. and induced a number of the
white lepers TO talk about themselves. One
of these is a woman nearly 80 years old.
Though she has bean at the settlement
number Of years she is almost entirly free
from any visible faint of the dread disease.
Her face is without blemish, and she would
be even handsome if one could forget while
one looks upon her that she is a leper.
Moreover, she is highly intelligent woman
and it must be belived from her own story
that she was not many years ago a society
lady OF influence and popularity in a city not
great distance from San Francisco.
You must not mention my NAME" said
she, whel she finally yielded to persuasion
and consented to tell her story, 'for,
though | have husband and several chill
dren, to say nothing of large circle of
friends, ia the United States, there is only
one person, if, indeed, she be still alive,
who knows anything of my condition or
whereabouts.
II propose to talk to you frankly" con-
tinued the unfortunate woman. II have
sinned-sinned grievously, and sometimes
think this Is my punishment. Be that as it
may, am here and must remain for life
| care not how soon the end comes; the
sooner the better-but to my story.
MY father was Methodist minister in a
Connecticut town. / was educated at an
Eastern college. When I was nearly 20 |
accompanied my parents on a visit to Wash
fngton, ID. 9. 1t was there met my hus-
band, or, to be more accurate, t he gentleman
who was TO be my husband few months
later. He was a New Yorker, but mad
been to California, where he then had valu-
able mining and landed interests Within
year from the time we met we were ma1
and wife, and settled down in one of the
cosiest little homes in all the west. The
town in which we lived grew rapidly into a
city of importance. My husband became q
very wealthy man.
"Four sons and two daughters were born
to US, aud we were the happiest family in
the world. l Went a great deal into society
My husband hated the social world, but
that did not deter me- went just the same !;
and | led ruled the highest circles
SIT had been fifteen years since lady,
friend of mine, induced me TO accompany
her on visit to some of her acquaintances
at Honolulu. At that tims a trip across the
ocean was not what it is now, but nothing
daunted, we started on the journey and in
the course Of time reached our destination
AT Honolulu 1 met man and | sinned
as have said 1t was the first crime of
my life. Toe shame of it, the horror of it
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 B 1t skulked
among them, wretched traitress to every
{ ust. my load of shame heavy on my
heart / Stunned society and held my pol
luted self aloof from all my friends Nv
life was prolonged misery, and l longed
for death. don't know why 1 didn't, in
that sore trial, cut the thread Of life and
set free my sin-laden soul.
"Througnout all this [ never blamed any
one but myself-never until years after nv
return home, when I made q discovery.
Oh, that was worse than the bitterest mis-
cry it was utter damnationl / fed from
home in a frenzy of excitement and rage
which was utterly new TO me- The friend
whom had acco npanied across the sea
years before now bore me company across
the same watery waste. But it was not a
trip for pleasure this time. A thirst for
vengeance filled my heart. 1t was d mis-
sion Of murder.
envy real object was not confded to my
companion until we were far out at sea.
then told her ali. AT first she sought to
in this she soon fell in with my design, Tor
seemed to, at least. Sometimes l think she
deceived mel
''On the day. nay the hour, Of our arrival
at Honolulu l yelled my face, caught up a
pistol, hailed passing hackman, and was
driven straight to the business house of the
man who had wrecked my life and will
fully chained me to a living, loathsome
death. fairly gloated over the prospect
of quick revenge.
81 sprang from the cab at the door, and.
hurrying into the house, called aloud for
my victim. The place was changed. Tae
faces were new. A man came running
after me. asked who it was l wanted. /
breathed the cursed name. At its mention
the man seemed thunderstruck 'Himr he
cried; why, he fed TIE country long ago,
to escape Molokai. He was last heard of in
Italy
"They told me that night at the hotel
that had swooned aud remained uncon-
scious for hours ALI the next day laid in
bed, half oblivious of all about me. When
night came my scattered senses returned,
aud taking advantage of short absence
of NV FREUD ] hastily dressed myself and
T, hurried from the hotel. l left note for
my friend, saying:
E''To-morrow shall be at Molokai Fate
has damned me and there is no escape fr Jm
the harsh decree. / must suffer for my sin.
Invent any story which seems plausible.
Say that 1 have gone TO Japan--any-
where, but let no living soul know
what has been the fate Of yours trust
ingly, .'
"And So" concluded the poor woman.
81 suppose am the only inmate of this
terrible place who did not have TO be drag
red here by the authorities. / came of
nv own will Have l regretted it7 Look
around you and you have my answer"