The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1893-06-10

nothing. During DIR. Buckley's exami
nation he ran pin into my hand and
arm:
do you feel any sensation3" he
queried. "Nonc whatever" I replied
In stifled voice, and stepping aside
with an ominous look he made way fol
DR.. Jameson, Of Honolulu. who wen
through rigid examination and ther
announced to the board that II was hi,
| opinion that was not lcper.
mot leper." Oh, thank the good
Godl The exclamation involuntarily
broke from me--my heart beat with
suffocating strokes as In dream saw
tho face OF winsome Jess; but was
rudely awakened by the hard voice oi
the head physician, announcing In
measured tones that the board had de
cided that was afflicted with leprosy
Every word fell upon my heart like Ice
and through n grcnb distance, which
sounded to my numbed senses muffled
rs voice from u sepulcher, heard DR..
Jameson pleading my cause. He stoutly
declared to the wise men who had con.
dcmned me TO living death that was
not lcper-thnt he had spent the most
OF his life among lepers, and having
treated the disease for many years was
familiar with every phase Of the NAL.
ady; that IL would be almost impossible
from the mere knowledge TO bc gained
from books 70 wholly comprehend the
fearful scourge. and that one must have
the actual experience Of constant
practice in order to detect II in its
earlier stages. He urged them to
further consider the matter before
thrusting me where I must soon con.
tract tho loathsome disease-and closed
with an earnest appeal TO them not to
doom to leper's ward q young man
who stood upon the threshold of a
bright career.
They listened with respectful atten-
tion to his remarks, but their convic-
tion was not to be shaken; the mighty
board had declared against me. was
condemned, isolated. The fire Of youth
was In my veins, but heavy eclipse
would darken all my days. The ply
sicians solemnly fled past. Some
shrank by with averted looks; some
gazed at me compassionately; another
quickly brushed tear away, but I
seemed apart from 1t all, as though
had suddenly slipped out Of life.
The doctor who pleaded my cause
came up to where I stood, statue of
despair, and mutely shook my hand.
II did my best" was all he said, and
hastily passed on TO hide the tears
which came into his eyes. l made no
response; words struggled to my lips,
but were choked In my throat. All had
now left me. wondered vaguely if l
should awaken from the trance which
chained me to tho spot, and endeavorcd
to think calmly, connectedly, but rea-
son fell back appalled,.
Through the mist which encompassed
me saw woman approaching with
an expression Of pity upon her tender
an expression such as the
woman who mourned at the feet of
Christ must have worn. Suddenly, like
the moclsing cry OF a demon borne up
on me by an Imagination maddened by
was the word leper-leper!
1t burnt upon my brain, it swan before
my eyes; the air was heavy. with sighs
Of the unfortunate outcasts, and a voice
whispered close at my ear: "Do not
allow that pure woman to touch you;
you are unclenn! Unclean! Accursed
Of Godw
She came to me, and through rain
Of tears drew my head down and rev.
erently kissed my brow. The haze
which enveloped my thoughts vanished,
the frozen apathy which held me in
wise was 'dispelled, and with a hoarse
cry of anguish fell prone upon the
floor.
After while some one reused me,
and / was taken back to that dread
abode, the leper ward. My doom was
sealed. my hopes laid low, but, unlike
my wrctched companions, could not
accept my fate with stoical Indifference.
chafcd inwardly at the restraints i'm
posed upon me by law, and I dreaded
The confinement and the association of
!epers. How long would it last? How
long would have strength to faa thi.
death in life?
The hero Of this narrative-yyilliam
Horn, of Honolulu-who for time wa.
to be unjustly detained in the
leper ward at the San Francisco pest
house, and whose case excited the SYM
pathy of the entire community, even.
tually proved to be leper. Young,
handsome, we'll connected, and upon
the dawn of bright career, he WAS the
most rcbellious subject that ever en-
tered the doors Of that institution. In
spite OF the verdict of the board of
health he clung to the belief that he
was free from the taint Of leprosy. Tho
nalady grew slowly upon him and he
rs sound as anyone, but after
The lapse of few months pustules
broke out upon the arm which had SO
ong been insenBible TO feeling.
Carrie Chevalier, u young and comely
widow who had been sent to the pest
house as nurse, was frequently thrown
N contact with young Horn and
warm friendship sprang up between
hem which ripened into love. She was
,hc one whose kiss had comforted him.
When forsaken by all she read the story
If reprcssed anguish in those sad eyes,
md with rare sympathy sought by
very device 10 divert his mind from
,he scourge of which no was the victim.
lie ut first struggled to overcome this
growing and, as he fancied, hopeless
attachment, but day by day the charm
If her championship, her sweet woman
mess won upon him, cheering and sus.
aiming him as he had never hoped to
'e sustained or comforted again. The
mage OF "little Jcss," his first love,
Who belonged to that other part of his
beyond recall-gradu-