The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1893-08-04


suifocating strokes as in q dream l saw
the face of winsome Jess; but was
rudely awakened by the hard voice of
the head physician, announcing in
measured tones that the board had de-
cided that l was afflicted with leprosy.
Every word fell upon my heart like ice;
and through great distance, which
sounded to my numbed senses muff1ed
as a voice from q sepulcher, heard DR..
Jameson pleading my cause. He stoutly
declared to the wise men who had con-
demned me to a living death that was
not leper-that 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 it would be almost impossible
from the mere knowledge to be gained
from books to wholly comprehend the
fearful scourge, and that one must have
the actual experience of constant
practice in order to detest it in its
earlier stages. He urged them to
further consider the matter before
thrusting me where / must soon con.
tract the loathsome disease-and closed
with an earnest appeal to them not tc
doom to leper's ward young mar
who stood upon the threshold of d
bright career.
They listened with respectful atten.
ition to his remarks, but their convic-
ton was not to be shaken; the mighty
board had declared against me. was
condemned, isolated. The fire of youth
IL, 1-ai,,e h,,&
would darken all my days. The ply
sicians solemnly filed past. Some
shrank by with avertcd looks; some
gazed at me compassionately; another
quickly brushed tear away, but
seemed apart from it all, as though
had suddenly slipped out of life.
The doctor who pleaded my cause
came up to where 1 stood, statue Of
despair, and mutely shook my hand
Il did my BEST" was all he said, and
hastily passed on to hide the tears
which came into his eyes. I made nc
response; words struggled to my lips
but were choked in my throat. All had
now left me. 1 wondered vaguely if
| should awaken from the trance which
chained me to the spot, and endeavored
| 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 Ser tender
countenance, an expression such as the
woman who mourned at the feet OF
Christ must have worn. Suddenly, like
the mocking cry of demon borne up
on me by an imagination maddened by
suffering was the word leper-leperl
1t burnt upon my brain, it swan before
my eyesi 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 unclean! Unclean! Accursed
| of God!'
She came to me, and through a 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 q
wise was dispelled, and with hoarse
cry of anguish I fell prone upon the
floor,
After a while some one reused me
| anu was UehCA OtCh W IlldU OTGdI
abode, the leper ward. My doom was
sealed, my hopes laid low, but, unlike
my wretched companions, could not
accept my fate with stoical Indifference
] chafed inwardly at the restraints i'm
posed upon me by law, and dreaded
the confinement and the association OF
lepers. How long would it last? How
long would have strength to face this
death in life?
The hero of this narrative-William
Horn, of Honolplu-who for time was
supposed 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, well connected, and upor
the dawn of q bright career, he was the
most rebellious subject that ever en-
tered the doors of that institution. II
spite of the verdict of the board o1
health he clpng to the belief that he
was free from the taint of leprosy. The
Inalady grew slowly upon him and he
appeared as sound as anyone, but after
the lapse of few months pustules
broke out upon the arm which had Sc
long been insensible to feeling
Carrie Chevalier, young and comely
widow who had been sent to the pest
house as a nurse, was frequently thrown
in contact with young Horn and /
warm friendship spranG up between
them which ripened into love. She wa,
the one whose kiss had comforted him
When forsaken by all she read the storS
of repressed anguish in those sad eyes
and with rare sympathy sought by
every device to divert his mind from
the scourge of which he was the victim
He at first struggled TO overcome this
growing and, as he fancied, hopeless.
attachment, but day by day the charm
of her championship, her sweet woman
liness won upon him, cheering and sus
tanning him as he had never hoped t.
be sustained or comforted again. The
image of ''little Jess" his first love
who belonged to that other part of hi.
existence-dead beyond recall-grada
ally came to him only as half-remem
bered dream. Every throb of his hear
was for his ministering angel, whom h,
adored as devotee might the image o.
some saint When she became aware
of this alteration she resolved to re
nounce the world for him. He remou
strated with her upon the rashness O.
joining her fate with that leper, hur
as her resolution was not to be shaker
they determined to escape from the pest