The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-06-07
DEAD YET ALIVE.
The True and Pitiful Story OF a
San francisco Leper.

The morning was bright and braclng,
the air stimulating as glass of cham
payne. 1 was walking down the street
to business with my mind in whirl of
happy thoughts. AS turned into San
Francisco's leading thoroughfare and
joined its surging tide of life, rushing
onward at full speed, scanned each
passing face in search of one which bore
the happiness reflected upon mine.
Humanity in every guise was hurry
ing to their various occupations. Some
were sad, others gay. Many were fol-
lowed by the grim phantom. care. Few
looked genuinely happy. Though borne
along upon the human wave, / was
apart from tin an ideal world Of my
own With what cruel force it now
comes back to me. have lived it over,
ahl so many tiTnes-and now again it
confronts me-that glad day OF my sor-
row-steeped life. Again l am walking
down the street in a happy reverie;
again I see sweet face. lit up by a
pair of great, tender, brown eyes,
Again feel the clasp of a warm little
hand in minc-the hand of my little
Jess-oh, God! is there no mercy for
such a stricken wretch? Slow, hot
tears well into my eyes, while memory
with bitter insistence holds up to my
vision the mirror Of the past. Of what
was I thinking? l was thinking of my
little love and the promise she made me
take the previous night. The thought
sent the blood leaping through my
veins. My pace quickened. ITO live!
to live always." I mentally cried. With
30 keen sense of strength and eshil-
sration, what is there in life to equal
the gracious gifts of love and
youth2 then fell to wondering if all
the to-morrows of my existence would
be as that day, as my happy yesterdays
l tried to Danish the nervous forebod-
ing which crcpt in and poisoned my
reflections Why allow anything to
trouble me? Did / not have all that a
young man ought to possess with which
to begin lufc-robust health, luora-
tive position in great firm with fair
prospect of advancement; the respect Of
my employers, .spd. last and best of all,
my iaonny Jess? But nay arm lis there
not always this. ''but";cr ''if" to mar
the greatest rleasures Of .lifco)-this
arm-cf mineAtbis dead member Of my
anatomy. IS. my greatestlsource of I'm
easiness. Before father lost his fortune
he ,took: me. through Europe in search
OF medical aid. Ewas treated by sew
eral physicians, but my. nalady baffled
them, and-fRther was finally obliged to
return to America with me uncured.
How strange that 1 should have lost
the~use, of my arm from the moment
thatI fell from that tree in the garden
of our home in Honolulu. / was only
CHILD at the time. Since then years
have come and gone, yet it'still hangs
helpiessly by, my side Well, to humor
my'little fancee, / viii consult q physi-
clan Tomorrow. II
. tAlE that day worked with vim
until the time of closing. and when !
evening came 1 went TO see my darling
jess. As L entered she laid her dainty
head, with its short crop of sunny
bronze chair. against my breast and a
little happy sigh of content broke from
her. Ever and again her soft eloquent
eyes gazed tenderiy into mine, then
csress, whisper of endearment: and
that was all, for we had no need of
words. At parting she followed me to
the doorand, raising my helpless arm
laid it compassionately about her neck.
Her luminous eyes shone into mine with |
, look of appeal, which understood.
II promise, little one, promise" +
passionately. and with a lin
gering caress we parted. II
Was there. of all Gods creatures one |
as blessed as 1? And now what am I? |
Dead and yet alive-within sight and !
sound of the world. longing for its joys |
and pursuits, but.fettered by the most |
hideous fate of which the human mind
can conceive. /
1 kept my promise to little Jess, and
the following morning repaired to the
hospital to consult it's medical
advisers. The head physician made a:
careful examination and, after the 4
usual formula. brought in two of his
fellow practitioners and I was again
examined. They then retired to an adj
Joining room for consultation. Soon
after they reentered. But why did they
regard me with such grave looks of
What could it mean2 /
was ENTHUSIASTICALLY uneasy 4
DR.. Norris broke'in upon my conjec-
lures and in serious tones said:
Young man, fear our diagnosis Of
your ease will be a terrible shock to
Pou. Are you man enough to meet it
Have you strength to face
what may be crushing blow?"
81 trust have, SIR" replied, with
sudden contraction of the heart
1T is my painful duty" he said, ''to
inform you that there can be no cure
for your disease; you are afflicted with
eprosy."
''Leprosy!' l gasped in tone of in
,redulous horror. ''Leprosy leprosy."
repeated.
For the moment my brain refused to
grasp the revo lting significance of that
word. l gazed blankly at the solemn
faces of my doomsmen. / seemed to |
lave lost all power of motion. My
body was like heavy dead weight-my
eyeballs scared with the hot tears which
could not fall-and in fiery letters be-
fore my reeling vision was the awful
word ''leprosy."
Il regret exceedingly" resumed the
doctor, that | am forced to send you to
the leper ward at the pest house"
At last. my mum bed sensibilities were
reused. Doctor" l cried in voice
which shook with emotion. Are you
SO lost to all sense of justice or mercy
as 10 eonsign me 20 living death?
What do You know of leprosy? Have
you ever treated 1t? What right have