The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-06-07

declared; ''had been 1eper It wou,d
have been discovered when was res
ident of Honolulu"
''Orr decision is unalterabIe,' an
swercd the head physician. 1--WE would
spare you this pain it we could, but it
is impossible
mercy is always possible. For the
love Of God, give me days grace, a
days respite" Ny voice broke in a
great sob, and as noticed the set de-
termination upon their faces hope van
lshed and sank into chair spent with
exhaustion. They left me without a
word, and then the thought came of my
little sweetheart, to torture me afresh.
What would become Of her? Better
that she should believe me faithless, q
scorndrcl. Better anything than tho
truth. / determined to send her mes
sage stating that / had been called
away on business, and then to change
my name, that she might never dis
cover that tho man she loved and would
have married was that thing accursed
of God and man, leper! could never
her low, tender voice. She might come
to me only in dreams. My little jess!
my lost love! only short time ago
since you were mine, and even now you
would shrink with horror from such a
thing as I. Yesterday a happy man,
and to-day lcper. Yesterday. golden,
hooking yesterday! Must its remem-
- II <l0 Il
and months and years of my dead youth?
MY bitter reflections were broken; my
hearsc was at the door. Vas it not a
hearse, this wagon which was to bear
me to living tOmb-to cut me adrift
from the entiearing ties of life? Death
was more merciful than this. The dead
rode in their carriages respectfully UNI
conscieus-but rode on with every
nerve quivering with anguish. The
wheels rafting upon the stone pave
ment sang in my ears: "Going to the
grave-to the grave forever" In the
street children Knocked me with their
merry voices; the sun flung upon the
blue dome above its royal banner of
light; birds sang jubilantly; happy
faces passed me, and flowers bloomed
on every side. The air was redolent
with perfume. 1t was spring in Cali
fornia, and all nature was glad; but l.
could not partake OF it. I vas young.
and 1 was old Grief touched my mind
with age, while youth imperiously as
serted control over my body. We
reached, the outskirts Of the city at
last. The.hillsides were covered with
blossoms. Perhapsif i were to touch
them they might wither in my hand.
But DO, they were Of Heaven. and
would not shrivel even in the hand of q!
leper.
was shut in my tomb among the
lepers. The world and it's Joys were
left behind The pitiable wretches-
sharers of my miserable lot-seemed as
if they were bound in = heavy lethargy.
Upon their faces was an expression of
mute resignation. They sat listlessly
about in am apparently uninterested
Upon entering my new abode
+ ehrank. from .theu,.wi~h an irrepressi-
BILE shudder. = .BnEsxhay id not appear
to notice it, though am sure my coun-
tenapce must have Betrayed the hot re-
be1aion rsEir Jimmy soul. Would Lever
be like that loathsome object who sat
huddled' in a gloomy corner of the
room? Oh, God forbid! Send death in
any form but that-to sit and wait for
the inevitable approach of decay, to
know as the leaden-footed years drag
by, one must reach the stage where the
flesh gradually drops from the bones
and nothing remains but living mass
Of putrefaetion. Horrible! Horrible!
rushed wildly into the open air; l tore
open my shirt; my brain and heart felt
as if they would burst with the agony
which consumed me. My case attract
ed the attention of the journals and
they, with my employers, demanded an
So it was finally de-
,ided by the board of health that I
should be brought before them for a
thorough examination. Were it proven
that was not leper, might return to
,he world and the love of little Jess. If,
ID the contrary, l must be sent back
lere-but dared not think of that.
The day dawned at last that was to
decide my fate, and 1 was taken before
! formidable array Of physicians and
stripped. They regarded my fine
of chest and strong limbs with
ooks of establishment and admiration,
ind critically inspected meas they would
he noble proportions of blooded ami
lerer In the dock on his last day Of
grace. In vain tried to Danish hope.
It crept through my mind like mar
,otic and whispered me chat was not
hat repulsive thing which all human
ty shuns. 1t told me that l might
again 20 into the world a free man
rec! to marry the girl loved-free! to
lave a home, and little children, and
he pleasant duties which filed the
ives of other men. / tried to think of
he other side of the picture, but ali,
40. I had not the strength to contem-
,late that. No vision of the inferno, or
he hideous pictures painted upon the
brain of drunlSard in the frenzy of de-
irium could equal the thought of be-
.orning leper. gazed entreatingly
nto those somber conference.-the
heir faces were impenetrable masks
from which / could read nothing
nothing. During DR. Buckley's exami-
nation he ran pin into my hand and
arm:
DO you feel any sensation?" he
lueried. None whatever" l replied
IN stified voice. and stepping aside
with an ominous look he made way for
DR.. Jameson. of Honolulu. who went
through rigid examination and then
to the board that it was his
opinion that was not leper.
Not leper." Oh, thank the good