The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1893-08-04
DEAD YET ALIVE.
The True and Pitiful Story Of q
San Francisco Leper.


The morning was bright and braclng
the air stimulating as glass of cham
pagne. was walking down the street
to business with my mind in a 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 it-in an ideal world of my
own. With what cruel force it now
comes back to me. have lived it over,
ah! SO many times-and now again it
confronts me-that glad day of my sor-
row-steeped life. Again | am walking
down the street in happy reverie;
again 1 see sweet face, lit up by a
pair of great, tender, brown eyes!
Again feel the clasp of warm little
hand in mine-the hand of my little
Jess-oh, God! is there no mercy for
such 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 thinking? 1 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 / mentally cried. With
so keen sense of strength and exhil-
aration, what is there in life to equal
the gracious gifts of love and
youth? / then fell to wondering if all
the to-morrows of my existence would
be as that day, as my happy yesterdays.
| tried to Danish the nervous forebod-
ing which crept 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 life-robrst health. lucra'
tive position in a great firm with fair
prospect of advancement, the respect of
my employers, and last and best of all,
my bonny Jess? But my arm lis there
not always this "but" or ''if' to mar
the greatest pleasures of life?)-this
arm of mine-this dead member of my
anatomy is my greatest source of un=
easiness. Before father lost his fortune
he took me through Europe in search
of medical aid. was treated by'sev.
eral physicians, but my malady baffied
them, and father was finally obliged to
return to America with me uncured
How strange that l should have lost
the use of my arm from the moment
that fell from that tree in the garden
of our home in Honolulu. was only a
child at the time Since then years
have come and gone, yet it still hangs
helplessly by my side. Well, to humor
my little fancee, 1 will consult physi-
clan tomorrow.
All that day I worked with vim
until the time of closing, and when
evening came went to see my darling
Jess. AS entered she laid her dainty
head, with it's short crop of sunny
bronze hair, against my breast and a
little happy sigh of content broke from
her. Ever and again her soft eloquent
eyes gazed tenderly into mine, then a
caress, a whisper of endearment; and
that was all, for we had no need OF
words. At parting she followed me to
the door and, raising my helpless arm
laid it compassionately about her neck,
Her luminous eyes shone into mine with
look of appeal, which understood.
Il promise, little one, promise" !
murmured passionately. and with lin
gering caresS we parted.
Was there of all Gods creatures one
as blessed as 1? And now what am 1?
Deadl 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.
kept my promise to little Jess, and
the following morning repaired to the
nearest hospital to consult it's medical
advisers. The head physician made a
careful examination and. after the
usual formula, brought in two of his
fellow practitioners and was again
examined. They then retired to IN adj
| joining room for consultation. Soon
after they reentered. But why did they
regard me with such grave looks of
| compassion? What could it mean? ]
was perplexed-vaguely uneasy.
Dr. Norris broke in upon my conjec-
lures and in serious tones said:
Young man, | fear our diagnosis OF
your case will be o terrible shock to
| you. Are you man enough to meet 1t
bravely? Have you strength to face
what may be a crushing blow?"
Il trust l have, sir" replied, with a
sudden contraction of the heart.
st is my painful duty" he said, .'to
inform you that there can be no cure
for your disease; you are afflicted with
leprosy."
'Leprosyr' I gasped in a tone of in.
credulous horror. 'Leprosyl leprosyl'
| repeated,
For the moment my brain refused to
grasp the revolving significance of that
word. l gazed blankly at the solemn
faces of my doomsmen. l seemed tc
have 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."
II regret exceedingly resumed tht
doctor, ''that am forced to send you K
the leper ward at the pest house"
At last! my numbed sensibilities we've
reused. 'tDoctorl" ! cried in voice
which shook with emotion. ''Are yol
so lost to all sense of justice or mercy
as to consign me to a living death
What do YOU know of leprosy? Have
you ever treated it? What right have