St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1896-02-14

All sleep for the remainder OF TIT
night was at an end.
When day dawned we were at an
Choir off Kalanpapa. Thelepers were
ware OF our intended visit, and soor
after daylight, the shore was llnec
with these unfortunate people STRAIN
ing their eyes to catch the first glimpse
OF their visitors. The band, composed
Of leper boys, played several airs Of
welcome. Bishop Robert, Father
Pamphie, and the other missionaries,
went ashore in the first boat and
were greeted with cheers. To get
ashore we had to climb down swing
ing ladder over the ships side into a
boat, both bobbing about and in OPP
pOsite directions, which added the
spice of danger to the expedition.
On landing we found on the shore
two or three hundred lepers. Some
OF them were but slightly affected by
the disease, and some so dis6gured
as to hardly resemble human beings.
The disease seems to attack the ex-
tremties first.
There is a house set apart for visit
ors which no leper is permitted to
enter. We went to this house to wait
for the horses which were to convey
us across the island to the Boys
Home. The lepers, to the number of
several hundred, came to the fence
and gazed at us so longingly, SO
fondly, as to almost melt one to tears.
To them we were superior beings,
loved friends, from whom they were
forever separated.
Senator Waterhouse, who possesses
a world OF moral courage and a heart
as tender as a woman's, was every
where among them, not hestatipg to
grasp the hngerless hand, and speak
words of encourage ment.
How are you, old boy? How are
you today, my friend? Come, cheer
up and be happy. You are happier
here than you could be anywhere
else" he said a hundred times that
day.
To which the natives Oor most of
the lepers are natives) usually an
swered:
"Pilaki, pilaki," with a sad shake
of the head
"Pllaki" means grief, sorrow, and
all that goes to weigh down the
heart. | heard the awful word a
thousand times that day, heard it so
much that it still rings in my ears,
while the sadly dis6gured faces l met
will, fear never fade from my mem,
DRY. They have haunted me in my
dreams ever since | left Molokai.
Some of their faces were so horribly
dishgured as to have no resemblance
to, humanity. No hideous mask has
ever been made to equal what leprosy
has done for the human face.
At last horses were brought for our
party to cross over 20 the Baldwin
Home. Then came momentarv
hitch i'll the arrangement caused by
Miss Kate Field, who was unaccus-
toned to the Hawaiian style ofriding.
But she had to yield to the inevitable
She was determined to see the Bald.
win Home; it was too far to walk
and there was not side saddle on
the entire island so, by the kindness
OF Miss Reynolds, she was soon at.
tired in divided skirts, and by the
combined efforts of Senator Water.
house and myself safely mounted on
a sad-eyed, dapple gray horse, into
whose good graces she soon began
to ingratiate herself by patting his
neck and appealing to his honor not
to 60 faster than a walk.
The Baldwin Home for boys, which
is under Catholic management, con
tains a score of houses, play rooms
school rooms, hospitals, and living
houses, all neatly and Clearly fur
nished, Here we met Brother Joseph
Dutton, as he is known, a man who
for fifteen years has devoted his life
to the care of the lepers. He is a
plain, unassuming Christian man
who, in his brave, humble way, is
more nearl y following in the footstep.
OF his Master than any other person
1t has been my lot to meet. To one
visiting his plain little room, devote
OF even the smallest luxury, uncar
peted and implanted, and realizing
that he is constantly in greater dan
ger than if facing cannon, it seems a.
though he were in the presence of
superior being.