The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1897-01-09
A HOME FOB LEPERS.
Their Only Place Of Refuge In This
Country.

An Inseitution In LoalsasAA Whseo the
Peer Unfeetanaess Are Hap
paly Housed aAA Cared
For.
Perhaps few people know that the
only leper home in the United Etates Il
ore recently established in the parish
of Iberville, not many miles above New
Orleans. It is state institution, its
board Of directors entirely masculine,
but if you would know who gives per-
sonal service to these diseased outcasts,
ah! then, indeed, look to the women.
The whole civilized world has begun
to take alarm at the fact, indisputably
shown, that leprosy i on the increase
everywhere. Not the frightful leprosy.
perhaps, of Scriptural days, but q dis
ease incurable and hideous enough and
only to be stamped out by the complete
isolation of it's victims.
To this end was the leperS home in
Louisiana established and has for its
inmates men and women, black and
white, who have come to it from diff
ferent states of the union.
After the board of directors had for.
mulated their plans, after the funds
had been placed at their disposal, one
great difficulty frowned on them. Who
could they get to care for the lepers
Men? Preposterous! Then one illum-
mated director proposed that they set
forth their dilemma to the mother supe-
rior of the convent at Emmitsburg, Md.
Forthwith this mother called on Sister
Beatrice, then in charge of the hospital
at Lowell, Mass. When the summons
came Sister Beatrice checrfully re.
signed her charge and became the
Jealous and untiring superior of the
lepers' home in Louisiana. Sister An.
ME, Sister Thomas and Sister Cyril!
soon joined her and, together, they
have made this home . real home fol-
those who dwell in it. The sisters es-
tablished themselves in the old Camp
,-,ansion, once one of the finest planta'
ton residences in Louisiana, but now
somewhat fallen into decay. With that
r,cnius for systematic and wise admin
.stration which is characteristic of the
rider, they soon converted the dilapi
lated dwelling into a comfortable
.rome. The house stands in the midst
# grove of towering pecans and wide
preading oaks. Not far from thi.
.uilding is a new house. wherein dwell
he resident physician and q priest ol
he church, both consccrated to the
ervice of humanity. -...- ..
In this building also. all the patients
lake their meals, prepared by black
! madonna Of the pots. an artist in he'
! line.
The sisters strive to interest ant
lmuse their patients. encouraging those
Who are able to sew, wash, cut and saw
.ood and cultivate the garden. There
large park for their exercise ane
/ ecreation, furnished with swings
.enches and outdoor games of various
irds. The lepers live in small cottage:
| uiIt Oh either side Of q live-oak avenue
'hesc houses are comfortably fur
| shed and spotlessly clean. Eacl
,ouse is occupied by two persons, ex
,ept where there are more than two
uembers of the same family, in which
ase they are all permitted to live to
ether. In one of them live four sis
ers, all afflicted with ,leprosy, and eaci
with a different type.
| Among the patients is man OF Is
:. no does not remember when he wa
,ot leper. Another isl union veteran
!rawing a pension and still in love witt
:fc. Yet another is q young mulattO
who was employed as a carpenter il
building the cottages. Hardly had b.
| driven the last nail when he foun'
himself leper. But the most inter
asting patients are q pair OF lovers
he tragic pathos of whose story is al
most without parallel.
About six years ago, in the parish o
Lafourche, there lived young fellow
Of about rs who was engaged to a good
sretty girl of l8. Almost upon the ev
Of marriage he made the horrible dis
covery that he was leper. He re
leased the girl from her promise
though she implored him to marry heI
He sought clearing in the heart o
the woods and lived there utterly alone
AS soon as the home was open he sough
it's shelter. His sweetheart still love-
him, still declared that some day the
would be united. Six months after he
lover entered the home she, too. sough
it, crying: "unclean! unclean!" Thu
this woeful pair, so tragically undtee
are vet forever disunited, as marry the
cannot, at least as long as they are IL
mates of the home. They spend muc
of their time together and seem cheer
full enough.-Chicago News.