The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-12-17
ATRAGEDY OF LEpRosY.
The FlllaI Devotion ofa Fair Daugh'
ter OF Havann.

washington Star: The usual Homo
lulu crowd was down at the dock when
the fieamShip Australia. seven days
from San FranclGco, pulled alongside the
pier on brilliant balmy afternoon IN
January. 1885, American women, IN
summer afternoon costumes, few Sng-
lish and few German women OF Eocie-
1 ~, afFayad also for steamer day ewhich
Is a Honolulu function), leaned back
langu0ronsly In their carriages ana
| phaetons, under the shade OF parasols,
listening to the lazy. complimentary talk
OF the ducl;-clad, lei-enwIeathed young
buslness men who conibiGed duty with
pleasure In thus waiting for the great
steamer 10 slip laborlously Into her
measured berth beside the pier. The u.s.
ual groups Of client, expecsant-eyed ka-
naka men etood In the shade Of the pier
shed1. humble in attitude, chary OF
words, and yet sWeet-natured, Some OF
the men wore shoulder leis (wre9ths OF
flowens) ever their labor gr!med hickory
shirts, and the Kanaka women wore lels
| IN croSS-belt over their flowing wiite
mother huBbards. In truth, the flower
wreaths were everywhere. Staid, mid
dle-aged merchants among the whites
wore them about their helmets and
straw hats, and all OF the white women
In carriages had belts OF Hawaiian eS-
otics.
All Of the Kanaka women had bare
feet. They Stood about in little groups,
as silent as the men OF their race. A
few Of the Kanaka women carried tiny
brown bables-silent also. The young
women were OF varying degrees OF beau
ty, their figures showing uniform eX-
csllence OF proportion.
One Of these Kanaka women at the
dock on this brilliant January afternoon
was particularly beautiful. She was
clad like the rest OF the women Of her
race. She was fully five feet ten inches
In height, and the white silk cord with
which she drew her white dress about
her waist, emphasized the splendid he
rolc proportions Of her inquire. hao-.
mouna seemed quite unconscious OF her
beauty. The young shipping clerks,
hurrylng to and fro on the dock, with
their pencils behind their ears, stopped
suddenly when they caught sight Of her
The women In the carriages, who had
not been long down from the STEMS or
from Europe, saw Raomouna, and asked
the women Of longer Honolulu residence,
who Is thar glorious creature?, kao-
mouna, with very sad face. spoke only
an occasional word to one OF the kanaka
women.
The Australia was made fast to the
pier, and the passengers began 10 troop
over the gangway. There was one man
with his pretty young wife and three
year-old llptle girl The little girl was
the first to catch sight OF Kaomounn as
she reached the bottom Of the gangwny.
She quickly freed her hand from her
fathers grasp, and ran towards Kao-
mouna with baby words. Kaomouna
smiled at the little girl, but did not oifer
to take her up. Instead, she folded her
arms, looking down at the little pink
faced child pleasantly. When the moth
err had taken the little Girl she raised
her eyes to look at Kaomouna.
did you ever in your whole life see
such q perfectly beautiful woman?"
asked the young wife Of her husband in
a whisper when he came up. And Tita
seemed to take 20 her Immediately. II
we could only have her for a nurse for
Tita!"
Kaomouna heard her.
"Kaomouna would love to be that"
she replied in soft Kanaka-accented
speech, smiling. Then a look OF pain
came into her face. But It may not be
1T may not be" and with her hands
at her eyes Kaomounl turned suddenly
and disappeared among the departing
men and women OF her race.
Three months later the parents OF the
little girl were at the dock together to
witness for the first time. the saddest Of
sights-the departure OF the lepers Tor
the island of Molokai. The Kilauea Hou,
the leper steamer, was out In the stream,
and the lepers were being carried out TO
her In barges. A litter was borne
through the ropel enclosure for the le-
pers. On II lay very old Kanaka wo-
man in the final stageS OF the disease.
AT the side Of the Hitter walked Kao-
mouna. Her face was very sad. The
parents OF the little girl wondered. They
spoke 10 an official OF the Hawaiian
board of health. who was busy in the
task Of smbarking the lepers.
surely" they said, 'she does not ac-
company the lepers?"
'iVNho, Kaomouna?" replied the health
bfilclal. "oh, yes, she does. But 1t is
her own choice. Kaomouna, You know,
has been serreting .her old mother for 4
number OF years We always knew
there was something mysterious about
I[ao;luuna-that is.Swe have known II
for the past five years. She had made
queer visits TO palm hut FAR over In
the Nunanu valley. Last week We fol-
lowed her-we felt there was teprosy in
II. We found her mother In the hut
Kaor,ouna had had her in hiding, trying
10 save her from Mololial, ever since the
disaase became evident. kaom0una is
no, infected In the leas;-she has been
careful. But she elects TO follow her
mother 10 Molokal. Extraordinary?
Why. not at all! You do not understand
the fillal devotion Of Kanaka women
men, TOO. for that matter. Such cases
are common enough.
The parents OF the little girl looked at
each o.her. There were tears In the
mothers eyes.
THAT is why she folded her arms and
would not touch THAI" she said. In
this world Of God, civilized or uncIvll-
lied, could there be anything more
noble?"
All was ready. and the Kilauea Hon.
with Kaomouna and her mother on
board. slowly started down the harbor,
the Knnakas on the dock setting up the
weird, plaintlve death wall.
Reduced Rates for the Holidays.
For the Christmasa and New Year Hol-
idavs, the Ohio River Railroad will sell
excursion tickets between all ticket sta
o 10 k,F.t4