The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1908-08-24

do with me. but I hope that in some
way / can see my wife and child again
Toying nerVously with the flap OF his
tent, hard by the Eastern Branch OF
the Potomac, his audience. a group OF
guards and newspaper men, who stood
afaF of. his knOtted forehead and his
swollen features bearing the sign OF
death, stood John Early. OF Lynn y. c.
Uptown, the health officers OF Wash
ington and those of North Carolina
we're waging a bsttle by wire-the pos
session Of the body Of man who lives,
but vet is dead. hanging IN the balance.
Without home. stunned even by those
whose hearts bleed for him, his friends.
the friends who dare not touch his hand
IN sympathy, the leper Of Washington
waits the command Mayhap he shall
stay in Washington. for so far. North
Carolina. though sympathetic, has failed
10 offer a refuge for the man who is
"unclean." Perhaps he will be sent
there; he does not know; at times he
does not care.
Admits Being Outcast.
Thus John Early was seen today: thus
he admitted that he was an unwelcome
stranger within our gates, an outcasJ,
living death. AS he sat by his lonely
tent. his voice hardly strong enough
10 be heard By the interYiewers. who
sat so far away that the doomed man
could hardly see the sympathy ne
Graves within their eyes, Early, the
lonely, the disconsolate, told his story.
A story OF how he came to Washington
on Friday in search OF 3 pension OF
health lost in the service OF his coun-
try in the far-off Philippines OF his ind
ing in a Pennsylvania avenue boartAns
house; OF hearing the words OF do pm.
My God, man. you are a lepeT.
AMI those who listened viii never lot
get the scene nor the tragic tntona-
tons OF a man sentencing himself to
living death. There was all the tragedy
of life crowded into the little six BY
ten teat that stands Ike a white ghost
upoy. the potter's field today, The man
said he didn't want TO talk, and yet be-
meath IL ali was a heart yeaTuing for
sympathy. He did talk, creeping inch
by inch without his little tent walking
restlessly TO the dead-line and back
again, glancing pitifully at the men OF
the worid-the world forev n denied TO
him, as they withdrew shudderingly as
he approached
Would Like To See Family.
II don't know what they are going
to do with me-" he said again. 1T don't
know what is to become OF the wife
and child I left behind me. but I feel
that the world is kind and somehow,
though / never see them again. a God
will provide. Ny thoughts are of them:
1 care nothing for this old body OF mine
now.
And there was a little clutch at the
throat, a gulp of helplessness and
mist I'm the eyes of those who heard as
he said now"
'aThey are lepers. too" he said plead
ingly. as he regained his composure.
The world regards them as such, for
they have been near me. Yet I wonder
If there is not some way out; If there
is not hope. The Bible tells me So and
we're II not for the Bible ! don't know
what / would do in the dark days that
have oVeTtaken me.
yes. I would like to see them again"
he continued. as his eyes wand cred over
the green fields. the waters of the Po-
tomac-waters that could cleanse all
save him-and then back to the face Of
the sympathetic group again. L would
ike to see them, even If only as I see
yOu-af7r off, to look, but not to touch.
to hear, but not to feel the press of
hand that is gone forever
Again his eyes wandered away, and
he paced restlessly back and forth. The
faces of the guards were turned t1-
ward the jill, for even this was a mere