davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-08-30

be disregarded because of the 5000 and
more miles which separate 1t from this
city.
The second colony is not officially rec
ognized as such by the government, al
though 1t is said that half a hundred
lepers. realizing the feeling Of repulsion
which their mere existence creates in
the minds of others. have shut them
selves off from the outside world in a
little village of their own founding
somewhere in the almost impenetrable
marshes of Louisiana.
To this place. it is said. Early refuses
to go. and, even were he willing. the
authorities would still be confronted with
pretty problem OF transportation
There is no malady in the world so
dreaded as the incurable one with which
Early is afflicted. and so contagious is it
considered that. in all probability. many
towns en- route to the Louisiana colony
would seriously object to his train COM
ing within miles of their station.
Early himself desires either to remain
in his present quarters behind the Dis
trict jail or to be allowed to rejoin his
family in the mountains of western
North Carolina But since both are
manfestly impossible. and in view of
the inevitable difficulties attendant upon
an attempt to remove him to the lonely
colony IN Louisiana, the fact remains
that there is apparently but one place
where he may be received--that he
must be transported nearly a thousand
miles across the water to the Island of
Cuba. the citizens of which. grown CAL
lous from long association. dread lep
rosy far less than do WashingtOnians
the great white plague" and in whose
capital Havana. is situated. massive
stone building a quarter of mile or
more in circumference. which for more
than 800 years has been leper hOspi
tai
The San Lazaro Hospital.
Situated in the very center of the
Malecon-the boulevard and most ex-
elusive residential section of the city
and passed by street car line leading
to the Nedado, section known as the
'Millionaires' suburb. the San LaZaro
Hospital-for so it is called-at once
attracts the attention of the tourist;
but Invariably because of it's huge size
its architectural beauty and its great
age. which contrasts sharply with the
more modern residences surrounding it
1t is frequently taken for one of the
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-08-30

.y-tive years. day and night. and have
noted in my books the entrance ard
I,aths of many hundreds of lepers. Yet
| am quite as healthy-yes ! dare say
Ven more healthy than on the day I
tcok charge. Why? Simply because
ave been careful. and have led strictly
lygienic and. one might almost say, an
,ntiseptic life.
Il have had many attendants under me
indeed. SO many medical students Of
r themselves as internes. adopting that
method of working their way through
he unive rsity here, that every year the
supply is far greater than the demand.
ave yet 10 hear of Il single one OF these
t:sistants having contracted tho disease.
III fact. during the three hundred years
which this hospital has been established
here is not a single case on record of
its having been contracted by any one
,onn ected in an official way with the in
5titution.
"All of which seems pretty good proof,
hat with the exercise of care. the danger
Of contag ion is done away with eh?''
But Father Damian-ha who went as a
martyr among lepers on the Island of
Molokai. you know. He became infected,
did he not?' was suggested.
Yes" answered the doctor. He did,
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-08-30

old Spanish castles with which the
island is dotted. Again 1t is taken for
the city residence of one of the enor-
mously wealthy tobacco planters of the
island, but 1t Is never taken for what
it actually is-the oldest pesthouse in
the world.
There was no dificulty in obtaining a
permit to visit the hospital, although
surprise was expressed at the morbid
ness of such curiosity. According to the
doctor the guest book showed an aver
age of only one visitor every six years.
and this one was almost invariably a
member of the medical profession.
We are not a popular set said he.
lin spite of our exclusiveness. But no.
we inspire no terror in the hearts Of
our neighbors. They dread us not at
all. for the ocean breeze which blows
through our building and out of the win
dows. which are open the year round. is
breathed in by thousands who never think
OF the possibility of the air they fnhale
being laden with the germs of leprosy.
The people do not fear contagion-and
why should they?
Il have been here in this Eas,ht-cl tHun-
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-08-30

and further. I have heard that even the
swine and poultry of that island show
evidences of the disease in lower form.
Our leprosy here may be different-the
climate may have something to do with
t-'Quien sabe'-who knows?" And he
opened the massive mahogany door lead
ing to the patias" or courtyard of the
hospital.
Their Method Of Living.
Stretched at full length, summing them
selves in the huge court. were about
two score lepers, in all stages of the dis
ease.
Lazily they turned their heads at the
opening Of the door. and then, seeing
strangers. arose languidly. and. APP
preaching. surveyed them as if the Wis
itors were a curiosity.
There were men and women in the
crowd. all dressed in what. that morning.
had been scrupulousy clean white duck.
but all looked more like some unclassified
species of a jungle near-man animal
than like human beings.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-08-30

bos of the awful power of deaf.
And still sitting before his little tent.
holding in his unshapely hands the two
small cards. is John Early. reading. read
ing. until the final victory of darkness
makes reading no longer possible. HIS
homely face is aglow with light that rs
not of this earth. His mouth quivers.
at is better that one man should he
sacrificed and ten saved than that ten
should be sacrificed and one saved. he
murmurs. half to himself. as he turns 10
enter his tent.
He does not go in at once. The charm
of the scene holds him and. turning with
one huge hand upon the opened flap. he
pauses a moment gazing far out beyond
the slowly moving river. beyond the
marshes. beyond all. There he stands for
a moment this man of sorrow, his whole
face lighted with his love for men.
*
God" he prays, his unsightly face
turned toward the sky. God grant that
if. by Thy WISDOM | have been afflicted.
others may learn and be saved, / may
prove myself fit instrument in Thy
hands to accomplish Thy end"
A leper? Yes. A poor. diseased being.
whose body in time will become so ter
ribly disfgured that men cannot look
upon il without shuddering, but a man
whose sublime faith has given TO his
spirit beauty surprising the most beau
tiful thing upon this earth: a man who
would die willingly others have died
before him. that others may be saved.
There is no color line drawn in the let
tiers sent to John Early. Mary Welsh. a
colored girl, wrote a note of sympathy TO
the man. and tears filled his eyes when
he realized that in his great affection all
the races of the earth Joined together in
Sympathizing with him.
Every night as he sits in his little tent
the leper-the stricken man of SORROWS
takes from his shirt front and reads a
small. well-thumbed piece of paper writ
ten by some person who mailed il with
out note or MISUNDERSTANDING prob
ably that no explanation would be needed.
This is what he reads:
ITO Thee bring my care.
the care I cannot fee.
Thou wilt only share.
But take IL all from
Oh. living Savior. to Thee
bring the load that troubles me.
II bring my grief to Thee.
The grief ! cannot tell.
No words shall needed be:
Thou knowest all too well
bring the sorrow laid me-.
Oh. suffering Savior all TO Thee
He reads this and when me arises with
the morning sun he stands refreshed and
ready to continue the trrible battle that
Fate. whom some call Providence, has
imposed upon him.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-08-30

The yellow. muddy waters or the
Eastern branch, standing on
sloping hillside in a clump of
stunted trees. is small weather
beaten tent-an isolated speck of
n:,tley white against the vernal green OF
the surrounding landscape-and in it
man Of sorrows John Early. the leper
asdes.
He Is Stunned and feared by his fellow
msan. None visit him. for the brute fear
OF the pestilence is as strong In the
b, casts of men today as 1t was when
Ieoers clad themselves in sackcloth. ana
csied out ''unciean' as they walked the
streets. Disfgured by the disease that
has made him an outcast to societys and
menace to his fellows. John Early has for
a week been held virtually a prisoner IN
tie little tent beside the yellow flowing
stream with none for company save the
tsciturn guard who warns passersby OIL
tie leper's presence and the silent omi-
nous buzzards that hover above the dark
marshes.
But though he is avoided by his kind,
Jthn Early is not without the knoWl-
eege that his affection has aroused the
sympathy Of all who have heard of it.
From the north. the south. the east ana
tlse west have come letters addressed IN
SriouS ways to this man of SORROW
letters of encourag cement of sympathy. of
Christian helpfulness and auvice-telling
him of others who have been healed Of
their affliction, OF the power of God and
OF passages in the Bible that relate to his
disease.
All lines are dropped In the universal
wave of sympathy. Lines of race, of
CO lor and of caste are wiped away. The
waite man and the negro the preacher
and the pauper all write to the victim
of the oldest of plaques that he may
know that others are hearing Of his
tribulation and are touched at heart be-
cause OF 1t.
Early reads these many letters and is
glad because Of them. He does not desire
to meet the writer's. for his solitary con-
flnement is not irksome to him. and his
greatest horror in life is the transmitting
OF his disease to others. The inspiration
that has been gathered from the letters
has been a great factor in keeping up the
unfailing spirit of the doomed man.
He has grown to regard the missives
from those whose faces he has never seen
with a love that could not be surpassed II
each were indited by a dear friend. Again
and again he reads them. now aloud. now
in silence. while his wrinkled brow, bear
fag the tell-tale stamp Of his disease.
s,noothes itself and a smile comes over
bis pinched features.
''Sympathizer." friend zone who
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-08-30

LETTERS FROM ALL PARTS OF THE COUNTRY
BRING CONSOLATION TO WASFHNGTONS LEPER

THOUGH Conscious of
j His Insurable Condition
This Man of Sorrows Is
Buoyed Up by the Sympa-
thetic Letters He Receives
and His Fervent and Abiding
Faith in God-Only Fear Is
That He Will Spread the
Loathsome Disease - Every
Little Card From the Outer
World Bearing a Message Is
Read Over and Over-"God
Grant That If, by Thy Wis
dom, I have Been Afflicted,
Others May Learn and Be
Saved, I May Prove Myself
a Fit Instrumnt in Thy
Hands to Accomplish Thy
End" John Early's Prayer. >
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-08-30

cling a question.
That something must be done-that
John r. Early. the victim of this dread
eld-world disease. whom Washington has
karbored during the past fortnight. must
BE removed somewhere is evident. Hc
Elust ne taken some place. AID that place
SIust be isolated. that there may he no
tanger OF others contracting what is
universally conceded TO be the most
loathSome of diseases. To many the
easiest solution seems 20 BE 20 take lin
10 a leper coIony-but which one?
There are but three such places of any
size III the world. and one of these. the
island of Molokai, where reside more
IMAM q thcus=.d IcAsrs .avant,v must
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-08-30
only Logical Place That
~ Is Within Reasonable

My Loglcal Race mat
~ Is Within Reasonable
Distance Is the Cuban
Hospital-The Life That the
Unfortunates Lead There
Some Are Happy and Pass
Their Time in Work of Va
rious Kinds-Others Give Up
to the Despair Within Their
Hearts-Whole Families of
Lepers-Roman Catholic Sis
tiers Who Devote Their Lives
to the Care of the "Unclean"
Hospital Located in the
Heart of the Most Fashion
able Residence Portion of
Havana-Guest Book Shows
an Average of One Visitor
Every Six Years.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-08-30

seen enough now IL !, cp ,hcm awake
many nights
The doctor smiled. You have seen
enough" he repeated after them. Then
come. We will GO
But as the door leading to the outer
office changed shut Juan's voice fioated
through.
Say" he shouted don't you be 'fraId.
DeeS ees not contajus.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-08-30

lat shall be done with the
leper?
Not in years has the medi-
cal profession of Washington
been confronted with so puz-
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-08-30

- y The yellow. muddy waters of the
Eastern branch, standing on
sloping hillside in a clump of
stunted trees. is small weather
haaten tent-ar isolated SDeck of
The La Jara chronicle., 1908-12-11
The Prize.

This year we want one of our
lady customers to be the recipient
of our Christmas prize. With each
dollars worth of Christmas goods
purchased we give you ticket
which entities you to one chance
in the prize drawing. The prize is
a lady's 20 year gold filed hunting
case Elgin movement watch. This
is $500 watch and is fully guar
anteed in every way. Come early
and make your selections. We lay
goods away for you. The prize
drawing will occur ON Xmas. day.
The La lara Drug Store,
81. o. Ellis, Prop.
The La Jara chronicle., 1908-12-11
SAVE YOUR HORSE.

Deacon's Collie Specific is abso-
lutely the best collie remedy known
to medical science. Guaranteed
under the pure food and drug law.
For sale by H. o. Ellis, La Jara, or
NJ. H. Deacon, Monte Vista, Colo.
The La Jara chronicle., 1908-12-11

iOyu Duhi Jul Ddl Dcl loi Il
month or SO, resigned last week
and left Tuesday evening for
Pueblo to seek a new position.
Mrs. Duff will remain here until
her husband can locate.
W. d. Carroll, hardware mer-
chant at Antonito, will hold big
auction sale tomorrow at which a
large line of buggies and other
things that farmers use will be
sold to the highest bidder. 1t will
pay you to attend. Read his ''ad"
on next page.
Romualdo Ortiz, the Capulin
merchant, went to Alamosa, Thurs
day night and this morning caught
the train for Santa Fe. He will
visit Albuquerque before return
ing and spend a week in the terri
tory on a trip of business and
pleasure combined.
The Misses Francis and jose
phine Blake went to Antonito the
first of the week to be with their
mother who is making her home in
that city. Mrs. Il. l.. Connolly en-
tertained number of young people
in their honor at the Hotel La Jara
Monday evening before their de-
parture.
7. E. Brownson, district manager
for the Colorado Telephone Co.,
was down from Alamosa Saturday
accompanying a construction crew
of nine men. The crew are at
work rebuilding the lines of the
company, but instead of replacing
the old poles with new ones they
simply saw off the decayed portion
at the ground and stick the re-
mainder into the earth again.
! A list of articles which recently
shared the little waiting room at
the depot along with twenty-six
passengers, men, women and child
ren. l box of shoe dressing, l box
apple jelly, 1 barrel apple cider, 5
boxes writing ink, l sack sugar, 10
sacks of flour, 30 boxes of apples,
l raccoon in cage. Still he would
be bold man who would say that
La Jara needed a larger depot.
A joyful young peoples party
was celebrated in honor of Edward
Philips birthday at his home last
Friday evening. About twenty
boys and girls attended and spent
the evening playing games. At
10 O'Clock a delightful lunch was
served and at a late hour when the
party broke up each one voted that
they were going to help Edward
celebrate his birthday every time
it comes around.
A Christmas stamp is to be put
on sale very soon throughout the
nation. The stamp is issued by
the American Red Cross association
and bears the words. Merry Christ
mas and a happy New Year" The
cost is one cent each and they are
to be used for the adornment of
Christmas boxes and packages.
The profit from the sale of these
stamps will be used by the society
in the fight on tuberculosis. A
year ago the stamp was sold in the
state of Delaware and though put
on the market but two weeks before
Christmas nearly four hundred
thousand were disposed of and
sufficient funds realized to maintain
small hospital.
The Prize.
The La Jara chronicle., 1908-12-11
3EVENTS OF THE WEEK !

If you can't smile inst push.
Found-Gold cuff button. S. l..
Hagy.
Geo. Fitzpatrick spent Sunday
in Alamosa.
Cold mornings but the days are
certainly fine.
Blank deeds, mortgages, etc, at
The Chronicle Office.
Miss Laura King went to
Manassa this morning.
Mrs. R. j. Kavalec has been
quite sick for several days.
Il. G. Oliver now keeps fine
supply of fresh fruit on hand.
The celebrated Moon buggies at
cost. Murphy Newcomb H. Co.
Harry Kinton went to Denver
Monday night with Jas. Braiden's
cattle.
Mr.. Nolan is quite i'll, being
threatened with an attack of pneu-
monia.
There will be another big mas
querade ball in La Jara Christmas
night.
jas. Livingood, the carpenter,
departed Tuesday morning for
Santa Fe.
Top buggies and spring wagons
at cost at the Murphy -Newcomb
Hardware Co.
o. Beaver rode the goat at the
NJ. w. A. lodge Saturday night,
and both still live.
Mrs. G. l.. Smith returned Sun
day morning from a three months
visit at Dollville, I'll. ,.s..,,---,
DR.. Davis, dentist of Alamosa,
will be in La Jara every Thursday
at Hamilton's drug store.
Foreman Burns of the telephone
construction gang, drove down to
Antonito Monday on business.
Rosco La Rue and family moved
Monday into the residence former
ly occupied by 1. B. Richardson.
Charles D. Weist starts moving
his big stock of merchandise today
to the new store across the street.
J. H. Welch and daughter were
visitors in town Saturday from
Romeo. Miss Welch has mum ber
of pupils here on the piano.
For a good smoke try a j & E
cigar. Just between Key West
and Domestic. For sale by w. w.
Seyfer and at the -Drop-Inn.
s. w. Souter of Boulder, auditor
for the Union Central Life, was
here Tuesday transacting business
with the company's agent, Thos
McCunniff.
Local coal dealers are nearly out
of coal and no more in sight.
Freight shipments of non-perish-
able stuff are from two to three
weeks on the road these days.
Don't be deceived, Buy nothing
but American Field woven wire
fencing. 1t has the weight and
quality The others are not in its
class. Murphy -Newcomb Fl. Co.
Miss May Middleton returned
Sunday morning from six months
visit with relatives in Pennsylvania.
Her brothers had the new house
all ready for her, and they say they
are living again.
j. Fl. Pursely and bride were ar
rivals over the southern route Mon
day evening from Stafford, Arizona.
On their way they visited several
days at Albuquerque and Santa Fe,
and will spend some time at the
home of Mr.. Pursley's parents near
La Jara.
SAVE YOUR HORSE.
The La Jara chronicle., 1908-12-11


ranch boomer, has been here all
week
F. F. Murrey is here again.
Fat hogs and fat cattle are the
attraction.
Mrs. A. P. Mortensen of San
ford went to Denver Wednesday
night for weeks visit.
Emilio Girard of Capulin re-
turned Thursday evening from a
visit of several days at Antonito.
j. Fl. Shemwell went to Denver
Thursday night to close up big
real estate deal and will be absent
couple of days.
Jim Watson had his weekly run
away Monday and Uncle Samuels
mail car was put in the hospital for
keeps.
The trustees of the M. E. church
want bids for doing the janitor
work and caring for the church
property. n
WANTED-All parties having
wire stretchers belonging to the B.
L. Van Vechten Hdw. Co., to re.
turn them at once.
Sunshine, snow or zero weather,
the telephone line repairers do not
seem to mind it but go whistline
to their tasks.
Have your insurance written il
the Continental Fire Insurance
Co. and keep your money in Colo
RADIO Thos. McCunniff, Agent.
No man can lay up much treas
ure in heaven until he quits dodg-
ing taxes on earth. And that re-
minds us that they are almost due
again. -
Choice line of lockets, chai ns.,
fobs, bracelets, etc, will be in
stock about Dec. 18th. No trash,
but the best money can buy. S.
l.. Hagy, the jeweler.
Mr.. and Mrs. E. J. Murphy re-
turned the first of the week from
Denver where they found ten or
twelve inches of snow and going
about far from agreeable.
DR.. Wernette, the Alamosa
dentist, will visit La Jara every
Saturday hereafter, instead of twice
month as formerly. Office at the
La lara Drug store. All work
guaranteed.
Joplin, Missouri, clergymen on
Thanksgiving day prayed God to
give them a tariff on zinc ore.
Now they are wondering if they
should have also addressed their
petitions to Uncle Joe" Cannon.
James Burns was taken suddenly
ill at the Hotel La Jara, Thursday
evening. His condition is in no.
wise alarming but at his request
Mrs. Burns was sent for and is
expected to arrive from Silverton
tonight.
j. j. Lobato was over from San
Luis yesterday, and paid The
Chronicle a pleasant visit. Mr..
Lobato was enroute to his fathers
home at Lobatos, where he will re-
main several days before returning
to San Luis.
james A. Kelley, Democrat, has
filed notice that he will contest the
seat of Representative elect James
A. Campbell of Rio Grande county
who was elected by the narrow
margin of 10 votes. Kelley charges
bribery and fraud.
A large raccoon arrived by ex-
press from Stafford, Arizona, Mon
day evening. 1t is pet of j. H.
Pursley and seemed to enjoy the
trip very much. 1t was well pro-
vided with eatables by admiring
friends and was as gentle as a cat.
Green Epperson and Samuel