davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Washington times., 1908-08-30
In the Middle Ages.

In the Middle Ages leprosies were
estab lished ia France under chap
iains, and the lepers We're made to
garb themselves alike ana to bear a
rattle, warning all clean people Of
their approach. At the time of Louis
VIII there We're 100 leper houses in
France. In the British isles isolation
was enforced, eowls, gray habits,
sticks, and clappers being furnished
the unfoTtunates. la modern times
strict segregation is pTacticed in near
ly ali Instances where lepers are
found.
in this connection. and Early himself
pins his faith Oh these passages as he
lies ia his tent on the outskirts of
Washington. It is interesting 10 note
that Moses and the ancient writer's
took it for granted that leprosy was a
durable disease. one is told that the
leDers were even allowed TO go about
the streets 10 beg. that they sat uDon
church steps and asked aims In
Abyssilia to this day these things
are seen, and in many OF the ieper-rid
den countries of the Old World the
synagogues and churches were Dro-
vided with separate pews. where the
unfortunates might attend services
The Door OF Bepers" was known 70
many a church and considered a mat
Ter Of course. Only the touch was
considered profane, and the Iepers
might mingle among the people so
long as they disclosed their identify
and remained alOOf from the clean"
The Washington times., 1908-08-30
Caring for Lepers.

For Early says that ne had rather
die than be taken TO leper colony
and doomed To still more horrible
living death. isolated from all who
love him and whom he loves. There
Is q special lazaretto maintained for
Iepers by the state OF Louisiana. about
sevvuty-hve OF the unfortunate being
segregated there IN 1902
The annexation Of the Hawaiian
Islands by the United States brought
this Government face To face with the
leper question. a commission was
ordered from tile Marine and Hospital
Corps IN 1895 10 investigate conditions
there. tut their work had hardly be
gun when the Spanish-American war
broke out Ia November, 1893. y. A.
Carmichael, NJ D., made an extended
report on leprosy in the islands. There
were then in the lePer settlement III
Molokai a total Of .O73 lepers, includ-
ing III boys and $50 girls.
The leper colony at Mo okai is main
tained At an annual expense to the
Cover ment Of more than SS0.O00. the
Government housing. feeding. and
clothirg all its inhabitants. There is
an average of 1000 lepers In the COL
Ony at all times. The colony also en-
braces a number OF clean" persons
who are employed as helpers. nriests
and assistants.
The Washington times., 1908-08-30

plorers, and. later, the Africans,
brought by III q slave traders. planted
II on the virgin soil Of America, where
today it is in certain regions (Florida
and louisiana becoming slowly cpl
demic; and South America, where 1t
has reached an alarming point. The
Malay Archipelago and the Philip
pines, several centuries ago. were in
fected from Chinese traders. and
Japan has probably 10000 to 80, 900
cases. so that the disease is now
worldwide.
We are apt to think Of leprosy in
this country as a rare thing, a re-
mote possibility. Yet. in 1902 the
Marine HospIta Service reports 27s
cases in Louisiana alone. One hum
dred and fie.y-five Of these were hos
pitel cases. How many more conceal
ed themselves It is impossible 70 say.
DR.. Albert Ashmead reports that in
New York city he personally knows
Of sixteen cases at large, and believes
that there are at least a hundred In
the city. One leper is a teller OF a
large bank. where, with sore and oftsn
ungloved hands. he handles The chr
rency. Another is a society woman
Of the -four hundred. who does NOT
know the nature of her disease. All
cities with large Scandinavian popu-
ation are, especially endangered. Nor
The Washington times., 1908-08-30

lingering a little red PiDle. his
swollen hands benumbed 70 the toucn
OF its precious pages his eyes half
closed at times as the ieprous weits
upon his forehead imprint deeper the
sign Of the white death: Stunned as
ancient Naaman was Stunned but
hopeful as those who sought the Naza-
rene, sits the leper of Washington
the .leper OF modern days.
And there came a leper TO Him,
beseeching him. and kneeung down to
Him, and saying unto Hin. II Thou
wilt Thou eanst make me clean
And Jesus moved TO compassion put
forth His hand, and touched him ami
sayeth unto him, I viii, be thou clean.
And as soon as lie had spoken, imme-
diately the leprosy departed from him.
and he was cleansed."
Thus the leper Of Washington reads
from The Scriptures that have come
down through all the years. and is
cOmfOrtedF They are my mainstay
now-My God and my Bible-for /
know that I am Is9er. and that men
must shun me. Somehow, 1 have been
recOnciled since / learned the truth
God must have prepared me for the
awakening. ] only ask that humanity
may be kind 10 my helpless wife and
child. whether l shall be permitted 20
live out my days within their care
do not know. / am a leper. and it is
not for me to say"
The Washington times., 1908-08-30
ORCRSCzIRz COEzDOJEO
g HSSSGC

years ago. Greece had seen the disease
before Hippccrates wrote OF il. The
Romans contracted il from the Greeks.
the troops of Pompey carried il into
Italy in the first century before Christ
Pilgrims from the Holy Land intro
duced the disease into England. Wales.
Ireland. Norway, Sweden, and other
European countries became affected.
The invasion of America by the disease
has never been traced
segregation OF Iepers has always
been practiced- The Fersians exiled
leYers in the days OF iferodotus. The
laws OF Moses provided the segregation
Of lepers as soon as the disease was
found. No more eloquent description
of the presence and the cleansing Of
the lePer could b. found than is con-
tanned in the ancient prophets Le-
Niticus
The Washington times., 1908-08-30
VI9OT1O
Washington

eating holes in their lips and eyefidss
and covering their body with scales;
then It fell to their throa-s, shrillinx
their voices. and 10 their joints, had
ening the tissues and cartileges-
slowly. and as the mother knew, past
remedy. il was affecting their lungs
and arteries and bones. az each ad-
vance making the sufferers more and
more loathsome, and so IL would con-
tinue ill death, which might be years
before them
"Still as is the force OF habit, these
SO afflicted grew in time not merely
TO speak composedly Of their own dis
ease; they beheld the hideous trans-
formation of their persons as OF
course. and in despite chung 10 exist
ence.
And yet the old happy life could
never be again. If she went near the
house called home IL would be 20 stop
at the gate and cry 'unclean. IN
clean. She must 90 about with the
yesrning Of love alive In her breast
strong as ever. and more sensitive
even. because return in kind could not
be, The boy Of whom she had % con-
startly thought, and with all sweet
promises such as mothers find their
delight IN. must, at meeting her, stand
afas on. II he held out his hands
TO her and called: Mother, motherF
for very love OF him, she must answers
'Uuclean, unclean.'"
And 30 Il was IN the days Of Hur,
in the days Of the Christ, nearly zoe
years ago And so it is today, for the
touch OF leprOsy is death, and despite
science, a leper IS a Ieper still
The Washington times., 1908-08-30
A Pathetic Scene.

And Early ran his hands nervously
through the sunny hair that struggled
down as though to hide the spotted
forehead; through the mist Of tears
that suddenly filled two frank blue
eyes cleaned the light of hope and
then the shadow of despair: inees-
sanity he paced before the little six-by-
ten tent that represents home a space
in which is crowded all the trags1sg
of life and the hopelessness of a lin
gering death. Those who saw the
pathetic figure as It stood in relief
against nearby potter's field win
never efface the scene from memory,
nor shall they wish 70 see its Ike
again.
Thus Early meets his interviewers
and has watched them involuntariIy
shudder and Withdraw as he In his
resuessness would overstep the dead
line. He Graves sympathy. tor TO him
lis the Balm of Gilead and he for
gets.
The Washington times., 1908-08-30
WHAT IS LEPROSY?
By EVELYN G. MITCHELL
(Author Of Mosquito Lien.

r n the misty past. more than three
thousand years ago, leprosy
reared its terrible head amid the
1ungles Of Africa. The ancieIS
records tell Us how. from the
elephant country" 1t followed
the coIored traders and captives 10 the
domain Of the PharaOhs India, too,
in her remotest history, tells Of the
dread scourge and today stands cursed
with 400,0 victims. From Africa and
Asia the disease, with merchants and
conquerors as bearers, spread TO
Greece. where IL was known, 70 some
extent. 3s5 b. G. Like Nemesis Il
Travelled with the spells OF the Roman
cohorts TO the Eternal City. and thence
followed her armies from Europe.
There il increased with the wander
lngs Of the barbarians and rose to an
appalling pitch Immediately after the
'rusades.
The Portuguese and Spanish ex-
The Washington times., 1908-08-30
By Bites of Insects.

The insects can also carry the dis
ease directly, from man to Ian. by
their bites. It is known that in Colombia
and Argentina f1eas are responsible
for the spread Of the disease. Bed
bugs, also. are on the list as having
transmitted the maIady. The baeiIU
have been demonstrated In the in
testines Of both these insects. as wen
as IN the stomachs Of the common
house mosquito, anG Of ether mosaui-
toes. 1t is perfectly possible that any
biting insect might secure a supply
Of germs from q Ieper and inoculats
one or more victims. A case OF a Ian
anese Is reported Ia which a MOSQUITO.
crushed on broken skin, transmitted
the infection.
The ill-Odored fish. above rssarred
10, is doubtless a great attraction To
insects and easily infected. both By
the bacin rubbed from their beaks
and the deposition Of their ssrm-laden
feces upon 1t. This, OF course, would
hold good OF other food. injection be-
TO insects. So that to contract lep-
ing proportional 20 its a&tract1venesa
rosy, 1t IS not neoes5ary that one
should ever have seen q lspsr.
In Havana many lepsrs. abhorrtna
confinement In ths great Government
Hospital. says pd. Ashmead, hide IN
their homes. Then they frequently
follow the cigar-making trade. roll
ing the cigars with their lsDrous I'm
gers. Not only this. but the hnaI
touch consists in wetting the tip OF
the wrapper OF the cigar that It NAV
stay in place. This the leper freeuent-
~ accomplishes with hts tonguel A.
the secretions OF the mouth and nose
The Washington times., 1908-08-30
way. IN particular. having al enor.
nous percentage OF lepers.
Origin Of LeprosE.


Leprosy is caused by a germ. bs-
cillus leprae. discovered by ArmaueF
Hensen and A. Neisser, OF Norway.
Apparently Il does not live free 10
nature, but always in a living BODY
or ia excreted matter. 1t is doubtful
If the pure culture can be iuoculated.
on animals i has practically no ef-
feet, save on rats. producing leprous-
seeming effects on these. IN form the
bacillus is a rod. similar 10 the ba-
cillus Of tuberculosis. and leprosy ap-
pears TO be closely connected with this
disease
While isolation Of Iepers certainly
checks the spread OF the disease. as
the procedure proves in Hawaii there
IS almost no danger by communicate
ing with a leper. Why, we shall see
later. Not more than two or three OF
the many attendants Of lepe-s are re-
ported as having contracted the dis
ease. 1t Is almost never taken from
leprous husbands OF wives Children
are never born lepers; they become
contaminated after birth The great
leprol6gists Of the world assert that
the disease is infectious and not he
reditary. Not over 3 per cent of known
lepers have leprous parentage.
Then how is the disease spread. Il
IS 10 be noted that its greatest raw
ages are in countries where the popu-
lation dwells under Unsanitary, crowd
ed conditions and where salt dsh,
dried in a partially putrened and evil
smelling condition, or raw FISH forms
a great dietary staple. The lower
classes are the worst affected. Gil
mate seems to have nothing TO do with
it. Tropical Hawai- ana frigid Ice
land alike are affected. The connec-
ton with the eating OF fish was noted
as far back as 177s, by one Gilbert
White, an Englishman The FISH are
infected apparently by insects. with
bacilH originally in the body OF some
leper
The Washington times., 1908-08-30

he said. and perhaps It's better so.
for there was never a more graphic
picture OF human misery painted than
that by Gen. Lew Wallace. when he
wrote Of Tirz8n and her mother.
When she began to think, mother
like, IL was not OF herself. but her
child. She buried her knowledge in
her heart: hopeless herself. she re-
doubled her devotion TO Tirzah and
with wonderful ingenuity continued 10
keep the daughter ignorant OF what
they were beset with. and even hope
ful that II was nothing. She repeated
her little games and retold her stor-
les, and invented new ones. and lis
tened with ever 50 much pleasure 10
the songs she would have from TirZah.
while on her own wasting lips the
psalms Of the singing king OF their
race served 10 bring soothing OF for
getfulness and keep alive within them
both the recollection OF the God who
would seen 10 have abandoned them
the world not "'7r. 7htly or utterly.
The Washington times., 1908-08-30

'NIy' soul. my heart is alive. and
thirsting for the something that viii
help me spend my days in peace
this old body is dead. according to the
code Of Moses. and there is no hope
for it," he says. resignedly.
1t is not as though the nan were
condemned 20 death by law Ct man,
for there IS hope of pardon and re-
prieve with them. The law can do
nothing for unfortunate Early unless
it grants the pension he asks for his
nine years OF army service and the
loss Of his health in the Philippines.
The Washington times., 1908-08-30

II know that / am q Ieper,' he said,
ana the voice choked a little; the
blue eyes welled with tears and the
little nervous steps the man was tax
ing about his tent front became short
ct and more Indicative of the cruel
thoughts that ragged within. The long.
lean fingers closed and opened again;
tile leper strcked his arms, whether
from haDit or from the Iu6.dious
creep If the disease his auditors knew
not: he pulled al the frayed coat, the
loW-cut collar. and then at his arms
again.
And yet even the doctors tell me
that / may hope, ne said at last. and
those about him were glad that the
silence had been broken and turned
their eyes again toward the fTan. pa
thetIc figure, the embodiment OF hope
Iessuess. and yet with hope; d living
being. and yet, according 10 the law
OF Moses. belonging to the dead;
just another unfortunate mana leper.
7 want to see my wife and baby
again somehow he said after a while.
do you think Il can be arranged? is
there any law to prevent them coming
10 see me, DOCTOR he said eagerly
turning TO the gTave-faced man who
stood near. And the humane Physi-
clan gave him comfort when he re-
piled that there was no law
He talks about them all the time,
said one of the guards who stood near
by. That's all he does, talks of his
wife and baby back in Lynn. and
reads his Bible. 1t seem to comfort
him. and God knows a man like him
needs comfort So we listen and help
him plan and hope for brighter days.
when the scourge shall be removed
and he can go forth into the world
again-tO wife and baby
The Washington times., 1908-08-30
Case of Father Damien.

Early, like Father Damien. Who is
low devOting his life to missionary
work among the leper colony OF Ma
lokai. is martyr 10 duty. The story
Of Father Darlien. who has become
one OF the loathed sect in order that
he might do the bidding of the Master.
is one OF the most heroic self sacrifice
m historical annals.
Have You read Ben Hur. or have
you seen the never TO be forgotten
scene IN the immortal play wherein
the Nazarene eleanses the Ieprous
mother OF Hur and his sister, Tirzah.
as they languished in the valley OF
cedron.' the modern Ieper of the Ma
tons Capital was asked. He had not.
The Washington times., 1908-08-30
By THEODORE H. TILLE&

xxi 7 MCLEAN, un-
clean!" they
cried, and stood
afar off.
For three thousand years
men have been compelled to
hear that voice of doom.
Come not near, l am a
leper, - said the sick man in
the days long before Christ.
and with his admission then.
as now, came the realization
that he had drained Lies
cup of sorrow to its bitter
est dregs. Science has done
nothing for the leper-ex-
cept to isolate him. as It IS
ever done. When the sign of
death appears beneath the
whitening skin, the door of
hope has closed; the sur has
set; the last watch has be-
gun. 1t is only a question of
time.
There sits in Washington
today-a leper. The Leper
Of Lynn and the Leper Of
Washington they call him,
for both places might claim
him and yet neither do. It
is the hand Of fate-he is an
outcast, he is unclean.
John Early is his name,
Early the leper from Lynn,
n. c., who came to Washing
ton a week ago in search of
a pension, for he had fought
long in his country's cause
in the distant Philippines.
He knew not the nature of
his disease only that he
was sick. Behind in the lit
tie North Carolina town he
left wife and q year old
baby-tiIl he returned with
the pension. Mayhap he
shall never return again;
mayhap, although he prays
not, he shall not see them
again. But he is ii Ieper and
what can one do:
The Washington times., 1908-08-30
Restrictions on VISITOR.

Under the new rules. visitors are
not allowed 10 embrace, touch, or kiss
the lepers, but may visit and converse
with them at any time separated BY a
double wire fence
Egypt is considered the cradle Of
leprosy. and it has existed there since
quite ancient times. It has existed in
India at least 5000 years. Leprosy was
described by a writer In China 1000
The Washington times., 1908-08-30

= TALKED to this unfortunate man
as he stood in the doorway of mis-
4 little tent. down by the Eastern
Branch OF The Potomac. Those
who have heard the sound 81 tnc ,eo-
ers voice, have seen that knot,ed
forehead. have watched that nervous
clutchinE Of the tent flaps. and have
uuCasily and yet pityingI5 looked at
the distraught man as re paced liked
wounded animal up /, ad down the
floor of hiss narrow prison. will never
forget the scene
There is nothing but humility on
Early : face. II draws one 10 him and
you fa.3-gould go and put your arms
about &c deserted oue-h,,t you dare
not
He = ''unclean.
And 50 you begin l. talk. To try TO
understand how he bears up under
II all Ills then that you get an in
sight into the Ieper's soul and YOU
learn Of the peace Of whicl. there is no
understanding.
4 am a Christian" said the doomed
man. and that is why I can hear
with forutude the fate that has over
taken me today. Three years ago T
was converted in a little church in
Plattsburg, y. Y. but the John Earlv
OF those days never dreamed that the
grace he found then would stand John
The Washington times., 1908-08-30
Marks OF Disease.

Slowly. steadily. with horrible GER
tainty, the disease spread. after q
while bleaching their heads white.
The Washington times., 1908-08-30
Paae Three

(Continued =. EEoarth PaEs.l
The Estancia news. [volume] (Estancia, Torrance County, N.M.) 1904-1912, 1908-08-28
Bond Will MOv6

Among the changes in the
business houses to be chronicled
this week, is the contemplated
removal Of the Bond store, across
the street about the middle of
September or first of October.
Mr.. Bond will remodel the build
ing he has used as a warehouse,
and remove his stock of general
into the same. New
Warerooms will be constructed,
plenty Of floor space,
practically under one roof.
The store room vacated by Mr..
Bond, will be occupied by a new
drug store to be opened by a
company composed of DR.. E. G..
Boyd, DR.. R, A. Johnson and
Ira Duensing
The Estancia news. [volume] (Estancia, Torrance County, N.M.) 1904-1912, 1908-08-28
COUNTY JRIL,
IS BUILDING
ontract Let Last Saturday to
Bush & Stanford by
Commissioners

in last Saturday the county
mmissioners let the contract
-vf a county Jail to be built at Es-
tancia, Bush & Stanford being
the successful bidders, the sue
cessful bid being $1695. The build
ing is to be brick, 34x34 ct with
walls fourteen and a half feet
high, ceiling to be of metal, and
shingle rooted. Work has already
)een commenced on the structure,
and will be rushed to completion.
Torrance county has never had
a jail Of any kind, the prisoners
having been sent to other counties
for safe keeping or guarded
them in homes. Some months
ago, citizens Of Estancia contribu-
ted a small amount and put up a
wooden affair, which was used as
a calaboose for a while, but this
was destroyed by fire,
The Estancia news. [volume] (Estancia, Torrance County, N.M.) 1904-1912, 1908-08-28
MOridrty Store
Changes Hands

An important business change
for the people Of Moriarty and
vicinity is the purchase of the
general store of L. A. Bond at
that place by Arthur Milby, the
past week, who will take charge
of the business about the first of
September. Mr.. Milby has been
a resident Of Moriarty for more
than five years and has built up
the business of the Hughes Mer-
camille Company, formerly own
ed by the Dunlavy Mercantile
Company, from its very incipi-
ency to its present gigantic pro-
portions. A few weeks ago he
left the employ of this company
and is now launching into bust
ness for himself. He is a care
full business man, a shrewd buyer
and accommodating salesman, hav-
ing spent most Of his life behind
the counter. Having lived at
Moriarty since the arrival of the
first Of the homeseekers, he is
acquainted not only with the
nestors Of that vicinity, but with
the more recent comers as well,
an acquaintance which can and
will greatly assist him in build
ing up a good business. Having
been intimately acquainted with
him the past ten years, we cheer
fully recommend him to the peo-
pie as man of unquestioned
business ability and integrity.
Success to you, Arthur.
The Estancia news. [volume] (Estancia, Torrance County, N.M.) 1904-1912, 1908-08-28
MOl)NTAINAIR CHAUTAUQUA
INTERESTS LARGE CROWDS

The first Mountainair Chautau-
qua is now a matter Of history,
and even the promoters them
selves were more than surprised
at the successful termination,
The attendance has been all that
could have been expected, the
program interesting and instruc-
tive, and the guests more than
pleased with the treatment ac-
corded them at the Ozone City.
Several have been heard to re-
mark that the program fully equ-
aled that offered by many of the
older Chautauquas in the states
Some of the best speakers in
the territory took part in the pro-
gram, and added laurals to theil
past fame. Prof. J. E. Clark
superintendent of Public Instruc.
ten, spoke along educationa
lines. Prof. C, E. Hodgin tolc
THE Story of the Stars, Presi
dent w. E. Garrison of the Agri
cultural College, spoke of the
American Boy. The Dixie lee
ture by DR.. H. M. Perkins, Sc
delighted the audiences that ht
was compelled to repeat it. Prof
c. H, Bagley gave several of hi.
The Estancia news. [volume] (Estancia, Torrance County, N.M.) 1904-1912, 1908-08-28

A number of our farmers are
vieing with each other as to who
has produced the best crops, and
it is no easy matter for any one
to decide who has the best, for it
is all so good, that it were better
to say it is all best" Last Sat
urday James Wood, who lives
southeast of town, in the newly
created school district of Chavez,
brought US in a mess of roasting
ears. The dozen averaged almost
twelve inches in length. On We'd
nesday, Ridge Whitlock brought
in a sample ear of corn, fourteen
inches long. This was grown by
O. H. Scott, on his claim west of
town.
R. 0. Whitlock brought in a
plant of millet, four feet six inch
es in height, There are twenty
eight stems or stalks to the plant,