Omaha daily bee., 1909-07-06
Two VICTIMS OF A SCOURCE
Cruel Decree Of Fate Met with He.
roic Fortitude.
wIFE's DEVOTION TO HUSBAND
The Case of Supposed LeprOsy Near
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. and wife
Are Isolated from the
World.

At the foot Of the grassy hill flow the
silent tides OF the river. over the brow
like a white jewel casket in the distance.
CLEANS the dome of the nations capitol.
Against the hillside rests a brick armhous
with a white porch-vine-hung, cool, home
like. 1t is such a refuge as often your mind
and mine have pictured from the whirring
drive of city life; and here, as the last
fulfillment of our day-dream. lives a ma
donna, an American madonna, her hear
consecrated in an unquestioning Christian
faith to a manly husband and two little
sons.
But this retreat, now that we have found
IT, is no earthly paradise. 1t is a prison.
No one here has done any great wrong. Nc
one here has coveted, or harbored hatred
or ought human life. In this place that
might so easily be redolent of the very
spirit of home, this young girl, this ma.
donna, has not only been brought to send
away her two babes, but has looked or
while the hands of the government NOR
tared and bricked her husband beyt6n her
reach.
Wall Divides the House.
A dead wall divides the house. On this
side the woman must live and find whal
JOY she can. On that the husband must live
his life. The two, hearing each other speak
singing apart the hymns that once they
sang hand in hand, sharing the parent.
love of two little boys, must now conten
their hearts with such a reaching out as
brick and lime cannot repulse. We have moi
come upon a placid contentment here be.
side the river. We have come upon a tag.
edy-a lowering, shadowing traSedyShat
has first been pierced and then finally
frightened by the hopefulness of a woman
For half a year in this farmhouse have
dwelt John Early and his little girl wife
We have heard much of the man in tina
time-how he came to Washington D press
his claim for a pension; how there was
then fastened upon him the faint Of leprosy
that dread scourge which the chosen people
carried with them out of Egypt; how, since
that time he has been hedged away from
his kind; how, lately, he has had held out
to him and then snatched away the pros.
pect that he might be set free without al.
faint. But we ave heard little Of his wife
This article Is written in belief that she
has as great a claim upon our hearts a,
he. There Is in 1t, also, an earnest desire
that so much of the wife's brave hopeful
ness as can be caught in the hardness OF
a newspaper page, may reach the reader
and hearten him as the nearer understand,
ing of it has reach and inspired the writer
Romance of the Home.
The way to this house on the hillside
near Washington, has been less thar
twenty-five years long. 1t began In Piatts,
burg, up in New York. ran then to Boston
then to two cities in interior New York
then to North Carolina, and now has LED
to Washington. 1t has been filled, as mos
of our ways are filled, with happiness AM
suffering. AS a motto says from the wal
Of Mrs. Early's room, God is good. Trus
Him" 1t is not His way. to make any lIft
all burden carrying and He has given ever
this one OF His children periods Of reyIv
ing rest.
Her home In Plattsburg reflected ratheI
a brothers influence than a fathers. Thi,
woman was less than four years old wher
her father died-a decorator and f~rescoer
a good citizen, a devout Methodist, a work
man proud of his skill. A son had become 1
preacher OF the parents faith. A daughter
had become a school teacher. These two
with the mother, made the home Of this
little sister. .
II Is pleasant to think what this child
had become about three years ago. Nc
great painter would have included her, II
may be, in his dream Of fair women. But
she must have been comely and winning
nevertheless. Her figure was almost
petite-she had never weighed 100 pounds
She had that air OF earnestness, OF
feminine aspiration, of buoyant, laughing
g~irlishness that nc church of Christian
Endeavor society has ever yet subdued
altogether, and which every man among
us recalls wisttully as he thinks OF thos,
who have waited upon him from behint
the counters Of church festivals. Her face
though long from brow to chin, must have
had a sweet and pretty seriousness then a,
now. and her dark eyes. set deep II
shadow may we'll have frightened COINS
TO church. for many a boy before Johr
Early was converted.
Came in Soldiers Garb.
The man of her life came into it in q
soldiers uniform. He was serving In ths
fort at Plattsburg. The experience of a
Methodist conversion was his. IT miRht
almost count myself" he said to me. the
chief OF sinners like Paul. drank !
smoked, l loved worldly things" Out Of
this he heard the call. Like Samuel he
made answer: Speak Lord, for this ser
want heareth." and he has ever had from
that day a faith that the Lord Is stron
10 help him even as At MiEpeh He helpe
samuel by laundering with a great thunde
upon the Philistines.
Thnee things happened In quick success
SION AT about this time, Early was honor
Aoiy discharged from the service; IN
young girls brother was forced by a wea
'hroe' 10 give up the ministry for a tim
ana opened a shoe store in Boston. Earl
oeeahe a clerk In that store. The for,
shauo"lns OF that employment was r,
sh]eo on thanksgiving day. 1905, whe
E4ry ana the sister OF his employer wer
married IN Winchester, Mass nv Pc,
| Vincent -.