The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1909-05-04
PATHETIC ENDING OF EXTRA.
ORDINARY ROMANCE ON
DREARY MOLOKAI.
Remuneration of World for Certain
Death Shows Sacrifices Woman
Will Make For Love.
Scutdrd,

SAN FRANCISCO. May 4.-(SpeciaD
Nellie is dead!"
These three simple words, received
only the other day by cable from the
lonely, dreary isle of Molokai, in the
Pacific, where the lepers live serve as
the brief obituary of an American rO-
nance unparalleled perhaps in modern
love stories. And a lonely grave some
where among the Pacific islands COM
petely covers a really noble heart, and
marks fms to an act of supreme renun
citation.
When in the late summer of 1906 Miss
Nellie Mandara White, a niece OF ex-
Secretary of the Navy and Ex-Governor
of Massachusetts John d. Long and an
heiress to millions, married DR.. Wal
ter r. Brinkerhoff, of Honolulu, to say
that society in the several cities was
Mortified is to put it mildly. Not at her
marriage with the daring young path
ologist, mind you, but because, to live
with and be always near the man she
loved, she had decided to renounce all
the comforts amid which she had been
brought up all her kindred, all her
friends all the mere joys of existence.
He had determined in the enthusiasm
of his calling to devote his life and his
work to the cure if possible, if not, to
the care of the lepers of Molokai.
Rather than be separated from him,
she had determined that her place was
| by his side. They saw that when her
family bade her their farewells, it
was like goodbyes at grave. Society
declared grimly, TT is almost like fall
ing in love with Death ITSELF" And so
it was.
For two years and a half her life and
his have been spent on that unspeak-
ably wretched rock. 1t was a dismal
spot for a honeymoon, Molokai, was it
not? And she travelled 5000 miles to
meet her lover.
No details of her death have come
yet to exc out the simple cable. One
does not need these facts. 1t must
have been a gloomy enough existence
for this gently nurtured girl, yet she
was never heard to complain, never to
Whimper at any of her everyday prkya-
tions. Her husbands love covered her
like a great coat. She sank her whole
life into his ambition. -
She died a simple martyr for the
love of her husband and those dead
in-life creatures that haunt the island
They fairly worshipped her.. And now
they have lost their Angel of Light, as
they called her. s
All this time she, has been perfectly
contented in this, forsaken abomination
of desolationas Assisting her husband
in his laboratories and his cultures,
visiting, comforting. nursing, disinfect-
ing, burying-one drab day like this
passed just HE the one before it.
One may imagine in the faintest de-
gree. perhaps, just one discomfort. of
this existence which was all discomfort |
Whenever this bride of the leper doc
tor had occasion to mix with his peo-
pie, which was almost every day, she
had to smear herself-her entire face
and body-with a sticky, foui-smelling
ointment and even her hands Yet, in
spite of this nauseating smear and all
other safeguards of science, she had
always before her vision the dread that
she or he would next fall victim to |
the scourge. 1t was a romance and a |
noble one, but deeply pathetic |
During the spring before they were
married DR.. Brinckerhoff had made a |
journey to the Hawaiian Islands on the |
most doleful. ioathesome mission that
the United States government ever |
sent a man-to take charge of the |
leper colony of Molokai Island. 1t
was here that Father Derneih sacri-1
feed his life after nineteen years of |
ministering to the lepers.
Yet young DR.. Brinckerhoff. of Har- |
ward. willingly. eagerly accepted the |
governments call for man who would |
dare to enter this plague spot and try
to find remedy for this unconauered