The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1909-04-08

UPTON. Mass. April S.-Mrs. EN-
ma Thomas pointed with trembling
finger TO the chapter In the Book OF
Ruth, as she stood recently before the
Massachusetts, State Board OF Char
tiles making the strangest plea ever
heard before that body-or any SINH
lar body.
Mrs. Thomas was begging that she
be allowed TO leave the world OF liv-
Ing men. and go TO living death in
Massachusetts, leper colony on lonely
Penikese island.
Mrs. Thomas is not leper She Is
strong and In good health. She knows
that once on the island she can never
| return. She knows she goes to a tomb.
That II she ever leaves the island the
world will cry. "Unclean, unclean.'
and fee from her like an accursed
thing.
Yet she pleaded with the state Off.
cials. who heard her gravely.
You see, it's the boy" she sobbed.
MY son, you know. You've taken
him from me, and put him there. He
liz the only interest l have In the
world. just want to be with him and
help him."
And in the end the board granted
the permission. Mrs. Thomas was
officially appointed attendant to all
the 10 lepers In the colony.
Mrs. ThomaE knows what leprosy
Is. She knows that sooner or later she
will become afflicted. she knows the
dread horror of the disease, how Il
multilates and eats up the body. kill
ing it's victims inch by incn
But mother love Is greater than all
else. She goes to the island gladly.
To her IL isn't sacrifice-merely an
opportunity OF service-of doing one
more thing for the bright sb boy she
brought into the world.
For 17.year-old James Archibold
Thomas. the son. is a bright boy ami
his coming was hailed with pleasure
by the other lepers.
james, always a leader in his
studies, became interested two years
ago In wireless telegraphy. and is now
a proficient operator. He built his
own station at Upton, Mass, his old
home. His playmates there have
raised a fund TO send the apparatus
to him at the leper island. so that he
can continue his experiments,
Penikese island Ia q lonely desolate
place. The waves from the ocean
sweep the coast, and the winds roar
over II In time Of storm. Often In
winter the little packet which brings
mail and provisions to the colony Is
unable to make the trip.
With Jimmy Thomas Il member OF
the colony, Renikese island will keep
in touch with the world The boy
lepers signals will fash across the
ocean. and up and down the coast.
The news of the world will be caught
on his key, and given to the other
colonists.
To Mrs. Thomas the sentence Of
her son to the lepers' colony two
weeks ago was the more terrible in
that II laid bare an old wound, yet
at the same time, 1t was something OF
relief.
For her husband, the boys father,
died Of leprosy eight years ago. over
the son hung all the time since "a
mothers devouring fear that he might
have the germs Of 1t In his body
fear she could not share with anyone,
but which never left her day or night
Every morning she looked into the
boys face for some sign that the
Black Death had laid its hand on him
during the night Though thousand
times treasured, she always dreaded
the morrow. With the doctors order
she knew the worst.
The father, a sailor. contracted the
disease In the Barbados. He was on
his way to this country when 1t was
discovered. The father was turned
back and sent away to die. The fam
lily came on. The parting was terri
BILE thing.
You must stay with the boy" the
man told the woman. 1T Is your duty.
He must take my place.
The immigration officials forced the
two apart. lest the woman be affecte1
nv the disease. But every word OF
her husbands farewell words chung to
her memory.
She was thinking OF them still when
she pleaded her case before the state
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