Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1911-03-29

knew to be a living death.
la Shadows were gathering
over all the Sandwich ISL
ands, and in the healthy sec.
lions the white laborers, men and
women, and the native clean" were
strolling in groups about the pleasant
places when this man pushed forward
and buried himself and his past In the
plague-stricken island Of Molokai. One
called a martyr received him with
open arms and showed him one of the
fields. The guide was the peasant Bel
CLAN priest. Father Damien, the novice.
Ira B. Dutton. Yankee, born In Yer
mont sixty-eight years ago. q college
graduate. civil war veteran. retired
with the rank Of captain; in his day
lover Of worldly pleasures and adj
judged TO beia connoiseur of what was
proper In the matter Of smart clothes;
later i convert to the Catholic faith.
Dutton had experienced the horrors Of
civil war. He did not shudder. there
fore, when Father Damien showed him
the incurable parts Of humanity. From
that day forward Capt. Dutton became
Brother Joseph. assuming q name that
had been given to him when he enter.
ed the Trappist Monastery at Gethsem-
ane. KY.
Succeeded Father Damien.
Three years afterward Father Da.
mien died, as he had expected. OF the
disease with which his parishioners
were afflicted. Brother Joseph was
named his executor, and, as he had
desired, succeeded his superior and CO.
laborer In the field. From the mo.
ment he put his foot on the island sun.
til now he has not quit 1t, nor does he
expect to. Experts declare that he
must eventually become infected.
The actual causes that led to Capt.
Dutton's Remuneration OF the world viii
probably never be known. One ac-
count has 1t that domestic grief and
sudden consciousness that he was
not leading Christian life were the
impelling motives. That between his
thirty-ffth and fortieth year Capt.
Dutton became, as It were, man
clothed with new thoughts, new. de.
sires, and that he buried another man
In him Is fact And that much this
lay apostle Of the lepers candidly
acknowledges.
He was born at stoye, Vt, In 1913,
and his Boyhood was passed IN James.
Vile. Wis. At nine he was employed
In the ONCE Of q local newspaper. AT
eighteen he enlisted In the Thirteentt,
Wisconsin Infantry. At the close Of
the war he1wa mustered out with the
rank Of captain. Old comrades have
frequently urged him to apply for a
pension, and since his self.exile on
Molokai the United States government
has taken the friendly position that 1t
awaits the application Of the old sol.
der. Brother Joseph answers that he
gave his young years for love Of his
country and that he has offered his
early manhood and the evening Of his
life to his fellowmen.
Brother Joseph beellnss Pension.
1.-THE United States government" he
wrote friend, has. treated me 40
we'll that / would be ashamed to &C
cept 9 pension. The government does
not owe me anything. On the contrary,
feel so much indebted to my country
that the giving Of my life, If really
needed In Just cause, would requite
only In measure"
During the eight years immediate.
" following the close Of the war Cant.
button was an employee Of the war de.
partment, adjusting claims against the
federal government. He was vel.
come visitor in the best homes Of the
south IN those days, and reputed to be
careful and practical student of the
art OF correct attire. Then one day he
was seized with the desire to build a
{ barrier between himself and the
world he loved 80 WE'LL It was not an
easy task, 1t may be surmised, for
soldier to PROSTATE himself before the
abbot of the most severe religious
body In the Catholic church. He was
received into the Catholic church.
Then he Journeyed to Gethsemane and
found seclusion in the monastery for
a year and half and decided that he
was intended for that manner Of life.
His Fervency and Zeal.
T had a feeling" he told his friends.
that wanted to be in touch with hui
man sufferings, to- be active In the re.
lief of those of my fellow-beings who
were afflicted. yet SO as not TO bring
me in direct contact with the outside
world"
From the monastery Brother Joseph
went to the convent of the Redemption
list Fathers in New Orleans, where he
passed many days in prayer. One day.
in the recreation room. he came across
magazine describing the life of Faith
er Damien. He went to the library