Mrs. Grundy. (Tracy City, Tenn.) 1903-1930, 1911-03-30
How a Yankee Soldier Turned from
the Gay Life Of Washington
to Immune Himself Among
the Lepers.

~
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 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, college
graduate, civil war veteran, retired
with the rank OF captain; In his day
lover Of worldly pleasures and ad-
Judged to be connoiseur Of what was
proper in the matter OF smart clothes;
later a 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 a name that
had been given to him when he enter
ed the rrappist 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 Pensioners
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 un.
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
buttons Pronunciation Of the world will
probably never be known. One &C
count has It that domestic grief anC
q sudden consciousness that he wa.
not leading a Christian life were the
fmpeliing motives. That between his
thirty-fifth and fortieth year Capt
button became. as It were, mar
clothed with new thoughts, new de
sires, and that he buried another mar
in him is fact. And that much thi.
lay apostle of the lepers candidly
acknowledges
He was born at Stowe. Vt, in 1843
md his boyhood was passed in James
lie, Wis. At nine he was employed
in the Office OF local newspaper. A.
eighteen he enlisted in the Thirteenth
Wisconsin Infantry At the close O
the war he was mustered out with tn,
rank OF captain. Old comrades hav,
frequently urged him to apply for
pension, and since his self-exile oil
Molokai the United States government
has taken the friendly position that |
awaits the application of the old sol
dier. Brother Joseph answers that b,
gave his young years for love of hi
country and that he has offered hi
early manhood and the evening OF hi
life to his fellowmen.
Brother Joseph Declines Pension.
THE United States government" h
wrote friend, has treated me g.
well that ! would be ashamed to &C
cept pension. The government doe
not owe me anything. On the contrary
/ feel so much indebted to my countr
that the giving of my life. If reall
needed in a Just cause, would requit
only in a measure"
During the eight years immediate
ly following the close of the war Cap
Dutton was an employee of the war de
partment. adjusting claims against tn
federal government. He was a we
come visitor in the best homes OF tn
south in those days, and reputed to b
careful and practical student of tn
art OF correct attire. Then one day h
was seized with the desire to build
barrier between himself and tn
world he loved so we'll 1t was not a
easy task. 1t may be surmised, for
soldier to PROSTATE himself before tn
abbot of the most severe religion
body in the Catholic church He wa
received into the Catholic church
Then he journeyed to Gethsemane an
found seclusion In the monastery TO
year and half and decided that h
was intended for that manner of life
His Ferveney and Zeal.
Il had a feeling" he told his friends
shat | wanted to be in touch with hl
man sufferings. to be active In the re
lief of those of my fellow-beings VIII
were afflicted. yet so as not to brin
me III direct contact with the outsid
world
From the monastery Brother Josep
went to the convent of the Redemptol
list Fathers in New Orleans, where h
passed many days In prayer One da,
in the recreation room, he came acros
magazine describing the life of Fati
er Damien, He went to the librar