The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-05-02

Cheerfulness in the Face of Incurable
Disease That Pervades Lonely
Islet in Buzzards Bay

State cannot AFFORD to supply. An
things that apparently never fail IA
please the most tried feminine hear,
We were on our way 10 see Iva N.
most remarkable member " the l,,.l.
colony. We entered the cottage ana
stood together In the middle o, IN.
room. Iva was leaning agairs, N.
table in front Of us. He was shor, ana
light OF build and bundled UP in .
great coat with white cloth tea
around his waist.
The cottage was built FOR two. bit
Iva preferred to live alone. Behinh
me was highly ornamental Mira
perch with Japanese pictures painted
on II. In the window hung a yellow
canary and in another cage was b.,
gaudy parrot. once the property Of
Isabelle Barros.
Iva had beer reading O Japan.s
newspaper and tho doctor told us n.
had done wood carving for Mira Jach
Gardner He Is unable 10 do such
work now and ne has given him-f up
to his birds. He had caught ana
tanned q crow and tho BIRD had died
Then he found a bittern. a wa so
fowl. and II stayed with him t1
weekA Finally It few off aad wa
gone ak or seven days.
Iya felt tho ioss bitterly. bu IN
bird came back. In the end II dr.
appeared for good. Or. Parker think
storm blew Il out OF Ste course I
had newer heard of any ono who coun
exert such influence over a ,ird o, tn
sea a. Iva poesesses. After this In
turned 10 tbs parrot that has -u,.
vived one master and Will soon out.
live another.
Iva led US into his inner room. On
q table AZ the SIDE OF tho room Ne
had erected a ittlc shrine. An ebony
Buddha, fanked on either hand "
picture post cards, sat on a little h!cck
OF wood and at his feet wns pG.
Of copper coins.
Tho cottage had four roomA an an.
pie pantry and a modern bathroom
Il was heated by two big stoves and
lighted by electricity. 1ya opened ne
door that We nigh, see his bedroom
II was hight and airy and he had Z
big comfortable he'd.
don't think the lepers at Pen.kesv
miss much of the outside world III.
cepting only Iva l don't b-reve tA-y
ever cav much of (, when they vera
we'll. They are not people With ts
Intelligence to understand all ina,
they have loet and 30 far as cornscr
goes they are far better off thar
they ever have been before
With Iva think Il IL different He
has seen more and known moro than
the rest. They are all brave, rhese
lepers. but I think Iva Is the braves
and the most pathetic Of the colony
We said gocd-oy to him and sought
the fresh air outside. rose NrnA
was carefully trained UP tho s1de NJ
tho house. Dr.. Parker pointed %.
lya's chrysanthem,m ocds and n.
sheltered yard whore ne raises hs
bulbs. Our party walked on past n.
garden plots and climbed the hn'stta
On the crest We looke, back Ct the
leper cottage.
Iva bad como TO cne door vseh ths
yellow and green perrot On his sOouA
der. He was IN the hsha Of tn nnk.
Ing sun. the very dranmess Of hi
costume accumulated BY tho hartas
coiors OF the bird The parrot va.
csckling sayfy and Iva WIS laugh,us
wheezily, shrilly IN return. He Wa
still standing there strok!ns his par
rot when We lost the cottage behind
the hill. II was a strange picture that
a great artist might have suggested 81
canvas. II was a some none q, 10
Will ever forget and 1 FOR my par
have no desire 70. II Was the noe,
wonderful. the most gripping o. al
the things I saw az Penikese