The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1915-02-24
WILL LIVE As A
[EPERNURSE N
SONS MEMORY
Mother Says She Will Stay
Because Son Is Buried
There.
LEARNS 10 LOVE OTHERS
SAYS SHE WILL REMAIN AND DO
WHAT SHE CAN FOR
THEM.
LEARNS TO love Others

BOSTON, Feb. 24.-standing by the
open grave %into which the body OF
her only son was being lowered, and
gazing at. the ten iepers who, with
their attendants. stood sile1tly by the
mound. Mrs. Emma Thomas, who had
been the lads sole attendant In the
leper colony on Penikese Island. in
Buzzards Bay, said: .5sgal..
II have given many years OF my life
to caring for my boy, and have
grown to love the others who are az
flicted as was he. shall remain here
and do what can to help the others.
And when die. all ask is that I
may be laid beside my son."
Archie Thomas had Just passed his
twenty.tirst birthday. Though he had
been afflicted with the terrible dis.
ease for many years, his death was
the result of pneumonia. With a
spirit SO indomitable that 1t had
raised his shoulder and head over
those similarly afflicted, he had re.
fused to believe lie was in any dan.
ger until 1t was too late.
Bond Of Suffering Strong.
III as they were, the others who
had passed such lonely years had in.
sisted on attending the funeral--ex-
cept two. who were too feeble to
leave their tents. For the lad was
loved almost as much as his mother
was revered.
Archie was born in the Barbados
Islands. He and his mother years
ago came to Upton. Mass, where he
entered the High school. He was at
the head OF his class for several
terms: then he became Ill. HIS case
puzzled, physicians and he was
brought to the Massachusetts General
Hospital. 1t was found he had lep.
rosy, and he was condemned to pass
the rest OF his life on lonely Peni.
kese Island.
Although friends endeavc-ed to
dissuade her Mrs Thomas ASSISTED
on accompanying him and died. Per.
haps 1t was her presence that kept
firm his ambition and did not permit
him to relapse into hopelessness.
But the boy had grit. In some way
he obtained a typewriter and 1t was
not long before he could use It with
great expertness.
Then he read OF wireless teleg.
raphy and his spirit. more Justly than
his frail body, was stirred anew. He
received some literature, he studied
faithfully and then sent out many
letters typed with his shrivelled fin.
gers.
Forced Outside Recognition.
These brought him crude wireless
apparatus, but It was enough for him.
With It be practiced until some OF
these he had interested at first in
quired about him. Then came one
OF the finest OF wireless outfits and
Archie was supremely happy. So was
his mother. His call was we'll known.
but, 10 more effect. he caught the
news flying through the blue to a
station on Cape Cod. and the decrepit
lepers often had the news of the
world at their breakfast table.
Again his friends exerted them.
selves in his behalf. His greatest am
bition was to have a license as an op.
orator. They saw that he was put
through an examination; he passed
1t with flying colors, and last year he
was the proudest young man on earth
when the navy department sent to
him its Autographed license.
And his fellows on the island, griev-
Ing over his death aud sorrowing for
his mother. are sad also because they
no more will be in touch with the out
side world.