The Coolidge examiner., 1932-07-15

word that went around. Magniti-
cent. The sensation of tomorrow.
Watch.
Well, this is what happened, and
curiously enough on the very day
that Aline was cast to go into re-
hearsal to sing Butterfly in a gala
performance.
On that very day, Blau received
his commission TO go to Pacific
island directly south of Manila for
a first-hand study of leprosy in a
colony of those afflicted with it.
And if you think there was ever
even any conflict in Aline about it,
you are wrong. Whatever of hest
fancy, trepidation, compunction
Blau himself may have had about
it, was swept away by the quality
Of her eXuberance.
In vain he expOstulated that, In
any event, her career must not be
interfered with. Then, since the
idea Of his ignoring this great op-
portunity TO perfect his work was
repugnant to her and started her off
into an actual hysteria Of tears, his
suggestion was that he go alone.
That, too, reduced her to even
stOrmier hysteria.
In vain her friends, advisors, ad-
mirers, teachers, patrons Joined
with Blau in remonstrance. On the
eve of her Butterfly. On the eve of
her success! Madness {!
But never for moment did Aline
falter. Her decision was fixed and
clear In her mind. 1t never fall
tered. 1t never wavered.
Two weeks before she was to
have sung the coveted role of But
terfy in the largest opera house in
the world, Mr.. and Mrs. Blau put
foot on a small, one-class steamer
bound for Manila.
Five weeks later, two rather be-
wildered young people took up
abode in a bamboo bungalow half a
mile removed from a government
leper reservation.
Hot rains came down their first
FIVE weeks there, and made rancid,
steaming hades of the place. In
sects swarmed through the nights
and the long, motionless days
sapped vitality.
All day, changing his clothes and
securing with disinfectants before
he came home evenings, Blau
worked at the colony. Aline's sole
companions were her two Hawaiian
servants and the pretty and home
sick young wife of one of the Eng
lish physicians also engaged in lab
oratory work.
The first year, 1t sometimes
seemed TO Aline that she would 20
stark, raving mad. Often. just to
walk to the colony and stand out
side the railing watching the
wretched people inside go about
their duties, was a pastime.
Blau, worshiplng her for the quail
ity Of her character and the quality
OF her sacrifice, did all in his power
to make less tedious and less har-
rowing the slow passing Of the days,
but once there, his heart famed
with his passion for his work. Life
was a vibrant, significant search
after truth.
After six years at the colony, one
steamlng foetid night Blau came
home staggering, trembling, almost
crying from the oyer-wrought
nerves resulting from thirty-eight
consecutive hours spent in his, lab
oratory.
Blau had won't
The final test had been given to
the efficacy Of his leprosy treatment
Blau had won.
Aline. by this time little fat
gray-haired and with her singing
voice a dead thing in her throat
met him at the door so that virtu-
ally he fell into her arms, halt
fainting.
Blau had won.
There are those who still regard
Aline pityingly, as a woman who
threw away her life.
Aline, who lives very happily with
Blau and their five children in a
small pretty house near Johns Hop
kins university where Blau Is the
head Of one Of the great research
departments, feels that the secret
of life is within her hands.
She feels that part of Blau's great
discovery for the alienation of the
suffering of mankind IS hers.
Blau, who kisses her hands some
times with a reverence that is
dampened with his tears, feels that
practically all of his great discov-
arx, &c hnyc