davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Morgan County Democrat. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1886-1943, 1938-12-29

the region revealed in her Wis
ion. She describes the location
of her home, Sunny Crest Cot
tage, as follows: MY home is
on the crest of the range which
forms the western boundary of
the valley, or the left side of
the picture frame. And the pic
ture! A rich and beautiful valley
containing about si. square
miles lies more than 1000 feet
below my lovely retreat and is
dotted with villages. In its
center, situated on prominent
eminences, are the mission build
ings of the Methodist Episcopal
Church."
The meeting at which Miss
Reed told the lepers at Chandag
of her own affliction was pa
thetic and dramatic occasion.
Her biographer said: This an
nouncement deeply affected
them, and tears coursed down
many cheeks as they realized
the suffering and self-sacrifice
of their new friend"
DLUNGING into her work with
= enthusiasm, she quickly
transformed the leper asylum
into q better institution. What
was a mere. collection Of huts
and stables, she changed to an
attractive and sanitary village
Of substantial houses.
She increased the number Of
patients from 81 to SO. To &C.
colnplish thisS she purchased two
pisces q land, arranged the
building contracts, and SUPER
viDed the worlkmen.
Morgan County Democrat. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1886-1943, 1938-12-29

an 18-year-old high-caste Brafl-
man, had been turned out of his
home because he suffered from
leprosy. After begging for
months he went to Miss Reeds
asylum at Chandag. She wrote
that, although he did not at first
wish to become Christian,
'The truth soon found its way
to his heart, and his was one OF
the brightest, clearest conver-
sions I have witnessed at Chan
dag"
TN 1906 Miss Reed returned to
= America. Some residents of
Lowell and Crooked Tree re-
member today that there was
some alarm among the people
of those villages at the thought
of meeting a leper. But two
specialists in London declared
that her disease had "come to a
complete standstill." She spent
a happy month among her rela-
tives in Ohio before returning to
India. .
During the World war her
work was difficult. Many of her
school boys and staff members
engaged in war service. Miss
Reed had their tasks in addition
to her own. In 1915 there was
a cholera epidemic in the dis
trict. In the next year crops
failed and supplies were scarce.
When honors were bestowed at
the end of the war. Mary Reed
was given the Kaisar-i-Hind
gold medal for distinguished
public service.
MARY REED has now spent a
- total of 54 years in mis-
sionary service in India. AL
though her strength will not
permit Eer to perform difficult
tasks, she still takes a deep in
terest in the work of the asy-
lum. She has always been fond
of music, and an organ pre-
sented by an admiring friend
gives her great satisfaction.
In her small pine-paneled sit
ting room are bookcases filled
with modern books selected with
discrimination. She still writes
letters, interviews the officials
and teachers. and circulates lit
erature. For several years
friends and admirers have re-
rlembered her at Christmas time
with cards and presents of
flower seeds. AS these seeds
grow and blossom, the slopes
around Sunny Crest cottage
glow with lovely colors.
In England q biography Of
Mary Reed with 135 pages has
reached the fifteenth edition.
Few people near her birthplace
IN Washington county have ever
heard Of her. This lack Of honor
to Mary Reed in her own cosin-
Try IS due partly to her long ab- !.
sehc@ and partly to her own \
ntodesty. She R6s always nv
fused permission Tor any praise
Of herself.
Morgan County Democrat. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1886-1943, 1938-12-29

and feet. Yet the knowledge of
this misery in store for her was
no Encouragement. =,
ON HER way back to India,
- specialists in tropical dis
eases in New York and London
diagnosed the disease as leprosy.
BY this time a spot had ap-
peared on her cheek near the
ear. It is recorded that one of
the physicians in London, when
he realized what the symptoms
were, covered his tear-filled eyes
with his hands.
Before leaving England she
visited Canterbury. Did she
know that centuries ago many
lepers had approached the tomb
of the martyred Thomas A.
Beckett in Canterbury Cathedral
in hope of divine cure?
At the 1300-year-old church of
ST. Martin the guide pointed to
an opening in the thick wall and
said, THAT is the leper's squint."
Through this small opening the
lepers of centuries ago were
Morgan County Democrat. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1886-1943, 1938-12-29

Ing to the lepers Of India. In her
vision she saw the place at
which she was to.wcrik: She rec
o6nized It a. Pitlorae aearh, where
she had recovered from her first
illness to India.
With joyful heart she pre-
pared to answer the call. She
l1Jew that the victims Of her
d1ead disease had bcen outcasts|
thkpQeh The centuries. She knew
4 symptc c1o tl sxyect 1eyej. !
he04ing 6o1ee. endless pain, and
hnally ~ falling "a Of hands
Morgan County Democrat. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1886-1943, 1938-12-29

permitted to witness divine serv-
ice. Closer they were not per-
mitted to 60. II Mary Reed
needed any knowledge tok the
loathsomeness Of her disease, she
found it at. st. Martins. II her
conviction Of the need of the
lepers was weak. she found
strength there. ...,.
THE divine command was
i &G5nd te1 1a1Iy Reed m1hsSj
she went u work among the
lepers y G,andag Heishts in
Morgan County Democrat. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1886-1943, 1938-12-29

Foremost in her thoughts was
the spiritual, moral, anC medical
care of her patients. With her
own hands she dressed the
helpless ones.
While working faithfully and
heroically for the relief of others
her own symptoms increased. In
1892 she wrote to a friend: "The
disease made most decided prog
ress for six months after my
arrival at this mountain retreat,
and I suffered intense pain most
of the time. But I found His
grace sufficient. The end may
come, and that tomorrow, when
He has wrought His will in me-"
RUT she did not spare herself
because of her suffering. To
some friends she wrote: TN ad-
dition to my duties here in the
asylum, I now have six village
schools, three Sunday schools,
and six pupils in their homes in
the village. In order to reach
all the schools, must ride,
walk, and climb steps a total
distance of 40 miles, and super
intend the teaching Of 200 girls
and boys, as well as teach the
teachers how to teach"
While Miss Reed used all
known remedies for the relief
and cure of her patients, for her.
self she used no medicine. In the
belief that God had permitted
this disease to come to her, she
trusted Him entirely.
Within a few years she had
reason to believe that her faith
was justified and her prayers
answered. Her health improved
and the symptoms of leprosy
disappeared. She believed that
she was divinely healed.
In 1895 she wrote to friends:
"You will rejoice and praise God
with me that / am, to all out
ward appearances, 8 healed
woman! How loving, merciful,
and good God is! will need all
eternity to praise Him."
The remarkable nature of her
cure is apparent from the Re-
port of the Leprosy Commission
to India. While the scientific
authorities differed as to the
origin, contagion and heredity
of leprosy, all were unanimously
agreed as to its incurability.
ENCOURAGED by the renewal
Of her strength. Miss Reed
labored at her task. Failures
were mingled with successes in
her efforts to convert her pa
tients. In one Of her annual re-
ports she wrote: u am not priv
ileged to reckon up q balance Of
successes. No harvest songs have
I to sing this sewers songs are
tears" She spoke sadly,of ~tise
trials caused by sins, weakness
ard wickednese Of solIe of the 4
dock entrustGf' u her cGre \
At another time she reported
more cheerful news. Cauri DAFT.
Morgan County Democrat. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1886-1943, 1938-12-29

Since Mary Reed was born in
Lowell, Washington county.
Ohio, it is appropriate that this
state should be the center of
the program in her honor. Rev.
George c. Southweli, secretary
of the American Mission to
Lepers in Cleveland, will be the
principal speaker on the birth
day program at the Methodist
church at Lowell.
While recovering from an
operation in a Cincinnati hos
pital, after six years of service
as a missionary in india, Mary
Reed suffered from 4 mysterious
sore on the forefinger of her
right hand. All medical treat
ments were in vain. Then came
the revelation of the truth that
her disease was leprosy. In a
vision she saw the place to
which she was divinely called to
work.
A LTHOUGH her own modesty
has prevented her work
from becoming famous, Mary
Reed is recognized as the Prot
estant missionary to lepers who
deserves to rank with Father
Demien. The Catholic Church
honored this famous missionary
to the lepers by laying him to
rest among the other saints of
the church in Rome.
Those who are familiar with
her career say her achievements
and her philosophy of service
should raise her to the rank of a
Florence Nightingale in the an
mails Of healing.
Lowell, Ohio, the birthplace
of Mary Reed, is located in
Washington county, 10 miles up
the Muskingum river from Mari
eta. At the time of her birth
the village consisted of a couple
dozen houses that were built
when the lock and dam were
constructed in 1841. The settlers
ambitiously named their village
Lowell. They hoped that fac
tories would spring up to take
advantage of the water power
from the dam and that they
would rival in size the manufac-
turing city of Lowell, Mass.
RY THE time two or tb zee
- woolen and flour mills Start
ed at Lowell, the day of the
small factory was ended. At this
period German immigrants kept
the village growing by their
thrift and industry on the adj
joining farms. Lowell did not
become famous for great fac
tories, but for great men and
women.
In 1918, So years before the
brit of Mary Reed, Don Carlos
Buell. was born in Lowell. He
started up the ladder Of fame at
West Point Military Academy.
During the Civil war he was ap-
pointed major-general in COM
mand Of one Of the principal
Union armies
But the fame of LOwell's
greatest soldier, Major General
Buell.. b eclipssd " the fame II
the towns angel Of peace and
mese1 1fary RAed ss
~ ~ nv Il
TGfE HsSd tn ~ Loeell ~ y
! 6ne-6 III ! 1IonSe ~ txo
roogns at The corner of Fourth
end M ley IA B
lzE y childrsn. -
Morgan County Democrat. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1886-1943, 1938-12-29
By N. F. Schneider

4 AIRY REED rejoced when she afflicted with
Nv the loathsome disease of leprosy She glad
- because God had sent her the disease as a COM
and to work among the lepers in India Soon after she
obeyed this command, she divney and miracuously
healed Nationwide celebrations this month will observe
her 84h birthday and her 81 years of missionary service
The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-08-30
Originally Included
 In Woodbury, Town
 Was Set Apart In 1739
Most Prominent Early Settler Was F1ezekiah Hooker; Rev. Joseph Bellamy Was First Cleric, Serving
 Town 50 Years

ond twenty years later with some of the following votes recorded: That the church be sixty by forty-three feet and as high as ye meeting house in ye old society,"" "to digni- iy its pues and purchase a good de- cent bell and light ring rod. Also that the singers may sit all day in the gallery but that the men shall not infringe on the women's pues." !" The present church was erected in 1886.
 Christ church was organized in 1906, at the home of George F. Bloss of Carmel hill, and services were held in district school houses until the present brick edifice was erected in 1929. The brick were baked in a local kiln. %
 The Methodist church was orga- nized in 1856 and the building was completed in 1858. About 1920 the Methodist church and the Congre- gational church federated, and the Methodist church was razed.
 Dr. Bellamy organized one of the first theological seminaries in the country in Bethlehem in 1750, and for number of years female sem- mary was conducted in town.
 An event of historical interest was the great sickness which occurred in 1760. Thirty-four people suc- cumbed, five from the family of Dr. Hull.
 There were the usual small in- dustries conducted, such as wagon shop, grist mill, saw mills, and as late as 1900 the Bird family conduct ed woolen factory, converting the locally grown wool into cloth, part of which was sold to the Meriden school for boys. But sheep gradually disappeared from the hillsides and the shop was closed.
 Today the business of the town is almost wholly agriculture, with the production of milk for the fluid milk market by far the largest sim gle occupation.
 In 1922 the district schools were all closed and consolidated in one central school, and in 1927 the pres ent brick building was finished. The high school students are transported to Watertown high school.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-08-30
By WALTER P. LAKE

Bethlehem, one of the smaller towns of Connecticut. is situated in the southern part of Litchdeld county.
 The original grant was made in 1703, the land purchased from the Indians in ITO, but it was net until 1734 that the land was divided among the property owners, nearly one hundred years after the found- ing of the state. Perhaps the most prominent of the first settlers was Hezekiah Hooker, descendant of the famous Thomas Hooker of Hartford.
 Petitions were presented to the parent town of Woodbury for twin ter privileges" in 1738, and the town was set off as Bethlehem in 1739.
 Rev. Joseph Bellamy was the first pastor, serving for fifty years from 1740 to 1790. The first services were held in a barn near what is now known as Kasson corner The first church was erected in<1744, the sec-
The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-08-30

Weaving cloth by handloom is be- ing revived by women of Killinghall, England.
The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-08-30

Miss Rita Butler, secretary of the fair society, has one of the more arduous offices. Few people realize the extent of the records which must be maintained by every agri- cultural fair. The recording of en- tries alone is very much a large un- dertaking, with hundreds of entry tags required to be in readiness by the date of the fair. Within the several weeks immediately proceed ing the fair several thousand pieces of mail are sent out through the secretary's office, with hundreds of letters requiring a reply being one feature of the office. Miss Butler has been secretary of the society since its incorporation and also held the office when the organization was more directly under the sponsorship of Bethlehem grange. She is the second person to hold the office, Miss Ada Hunt having been secre- tary during the earlier years of the event.
The Coolidge examiner., 1938-12-29
International

Although U. S.-British sympathies
in the Chinese-Jap war have al
ways been with China, industrial
lists Of both nations have gladly prof
tied by selling arms to more pros
porous Japan. In the U. S., this
activity continued unabated until
last June II, when Secretary Of
State Cordell Hull asked that it be
discontinued. Still later came a Sc
rious blow to U. S. prestige when
Japan, having conquered Shanghai,
Canton, Hankow and Nanking, pro-
ceeded Systematically to shut Chi
mas "open door" in violation of the
nine-power treaty. Obviously, U. S.
British supremacy in the Orient was
at an end unless the two nations
would reverse their soft-stepping
policy and take military or econom-
ic recourse against Tokyo. After
weeks of undercover negotiation be-
tween London and Washington, the
recourse now emerges as economic.
Still acting without apparent coop
GRAFTON, the two capitals made SIM
liar news on the same day:
Washington. The government-op-
Grated Export-Import bank ad-
vanced S25, 900. 900 in credits to
New York company for exporting
u. S. agricultural and manufactured
The Coolidge examiner., 1938-12-29

uary, 1899, as House Resolution No.
!. Battle lines since formed presage
a bitter contest next month, as
chains and anti-chain agitators re-
view their cases:
Anti-Chain. Supporting Mr.. Pat
man is a once-potent national trend
(now questionable) which caused q
state legislatures to enact chain store
taxes. Another state, Colorado. last
month rejected referendum to kill
a similar levy. Having won passage
of his Robinson-Patm act, also an
anti-chain measure. Mr.. Patman
bases his new attack on familiar
charges that chains ID force inde-
pendent merchants out of business;
(2) cause low farm prices; t3) take
money out of the community.
Proclaim. U. S. census figures
show a decreasing number of chain
stores and more independents, while
federal trade commission statistics
credit chains with distributing
5000, 900, 900 in goods at an average
10 per cent saving to consumers. II
the Patman bill passes. resultant
taxes with the Great Atlantic &
Pacific Tea company, they would
total more than half 1878 gross
sales) would destroy practically all
chains, would repeatedly wipe out
80 per cent of the farmers market.
throw nearly 100000 chain en-
ployees out of work and force a
sharp rise in retail prices. Chains
point proudly to their two-year cam
paign Of helping farmers move sur
plus crops like lamb. beef, walnuts,
apples, and canned grapefruit juice
Anti-P Patmanites include the Amer
lean Federation of Labor, speaking
for its 100000 members (who
charge the measure would increase
living costs and unemploymenD, and
the National Association of Retail
Boards, which termed it vicious.
Counting noses on the eve of con-
gress' opening, Mr.. Patman finds
his 73 original co-sponsors dwindled
to 81 through election defeats, while
another New York's Caroline
O'Day) has withdrawn support. If
the Patman bill succeeds in reach
ing the house floor, political observ-
ers wonder whether continually
mounting sentiment will not bury it
in a protest vote.
The Coolidge examiner., 1938-12-29
Politics

Smart politicians lay their cam
paign groundwork well in advance,
swapping favor for favor, smelling
out the trail that will most likely
lead to success. Thus official Wash
ington has started buZZing with ru-
mors following ID resignation Of
Commerce Secretary Daniel c. Rop-
er and Attorney General Homer
Cummings, and (2) Vice President
John Nance Gamers return to the
capital. That Mr.. Garner visited
President Roosevelt the same day
Mr.. Roper resigned gave an added
zest to the game.
While both the President and vice
president look to 1910, they appar-
emily look in opposite directions No
public utterance followed the con-
ference but it is quite obvious that
Mr.. Garner looks fearfully on the
projected appointment of WPA Ad-
ministrator Harry Hopkins to sue
ceed Mr.. Roper. The Roosevelt pro-
gram: To strive for more New Deal
gains such as governmental reor-
ganization, and to give Harry Hop
kins build-up for presidential NOM
ination in 1910. The Garner pro-
gram: To consolidate the admins
tration's position, to unite arguing
factions and make record in con-
gress which will win public approval.
Both programs lead to 1910, but
each goes down its own trail. In the
inevitable compromise, it is expect
ed that Mr.. Hopkins will be named
commerce secretary, but that in re-
turn congress will demand drastic
revision of relief administration.
The Coolidge examiner., 1938-12-29
I

Boiling Gait Wilson, and Mrs.
Grace Goodhue Coolidge-all of
whom enjoy a special franking
privilege.
In the first year of the 18th GEN.
tury, congress granted such privi-
lege to Martha Washington, then
a widow. This frank was to last
until her death, and Mrs. Wash
ington used it for but one month
over two years, when she died.
Letters with her signature on the
outside, instead of the usual post
age, are rare, despite the fact
that Mrs. Washington had wide
acquaintance.
The charming Dolly Madison
was the second widow of a PreSi-
dent to receive this special frank.
She wrote the word free" and
most of the later privileges fol-
lowed her example.
Anna Harrison, wife of the
short-lived President William
Henry Harrison, used her frank
for e years; Louisa Catherine
Adams, wife of John Quincy Ad-
ans, four years. Sarah Polk used
her frank the longest of any Presi-
dents widow, Al years and seven
months. Mary. Lincoln used her
frank for 16 years and five months,
but because of the demand for
Lincolnian specimens are very
difficult to procure.
Lucretia Randolph Garfield en-
ioyed her frank the second long
est, 26 years and two months.
Julia Dent Grant used her privi-
lege for 16 years and 10 months.
Frances F. Cleveland Preston
received her frank in 1909 and
is still using it. When she married
Mr.. Preston in 1914, the postmas-
ter general informed her that as
the frank was for lifetime use,
she could continue the privilege,
merely adding Preston to the
name.
Mary Lord Harrison, wife of
Benjamin Harrison, received her
frank the same day as Mrs.
Cleveland. Mrs. Harrison was not
actually a First Lady of the
Land; she married President
Harrison four years after he had
left the White House. She is still
living and using her frank.
One of the most common speci-
mems to be found in the mail is
that of Edith Carew Roosevelt,
who has made much use of her
privilege.
Mrs. Harding had the shortest
use of her frank, 10 months, lack
ing three days.
Mrs. Wilson received the frank
ing privilege several weeks after
Mrs. Harding received hers, al
though she had proceeded the lat
ter in occupying the Executive
Mansion. Mrs. Wilson is the only
one of the Presidents widows to
use a facsimile, which she does
to the disappointment of the col
lectors.
The Coolidge examiner., 1938-12-29

cent stamp in the new series.
The other three women who
share the honor with Martha
Washington are:
Isabella, queen of Spain, patron
of Columbus. In the first COM
memorative stamp series ever is
sued by the Post Office depart
ment-the Columbian Exposition
set of 1893-one of the stamps re-
produced the familiar picture Of
Isabella pledging her jewels to
aid the Italian navigator.
Pocahontas, the Indian "prin-
cess" who saved the life of Capt.
John Smith and later married
John Rolfe, a Virginia planter.
Her portrait appeared on a stamp
in the jamestown commemora-
tive series of 1907.
Molly Pitcher, the heroine Of
the Battle of Monmouth in the
Revolution. A picture showing her
serving a cannon, after her ar
tilleryman husband had been dis
abled, appeared on stamp in
1923 commemorating the sesqui-
centennial of the Battle of Mon
mouth.
Incidentally, there are six wom-
en- in the United States who can
send personal letters through the
mails without paying postage
on them-something which not
even the President of the Unit
ed States nor members of his
household can do. They are the
widows of six of our Presidents
Mrs. Frances Folsom Cleveland
Preston, Mrs. Mary Scott Lord
Dimmick Harrison, Mrs Edith
Kermit Carew Roosevelt, Mrs.
Helen Heron Taft, Mrs. Edith
The Coolidge examiner., 1938-12-29

goods to China. Recognized as a
very thinly yelled government loan,
most funds will be used for automo-
bile trucks and gasoline to haul mu-
nitions over the new Chinese gate
way from Burma. To mature in
five years, the loan is guaranteed
by the Bank of China. Chief U. S.
negotiator was Jesse Jones, chair
man of the Reconstruction Finance
corporation.
London. Now en- route through
parliament is an allotment of TO-
600, 1000 pounds for export credits to
protect Great Britain's far-fung for
eign trade from Nazi encroachment.
Already earmarked is an initial
credit of $4,000 pounds for the Chi
nese government, to purchase
trucks and roadmaking equipment
for the new Burma gateway. Also
under consideration is a British loan
to the Chinese exchange equaliza-
tion fund to help China's dollar.
While Chinese officials hailed the
simultaneous moves as a "diplo-
matte victory" while Tokyo Won
dered what recourse to take, while
Chinese government bonds showed
good strength, Germany's foreign
office commented in its official
mouthpiece, Diplomatische Korre-
spondenz: THE United States new
policy furnishes food for thought. 1t
shows that Washington apparently
pursues aims which 60 beyond its
old-established policy of good rela-
tions with other countries No
opportunity is missed for directing
attacks or innuendos against author
itarian states"