Rensselaer Republican, Volume 23, Number 46, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 July 1891 — How the Lepers Live. [ARTICLE]

How the Lepers Live.

At the !ep n r settlement of Molokai,, frri—s Sisteq Rose Gertrude to The Ladies’ Home Journal, the time hangs 1 Very heavily on the hands of even these ease-loving children of the} tropics. Some few, in the first staget of the disease, build cottages, somecultivate taro, tobacco, sugar-cane.: or other plants in small inclosedpatches. In the olden -times theydistilled strong and harmful liquors,] but this is now, happily, forbidden, by law. The sea around abounds) with all kinds of fish, and the strongs j or ones pass hours in this favorite! pursuit. There are a number of! noi-ses at the settlement, too, and! .sometimes there are horse races, the 1 training for which is an amusement! to them for weeks beforehand. The ! women fish and ride, too. As a rule they are not much given to domestic: pursuits, though some still maker hats, and gorgeous quilts with birds) and flowers cut out of colored rags,j stitched onto the white calico. But) those who can work are almost dis- 1 inclined to do so, by the utter use- 1 lessness of their industry. “We are. dying,” say they; “why should we! waste our time in working to leave! good things behind for those who do* not care for us?” The Chinese bear; off the palm for industry. They plant! taro and rice, and * establish* bread! md cake stores, and even make can-j dy for those who have the good for-! tune to receive money from their! friends on the other islands. Of) course there are many who from loss) of hands or feet are unable to work,f and theirs is the saddest lot. They, have literally nothing to do but sleepj and smoke, and their lives are unut-j feerably dreary. .-