4U AltOUND TILE WOULD VTA INDIA. 



bled. He had not visited, the little house in which 

 Father Damien lived since his death, although separ- 

 ated from his school only by a narrow street. The 

 man's whole soul seemed to be in his work, and I pre- 

 sume the great grief caused by the loss of his beloved 

 priest prevented him from entering the little house 

 where they had spent so many hours together in con- 

 sultation and prayer for fear of increase of mental 

 anguish. Nobody knows the early history of his life. 

 He never speaks of the past. It was rumored that he 

 was disappointed in love during early life, but no proof 

 to this effect has ever been furnished. It is known that 

 he served during the civil war, and that for gallant 

 service he was promoted from the ranks to major. He 

 was a Protestant, and joined the Catholic Church twen- 

 tv-one years ago, and has been a most devoted member 

 of that church since. A friend has this to say of him: 

 •'His superb sacrifice in going to Molokai was made 

 from no weak or unworthy motive. He was supremely 

 grateful to Almighty God for the gift of the true faith, 

 and simply wished to make the best return in hi? 

 power, and so, like the brave soldier he had long proved 

 himself to be, he quietly made the decision to devote 

 his life to the most laborious and, humanly speaking, 

 the most distasteful charity in the whole range of the 

 Catholic religion." Soon after Father Damien's death 

 Brother Dutton discovered some sores on his legs. He 

 firmly believed he was suffering from leprosy, and was 

 happy in the thought that in a short time he would 

 have the great privilege to die of the same disease 

 as his master and join him in heaven. The doctor's 

 examination took away this hope, and he remains at his 

 post, free from the loathsome disease after an uninter- 

 rupted service of twenty-three years. 



How many faithful, devoted and unselfish servants 

 the Catholic Church has! 



