The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1885-10-17
A HERMIT'S STORY.
A Romance of the Flush Days Of
the Whale Oil City.

Old Fred Parker'S fame as the Hermit
of Nantucket has attained additional
interest this season in the minds of Wis
itors. This has come about by the I'M
.earthing of the romance connected with
the old mans early days. Up to 1880
every tourist to Nantucket took three
hours ride in springless, jolting, fish
wagon out to Quidnit to see old Parker
the leading curiosity of the island, to
whom, however, Billy Clarke, the his
toric town crier, was ever close sec
ond. Quidnit consists of three houses
and q various assortment of sand dunes
on the eastern edge of the island. 1t is
two miles north of Saukati Lighthouse,
and its people live mainly by Shaking
and blue fishing in summer, chang
ing to codding and claiming in the
colder months. Down under the sand
hills, sheltered from the shore, and
partially obscured by waves of rank
gray-green sedge and the purple bloom
of the shore pea, still stands the famous
Everything about it is the same as when
old Parker died, and plain marble
slab in its rear marks the old mans last
resting spot, for. according to his last
request, he was buried by the sounding
sea. His little property has passed into
the hands of thrifty descendant, who
reaps summer harvest from the curl
Gus in search of mementoes.
In the halcyon days of the whale oil
city Fred Parker was tall, ambitious,
but rather gawky youth, who served
customers from behind the counters OF
Macy's busy grocery. He had a very
moderate salary for those flush times,
but his slender earnings were snugly in
vested in common with all here who had
money, in ships which were chasing the
whale. His ventures were successful,
and he labored diligently at the desk,
and scrimped and scraped to gather
enough to buy sixteenth share in the
bark Cynthia, which Nantucketers were
then fitting away for the oil fields of the
ocean. The oil excitement was at its
height. Money was pouring rapidly
into the strong boxes of the rich, and
business of all kinds was in a booming
state. Everybody in this now dead anC
deserted old hamlet was on the lookout
for fresh ventures. In an ill-adviseC
moment the youth mortgaged the Parke
homestead, at the back of the town, t
enable him to command still larger in
terest in the new bark. If she made an
sort of voyage she would repay hin
his investment in a twelvemonth, and h
would be a capitalist With score @
other Interested islanders he watche,
the Cynthia unfold her snowy wings on
spring morning outside the bar, and sa
away to Greenland seas. Then he wen
back to his desk and his work.
Time sped on. Meanwhile Ere
Parker had met and loved blue-eye
Mollie Coffin, laughing rosy-cheeke
lass from Edgartown, on vhe neighbo
ing Vineyard, who spent the summC
with her cousin at Nantucket. The
met at one of the features of the islanC
a pound party" and she was escorte
home that night by the enamored groce
Intimacy followed, and young Park,
made her his confidant He was mad
in love. When she left the island f,
the Vineyard in the fall her hand W,
pledged to him. They were to
married when his ship came in.
Through the long, cold winter tn
followed the struggling New Bedfol
sail packet made only now and then
trip to the Nantucket shore. But ga,
time it came and went it transferred le
tiers and pledges of love between your
Parker and his affianced. Her not
were tender and assuring. his respons
ardent and truthful The Cynthia W