Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1894-02-24
iOved "A Girl who Married Another \
>hipwrecked Man D.scIoses His secret,

>hipwrecked Man D.scIoses His secret
Just at the entrance of IL large lake
i'll South Florida. jutting out INTO the
81. Johns is Il little promonlory. less
iiEn Il quarter of Il mile at its widest
point and tapcring like an OutStrrtchcl
iinGcr ON one side the waters of the
lax" break along its recdy bank on
the other the ST. Johns river gently
laps the feet of the immense cabbage.
palms. One giant date palm waves
aloft its fcathcry foliage. The only
sounds heard are the ''think. chink'
of the water turkey, or snake bird"
;S the native calls him. from his prc,l.
liar habit Of swimming under water
t" catch his food; the occasional
hoarS'' croak of the crane and the
singing of tn" k;ltylids and crirlctS.
In the solemn night the II -ti-r-r-ut.. l.
ongh" of the alligator breaks the slll-
ness. Utter drSolalion in all its beau,
ty. No sign of life can be seen from
the river. not even the bark of Il dog
breaks the intense silence.
But now. us we ross the bar of the
lake. look more closely: there. under
that giant palm tree: do you SEQ it:
only small. rude hut. you say. but
nevertheless il is the home of Il once
wealthy. highly cultured gentleman.
All alone. without kith or kin near
ann. h" passes his life in this drSolntr
place. his only possessions what illr
SlEInty covers and the small sail boat
lying upon the shore. much the worse
Tor age. His living h" gets by hunt
ing and fishing: his only aSSocntr> are
the birds and the game in the forest
back of the little point.
This hermit has no friends nor does
h" wish any: his only neighbor is the
lighthouse Keeper just across the
channel. but he neither visits nor re-.
cciv,S callers.
For many years he has lived ON the
point. none knowing whence he came.
until on" winter. when an accident
threw upon his shore an old associate.
who. in return for the life sawed by
til" old hunter. betrayed his story To
the settlers nearby.
Away back, somewhere in the SiX-
ties. this man WAS Junior partner of
Il prosperous business house in one of
the larger northern cities. Young.
handsome. we'll educated success
seemed t" follow his every nm
d"rlaking; life bloomcd for him and
brought forth her richest treasures for
his pleasure. In the height of his sue
cess he met and loved Il Young girl Of
poor hut honol:lbl" par"ntayr. His
Woolng WAS successful. and The we'd
ding day WIS set. when he WAS com
PEELED to leave town suddenly upon
business for his house. He hldr her
farewell without Il doubt of her in his
heart. She had many admirers. but
his trust in her was too perfect to ad.
init of any doubt.
Business completed. he returned
home. expecting in II few days to
claim his bride. On the way To his be-
tr"thrd he noticed Il commotinn within
II church which h" was passing. Curl
Gus To know what WAS going on. he
entered. and learned it was Il wedding.
He got no further than the door. but
curiosity prompted him to wait and
see the bridal party.
The last words spoken. the bridal
party turned. Slowly they came down
the aisle to where he stood As the
bride drew near his blood turned to
ice. for he recognized the one who was
To have been his. now the wife of an
other With clenchcd teeth and lips
drawn and purple he pressed up To
the bridal party-their eyes met. The
lady Whitencd To the lips. then took Il
tirmer hold of her husbands arm and
moved on as though nothing had hap.
prn"d. The young man passed out of
the church. closely followed hy Il friend
who had seen the occurrence. but as
the crowd was dense nothing could be
seen of the desperate man.
He was never seen after that ,Iay
until this man. who betrayed the sad
history of his former friend. WAS east
upon the shores of the point one
stormy night and kindly cared for hy
the old hermit.
Through all the changes wrought by
time and Il rough life he recognized
the friend of his youth in the hermit
of the point