, 1897-12-01
A DRAMA OF THE SEA

Deeply touched and still quiverin4
with emotion, | write these lines.
Many and full of tcrrors are the seq
tragedies enacted on this island, that i.
nevertheless rightly named the "beauti,
full"
Its lovable and courteous inhabitants
are divided into two distinct classes
farmers and fishermen.
The former plant wheat, corn, oats
and potatoes
The latter catch the sweet fleshed
funny fish, sardines and Holsters
Neither farmers nor fishermen ever
become rich, and meat is almost un.
known III their homes
The people are. therefore, far from
strong, the women especially being ten.
der and delicate. with straight noses,
slender. graceful necks and IL slow. arts.
tocratic carriage.
The men are OF medium height and
well built. but lack the vIgor charac.
terlZliig the peasants OF Normandy.
The islanders are proud and never
beg. A careful observer cannot fail to
notice that among the many wrinkles
which give character to their faces
those written by laughter are wanting
Both men and women have a serious
and melancholy air. and their foreheads
seem burdened with sad memories or a
certain rest!essncss Has not each one
q father, a brother, or u son on the ma.
lignant water that lies out there-out
there nclrc.Ing the island everywhere
as far AS the eye can reach.
Here these people have lived for cen
turtles surrounded by Il moving, ag,tated
cemetery that smiles so alluriugly and
at the ann time SO ~savagcly.
Occasionally the laughter of a child
in one Of the nuts bubbles out toward Its
mother working III the fields Her face
lightens up tor Il moment. bnt she dare
not seem happy, for as she turns there
lies the sea. and its waves sob as they
roll at her feet.
Yesterday there stood neal me a
dainty little girl CT IS She shaded her
eyes with one hand i'll order to watch as
long as possible her brother, who vas
walking down the street leading to the
harbor of Borderv Soberly as Il matron
she called after HIM. BE careful of
yourself and do not take cold. An revoirl
Good cu,ch,''
The boy disappeared, and his sister
returned tn arrange her little household
for the home coming of both her broth.
ers. Az the three were orphans to whom
tho state paid u small pension.
The girl was Dir, ssed i'll mourning.
Father aud Mother Guuenantin having
died two years before-he III the hospi-
tai after l2 days of cruel suffering caused
by the poisonous sting of a fish. she a
few days later. from consumption and
grief,
Yes. there they lived. the three or
phans. The elder brother. aged IS, had
arisen nj daytIeak to be ready for his
share of sardlnes, and the other, a lad
Of 10. was just to depart with his cousin
Pierre Marie to catch Holsters.
The three companions, Pierre-M Marie
Gouenantln, Eugene Gouenantin, the
orphan. and Michel San,zun. boarded Il
little boat. L Entant du Desert, hoisted
its pale blue saiI and disappeared.
AN "SAS EAANaNt u" AhS
wind came out of the west. and L. sit
ting Oh the rccks. looked before me-,
dreaming the endless dreams born of
the changeiess yet ever changing sea as
II gazes INTO Its depths. full of charm
and mystery
PARKWAY cries caused me to turn my
head II look about.
A flock of screaming sea gulls flying
above me had attracted my attention
was Just about to leave the rocks when
new cries reached my ears. These were
piteous II broken like the sobs of %
child arose and. looking toward the
island where the lighthouse of poulains
stands. saw Mother LIE pelletier, tho
wife OF the lighthouse keeper, down on
her knees. waving her handkerchief.
weeping and calling for help
WOrkmen. busy III the nelghborhoQd.
saw the woman Just rs ] did In IL few
moments the little island was crowded
with people
What q painful. what a terrifying
spectacle!
Opposite the point of the island. 300
meters from land. lay the boat l. En-
FAINT du Desert capsized Her sails were
under water, and on her keel, which
rose in the air. clrng Eugene tiouenan-
tin. the orphan His face was as pale AS
q winding sheet. his eyes were closed,
and his head. II playtiilng for the waves.
swuyed from right to left With my
telescope l could follow the entire de-
v%eiopneDt Of the tragedy.
The child hid become helpless and
was inst about to loosen his hold of the
boat Right II, ar him lay Michel Sam
gun. iclasping the edge of the keel COLI
,nl4vely. crying continually tor help
D a.. ,ss: CATARkEl