The Pascagoula democrat-star., 1898-07-08
A PHILIPPINE ROMANCE.
Adventures in the Islands Of Gentle
man of Brittany.

About the middle OF the present
century, when Dumas the elder was
at the height OF his career, and the
origin OF many interesting pieces OF
French literature was delightfully."- un'
certain, "A couple of works appca red
that drew attention to the mysterious
and far.off Philippines. In his
Thousand and One PhantOms," is.
sued serially in tho Constitutional,
Dumas made free with a fcllow-coun.
tryman who had been the hero OF Ger,
tain surprising adventures In the
Pearl OF the Orient, and the heru
thereupon, not caring to figure as a
phantom in feuilleton, got out his
Adventures OF Il Gentleman Of Brit.
tany in the Philippines" Some pco'
pie, however, Thought the hero would
have been truer to life as the creation
of Dumas: that as a real gentleman
Of Brittany lie WAS only another living
liar, and that, in fact, his romantic
narrative was the work OF a new Sci
kirk and Defoc combination.
But the Selkirk, it was contendcd,
was well-known in France, and had
been both well and favorably known
in the Philippines; serious and trust
worthy writer's had recorded them
selves as eyewitncsses to the exploits,
and, at least, the museum In Boston
and the Museum Of Anatomy in Paris
were the richer for his having live in
the backwoods Of Luzon. Briefly,
here was Frenchman, who having
doubled the Cape a seventh time, had
then stayed in the Enchanted Islands
a full score years. He had been a
Crusoe, with a faithful man Friday,
whom he had obtained by reforming
bandit chieftain; with kingdom all
his own, with a family whom he had
left in his little island graveyard.
Paul Proust de la Gironniere was
counted in the pedigree of an ancient
piedmontese family that came over
the St. Bernard and into Brittany In
the days Of Louis XIV, and soon be.
came rich enough to have access to
the nobility and to contract "the
most fattering alliances" Pauls
father was born at Nantes, where his
ancestors had held high office under
the crown. His wealth was swept
away by the revolution; and he died
on . little place owned by his wife.
paul's mother gave the boys such ed
ucation as she could, and then they
went to seek their fortune. One died
at Madagascar; another returned from
Porto Rico to die in his mothers
arms; the husband OF one Of Paul's
two sisters died in Mauritius, and an
other brother died while visiting Pau
in the Philippines.
Paul was born at Nantes; there hi
studied medicine; and thence, mere
STRIPPING he sailed as ships surgeon
to the far East, embarking for thu
fourth time on Oct. 8, 1919, and cast
ing anchor about the end Of May
1890, IN the Bay OF Manila. lie land
ed ut Cavitc, enjoyed the whirl o
Manila society, studied the Tagaloc
went among the natives In the noun
tains, began the career Of sportman
ship that was to eliminate In hunting
the stag and the buffalo and in kill
ing caymans and boa constructors
and finally allowed his ship to g
home and leave him In the metropolis
OF the archipelago.
He had resolved to become a resi-
dcncc physician. lie faced the fana
ticIsm Of the cholera massacre Of 1920
and he had a clean shirt In his ha
and dollar In his pocket. Finding
rich old don nearly blind, he curet
one eye aud made glass ball for to-
socket Of he0ther, and his reputation
was established. Paul became DR.
Pablo and = surgeonfOf regiment O
regulars and Of battalion Of militia
hut whom the leaders Of tho Novnlle'
rebellion of 1898 we're shot, be had 0c
caslon 10 call Spanish informer I
coward, and s0use time thereafter
khssios words With he Governor Gen