St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1901-10-12
TEE HERMIT or CAPE MaLEA.
Pathetic story Of nm English Sea Cap-
tain Among Greeinn
GoatIierla.

4
] About Is years ago there was i
young sailor who by aint of hard work.
integrity Of character and firnriess OF
will reached, ut the age of a6, The sums
NIT OF his ambition becoming mas.
| ter Of what then would be called d
good-sized steamship, some 800 tons
register. Upon this accession to good
fortune he married the girl of his
choice, who had patiently waited Tor
him since as boy and girl swee4hearts
they parted on his first going to sea,
And with rare complacency lfs owners
gave him the inestimab1e privilege OF
carrying his young bride to sea with
him, writes +. z. Bullen, in London
Spectator.
How happy he was. How deep and
all-embraeing his pride, as steaming
down the griuny Thames he explained
TO the light of his eyes all the wonders
that she was now witnessing for the
first time, but which he had made fa-
miliar to her mind BY his oft-repeated
sea stories during the few bright DAYS
between voyages that it had been able
to develop to courtship. The ship was
bound to several Mediterranean ports,
the time being late autumn, and con-
sequently the most ideal season for
honeymoon that could possibly be
ina agined. Cadiz, Genoa, Naples, Ven
ice, a delightful tour with NOT one
weary moment wherein to wish for
something else. Even d flying visit to
old Rome from Naples had been pos
sible, for the two officers, rejoicing in
their happy young skiipper's joy, saw
70 lt hat no unnecessary cares should
trouble him. and bore willing testi-
mony in order that he should get as
much delight outof those llalcyon DAYS
as possible. that the entire crew were
rs docile as could be wished. devoted
to their bright commander and his
beautiful wife. Then att Venice came
orders to proceed to Galatz and load
wheat for home. Great was the glee
Of the girl-wife. She would see Con-
stantinople and the Danube. Life
would hardly BE long enough to re-
count al the wonders of this most
wonderful Of wedding trips. And they
sailed, with heart ssoverb rbri inning with
Joy as the blue sky above them
seemed yelling over with sunlight.
Wind and weather favored them,
nothing occurred to cast b sIaa ow over
their happiness until nearing Cape
Malea At that fatal hour of the morn
ing. just before the dawn, when more
collisions occur than at any other
time, they were run into bv bIfln-
dering Greek steamer coming the 9TH
er way and cut down amidships tofl1e
waters edge, TO their peaceful sleep
or quiet appreciation of The nights 5
silvern sp1endor succeeded the over
flood, the hiss and roar of
escaping steam, the s,lffeeafinr eIal-
brace of death. In that dread fight for
life all perished but one, he So lately
he happiesf of men, the skipper. Tn
itinctively clinging to rasrnent of
he had been washed ashore
lnder Cape Malea a I the ehhing Of the
'ealty tide, and his strong phys ique re-
lsserting itself enabled him ito reach
he plateau. Here he was found gag
ng seaWard by some boat-herds, who,
n search of their nimbIe-fonted sIocks.
lad wandered down the PERCEPTIONS
ide Of the mountain. They endear-
red to persuade him To come with
hem back to the world. bnt iii vain.
ie would live, gratefully accepting
ONE Of their poor provision, but from
hat watching place lie would moi 20.
md those rude peasants, understand.
ng something of his depth of woe,
ympat thazed with him SO deeply that
Without payment, or hope OF any, they
elped him to build his hut and kent
i'm supplied with such poor naorsels of
ood and drink as sufficed for his stunt
d needs.
And there, wit ii his gaze fixed during
II his waking hours upon that in
criltable depth wherein all his bright
opes had suddenly been qa1enrhed, he
we'd until quite recent years, .sthe
'orld forgetting, BY the world for-
OF, living monument Of consfaneF
nd patient accomplishing grief. By
is humble friends. whose language
8 never learned. he was regarded as
saint, and when one day they came
pom his lifeless body fallen forward
pom his knees at the little lluglazed
1indow through which he was won't to
'ok out upon the sea where his dear
1e lay, they felt confirmed IN their
pinfon Of the sanctity Of the hermit
Cape Ma1ea.