Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1903-04-08

sion, was long, black and lustrous as
ravens wing. Yet the heart sorrows
he had experienced were indelibly Inn
pressed upon his benevolent counte-
nance in deeply marked lines. He was
a lineal descendant of Trajane Bocca-
lini, the witty Italian satirist, author
Of the celebrated "Ragguagli di Par
naso," who died in Venice in 1913. Mat
teo was born about the beginning Of
the nineteenth century in Capri, that
charming and most romantic island Of
Italy situated In the Mediterranean at
the entrance to the bay Of Naples, twen-
ty miles south Of the beautiful city
whose name the bright waters bear.
His youth was passed on the island
in the city of Capri, the seat Of bish-
opric. There he received his early edu-
cation, devoting himself to the church
and commencing his theological studies.
The island of his birth, which has 80
often been sung by the muse, is histor-
ic as well as picturesquely beautiful.
It was there that the Roman Emperor
Tiberius passed the closing decade Of
his life, and the ruins of the twelve
gorgeous palaces he erected during
that period are still visible. Capri,
too, as tourists well remember, is ia
nous for a cavern called the Grotto of
the Nymphs, or the blue grotto. Mat
teo declared 1t was there that during
his youth, In the calm releases and Sc
questered hooks Of that delightful un-
sderground retreat, he first learned to
love the companionship Of his own
thoughts, q desire for solitude and that,
to him, INDISPENSABLE peace which a
life apart from the "madding crowd"
assures. It was this strange charac-
teristic, absence of that love of gre
gariousness common to man, which
earned for him in Council Grove half a
century later the sobriquet Of "The Her
NIT Priest Of the Santa Fe Trail" and
year after his departure from that
place, among his devoted adherents in
the mountains Of New Mexico, the
more applicable one eel Solitaire" (the
solitary NAM, in contradistinction to
eel Hermito" (the hermtt), which he
never was in the strict Interpretation
of the term.
When but eighteen, the youthful
Matteo left his native island under the
patronage Of the good bishop, who
loved him, to perfect his education II
Rome beneath the very shadow Of st
Peters, where he took holy orders a
the early age of twenty-one. Then, &C
cording to his sad story, began Life
of stormy passions and sorrowful pill
| grimages.
He was called by the church Fathel
francesca and, although 30 young, wa.
noted for his eloquence. subtle philoso
ply and the boldness of his political
utterances; but, notwithstanding hi
pronounced views, the pope named hin
as one of his secretaries. The college
of the propaganda, however, refused
to confirm him and placed him unde
interrogation and discipline. he elo
quently defended himself, and tn
charges were not sustained. The &c
we're discipline ended to which he hat
been subjected, he was assigned t.
duty in the purlieus Of the Eterna
City.
In short time Matteo Boccahni'l
sunny nature and warm passions caus
ed his disgrace. He became enamoret
of q fair devotee, one of his charge,
dark haired, lustrous eyed, bewitchinl
creature of the 'land Of the yine.'
Alas, the too susceptible young maj
succumbed to the wiles of the ''radian
maiden" and he fell. Poor Boccalir
was Immediately and openly charge
with the enormity Of his crime, prose
cuted and denounced. He was despoi
ed of his sacerdotal functions and con
PEELED to flee, became wanderer upo
the face Of the earth, supping wit
sorrow and despair for companion
throughout the remainder Of his mu1
dane pilgrimage.
For short time after his unwarran
ed and sinful escapade he campaigne
with the heroic Garibaldi; then b
turned with appealing looks towar
America, crossed the ocean and in
few weeks began his eventful journe
on this continent. Never again was b
to behold the place Of his birth, ii
chalky outlines Of fair, beautiful Capr
which so gloriously begems the blu
Mediterranean. The phosphorescel
bay Of Naples, the sky, sunshine an
vine clad hills of dear old Italy WEI
nevermore to stir his once impulse,
nature or quicken into life his no
deadened heart.
Years rolled on, youth passed by, an
middle age was upon the homele'
man, when, after having roamed we
rily from place to place, visiting one L
dian tribe here and another there in Il
vain hope of discovering some clan {
people near unto NATURES heart whol
souls were attuned to his own wi
would receive him in the simplicity
bis severe and pious penance, he a
rived among the Kaws OF Kansa
whose reservation was in the love
valley Of the Neosho, few miles b
low Council Grove. But that tribe,
dirty, despicable race, very suspicio,
and withal not remarkable for the
reverence of any religion, did not tai
kindly to the weary old man, wi
had entered their midst with the pure
intentions. HIS pious zeal, his abst
hence and self denial made them fe,
to approach him. They did not unde
stand that
When holy and devout religious men
Are at their beads tits hard to draw the
thence,
So sweet is jealous contemplation.
The miserable savages looked upt
him, the meek and humble pilgrim,
an intruder, said he was bad met
cine;;" SO Father francesca was ]
, more at ease with them in their SIX
lodges than he would have been in Il
gilded halls of the Vatican.
, He then came to Council Grove,
stated-came as the tramp has sin
come-unheralded and unlimited, b.
not to beg bread at the doors of l
residents, as the latter now does, n
did he come to tell off his beads in II
| nraoopoo ~ Tho 1,,,luor o,,vJos,o h,