Milford chronicle., 1907-07-12
The MAN oE The SUN.
Venerable Patriarch Who Spends His
Years Staring at Old Sol.

Years Staring at Old Sol.
have today, writes correspondent
at Messina, in Sicily, been afforded an
opportunity of interviewing one Of
the strangest characters in the world.
He is known to everybody here as
-rUomO del Sole" (the man Of the
sum.
In appearance he is n venerable
patriarch, with a face tanned almost
black by the fierce rays of the south
ern sun and with long snow white
hair falling to his shoulders from both
sides of the dividing line in the middle
of the head. This as well as his long
white beard is always well brushed.
This man spends his time from morn
ing till night in worshiplng the sun.
He gazes with wide open, unblinking
eyes at the ball of fire daily flooding
this city in brilliant sunshine He will
gaze fxedly for hours at Old Sol and
in doing so carry on conversation
with it and utter prayers invoking the
protection of his god He does not
suffer in the slightest by the terrible
gaze, and to prove 1t he has, after
half an hours fixed stare at the sun.
timed by the watch, seen plainly and
described the smallest article l have
pointed out TO him.
Scientists, physicians, oculists and
surgeons from every part Of Italy
have come TO examine his wonderful
eyes which look as If they were at
tackled by some dread disease. They
are, however, as good as those of the
average man, but not the same. His
orbits are remarkable by reason Of the
abnormally large pupils. The white
part Of the eyes is crystalline and
strangely bloodshot.
CamarrotO the patriarch, is eighty !
six years OF age. Of medium height |
and robust, eating and sleeping well. |
The people of Messina have the great |
est respect for him. and woe betide
the youth who takes it into his head
to ridicule rUomo del Sole. The men
at work in the port, loading and dis
charging ships, join together in max
ing a weekly allowance out of their
very meager pay TO the sun wOrshiper,
who is also called in the Sicilian dia-
Iect gu filusuru" dhe philosopher)
His coat is always unbuttOned to
give prominence to a remarkably
colored waistcOat. His socks are al
ways the same. One is white, the
other red. One is short, the other
Ong, and they cover like CATERS the
ends Of his trousers. The right foot
S shOd with a patent black boot his
eft with n brown shoe
At the head Of his stick are tied three
of different colOrs. He
'alls this his talisman. With it !
le stops tempestS, hurricanes and
which he says are ]
igns of the fury and anger of his {
,Od. the sun. When it rains he comes
ut hatless. kneels in the streets of
Iessina, with arms extended. and cries
Basta, basta, oh, sole mio" Enough, T
nOugh. oh, my sunD The traffic re- l
pectfully stops until he has finished /
is prayer and the waving Of his magic o
-and in the air. IF it were not for t
le, oh, parde moi, what would hap o
en- to poor Messina, to poor Sicily, for u
would most certainly be destroyed c
Y torrents Of water" V
If he sees a lady hold up a parasOl G.
will snatch It and close it, a
Infamous Onev he cries. "Why walk 81
the shade when the sun is Out?' b
he lady may Indignantly seek re- al
'eSs, but the sympathies of crowd and jc
'lice are all with the man who can
ok at the sun with open eyes. The
Mt Of the house wherein he lives is
i'd for him; the food he eats at any
staurant. the wine he drinks. are all
ven him gratis by the proprietor. III
ho is honored by the presence Of the IN
n worshiper &c
With great difficulty l induced him IN
speak about himself u'
I am the son of the sunw he cried ar
ce he was reused. II was born with
; blessing l speak TO the sun. the I'M
] of the world l am his chosen. TIA
1t by him to preach his power. and pc
ihall continue TO do so forever and pa
ar, for shall not die I shall travel tn'
n all the world, to France. to Eng OF
d, to America, to follow the sun, me
preach its power, to gaze at it, to me
bathed in golden light.
am daily defending my fellow men pra
N the sun. They ungratefully call Bu
mad. Let them do so. They can ing
look at 1t for hours and hours. Sun
" would die. They would be blind. anc
ause they are unworthy TO profane TAN
sun with their looks. Baltimore pro
J. Pre-