The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-10-23
GAVE UP FORTUNE
FOR SIMPLE LIFE
New Highlander Too Happy in
Tahiti With Native Wife to
Claim Request of 100000

Los Angeles, October 22.-If you
went In search of the ideal home. the
ideal food, the ideal life and the ideal
woman. would YOU direct your pere-
CARNATIONS to the city or the desert?
This man went 10 the desert and
found his object.
John Darling is an American who
lives his own life, the wise man OF
the mountain" as the, natives call him
the fool and dreamer as others con-
slider.
Mr.. Darling is true-blue Yankee.
His father, grandfather and great
grandfather were all Americans and
men Well known in science and itera-
ture. From them he inherited his
deephess of thought and thoroushness
Of action. but from his mother, a Bo-
hemian gypsy. he got his beautiful
eyes. his free and easy bearing of a
King and the insatiabie "wanderlust.
of his youth.
When still quite young Mr. Darling
became interested in the Bible. He
reau ana pondered over it, and the
more he read and pondered the clear
er ne believed that man-the modern
present-day man-did not live natur
ally and as the Lard mad Intended
him to live.
Darling decided he would go out In
the world and live the life that God
hau intended man to live. He would
eat the fruits OF the trees ana the
grains of the fields. He would aban-
don the clothing that generations had
developed and go about as the good
Lord had created him.
So he set about to find his Eden He
travelled far and wide and visited the
ioNeiiest known spots on earth. After
having viewed them all and compared
their charms and advantages, he de-
cided that Tahiti. the principal island
of the Society group in the South
seas, fulfilled all his demands. Thither
he went.
The Governor presented the crazy
American" with piece of land high
up on the mountains with the clear
understanding that he would stay
there with his peculiar IDEAS and
minimum of clothes Fruits and herbs
grew there in plenty. The air was
balmy and fine and the view delight
full. There he could play adam In
Paradise" to his hearts content. And
the good Frenchmen on the beach
could continue their normal, unideal-
lied existence.
Mr.. Darling, acquiescent sailed
forth and climbed the mountain. Here
indeed was his dreamed-of paradise
In this world forgotten place he could
find ample time for his meditations.
On the top of his mountain he built a
simple hut OF palm leaves and branches.
The stars and the brilliant moon shone
through the openings In the roof and
the cool evening breezes came whis-
perins from the seas.
Darling changed the virgin soil of
his domain from a wilderness of trop-
ical waste to a bodybuilding garden.
In short time he grew independent
came productive. He lived in absolute
solitude. HIS skin became the color
of bronze. His hair and beard grew
long.
When Mr.. Darling had lived his
lonely life for more than a year he
took wife, a comely young native
girl
After four years of this life came
the test of Darling's convictions. An
uncle of his died and willed him
fortune OF 100000 under the condition
that he leave his islandwife, return
TO his native land and live like a nor
NAL human being. But Darling only
smiled a superior smile at the sug-
gestion.
Why" he exclaimed. what do
want with money? What could money
procure me better than I've got-hap
piness. health and peace of mind from
the knowledge OF leading the life that
/ know God intended man to liver"
His inheritance went elsewhere, but
the philosopher did not regret his de-
cision. He is still as happy as ever
on the top of his mountain on the
lovely tropical island. His little native
wife Is with him. The natives wor
ship him. and the F'renchmen debate
over him at their afternoon absinthe
on the veranda of the Club des EtraD-
gers in Papeete.