Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1913-04-29
THE FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH
Remarkable Journey Of Ponce De
Leon Inspired by Lurins Story Told
By Indiana .s

L
Leon Inspired by Lurins Story Told
BY Indians.
| Picture to yourself a slight, gray
bearded Spaniard, armed and armored,
sitting In the shade Of dwelling house
In Porto Rico-a primitive enough
house, no doubt, but enough to furnish
some protection from the fierce, white
sunlight Of the tropics. Other Spani-
ards are in the room, but the gray
bearded man, who is evidently their
chief, is paying little heed to them. He
is talking through an interpreter to a
number Of naked Indians, and they are
telling him a story-a story too good to
be true-of mysterious island some
where in the southern seos-just where
they cannot well describe. And on this
island, sheltered by the palms. they
say there is a spring or fountain bub-
bling from the earth, and whose drinks
Its water, 10, his years fall from him
like mantle that is shed, and the
strength and the glow of his youth re-
turn. 'fI
The slender. gray beard listens. all
intent, leaning forward. that he may
not miss word, and there IL In his
weary eyes certain light of hope that
his companions have not seen for
long while. For, though the man Is only
So. he knows that he is growing old
apace-his face Is lined and tanned
with thirty years campaigning, 80
years Of warfare and struggle against
the fevers that bring old age a-racing
In the tropics. nI'qa
The man is Ponce de Leon, the
Spanish governor Of Porto Rico. scar
red by old wounds that pain him grew
ously betimes. and he is listening to
the story Of the fountain of youth. In
all the annals Of discovery It Is hard to
find a more picturesque or q more ap-
pealing figure than that Of this old man
driven by hope Of youth and fear of
age to lead an expedition to the viii
derness at O. time of life when most
men are content to bask In the setting
sun, or at most sit at the council table
and give advice, leaving the active
part Of life to younger hands.
The result Of the Turing story told by
the Indians was that Ponce de Leon
got ready ships and went exploring
into the south seas, seeking the spring
Of youth. They were primitive people,
these old Spanish dons, and their I'M
aginations, fed by stirring tales. found
no miracle too hard to believe. And
Ponce De Leon found IL easy TO believe,
because he wanted 80 terribly to be-
lieve, longed so very much TO capture
the phantom Of his vanished youth
This quest brought him to Florida,
and he disembarked at the mouth of the
St. Johns river. Easter Sunday, 1873.
All the world seemed young-wealth Of
brilliant foliage was there, flowers riot
ed among the greenery. birds FASH
ed bright colors. A little farther north
tsan p1rtS ts3 RSG tss + was snS tr0piSSsy Ssa
Here. surely, Ponce De Leon believed,
the fountain OF youth might be found,
and so he named the country Florida
'1and Of fiowers"-and went about on
foot and on rivers. seeking the magic
fountain. 49,. - ~
Many springs he found and all he
tasted-but the fountain OF youth re-
tnained undiscovered. We can fancy
the eager hope with which he must
nave BlOOpeQ 10 0Iluk OIL - lGHLH-D6Ws
spring; the slow disappointment as he
realized that the magic fountain was
not here, the reviving hope that just
beyond the next bend In the river,
yelled In green, the longed-for fountain
might be hiding. 4g
Doubtless there were many of his
followers who called him an old man
gone mad, and, of course, they were
right in q measure-it was madcap
venture. The very fact that Ponce De
Leon set OFF on such a quest at So
shows us how much Of child he must
have been at heart-still believing in
beautiful miracles. ys4
But, Of course, he never found the
fountain, and In the quest grew old
instead Of young. He left Florida,
went to the Bahamas and to Cuba
but he never found the fountain. Eight
years later, after returning for while
to Porto Rico, we find him back in
Florida, his first land Of hope, leading
colonizing expedition. A stout-hearted
old man, this, who never let his wounds
keep him at home. But this voyage was
his last In an encounter with the In
dians he was shot In the thigh with an
arrow and died before his ship could
take him back to Porto Rico.
And the fountain Of youth? Ponce
De Leon found only what all men learn
II they live past middle age; that
though the heart may stay young. the
body, by and by, wears out.-Kansas
City Times. i1a.1