I think I may have found my problem. Some more research led me to this thread:
"High Normal Front Derailleur"
http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...ont-Derailleur
and this:
My one bike has a Suntour COMPE V front derailleur that normals to high. The cable attaches to the bracket attached to the seat post and does not move. The cable housing attaches to the mechanism that actually moves. The cable housing shifts the gears, not the center cable.
The old Gitane* I pulled it from had two cable stops for it. One that left exposed cable for most of the down tube and another for a short run of housing under the bottom bracket to the derailleur. I only have one of those plastic cable guides screwed to the bottom of my bottom bracket and assumed it would be okay to run bare cable to the clamp on the derailleur. Any suggestions short of brazing on a cable stop?
* Likely a pre '72 given that the front derailleur lacks a date code, just a four digit number!