Hillsdale Whig standard. (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1846-1851, 1851-08-05
Romance OF Real Life.


Intelligencer by gentleman who has re-
Gently explored the source OF the Potomac
river. A character so remarkable should
moi be allowed TO remain in her seclusion -
We admire particularly the forcible and sim
ple expression OF her Christian faith, and
doubt whether the ables, theolSgisn could
improve The confession:
Delighted. however, and deeply impress.
ed as have been by the scenery Of this Al
pine laud, have been far more interested in
an old woman, whom have had the pleas
ure Of seeing. Her name is Elizabeth Col.
ding, or Go'dizon, and she resides in log
cabin, entirely alone. directly at the foot Of
a gorge which has taken her name. She is
of German origin and represents herself as
one hundred and tloeIue years of age She
was born. according 10 her own words, 'with-
10 two days ride of Philadelphia, Pennsyl-
vania.' and her father was a soldier in the
Revolution under Washing too, and she her
self was ia the immediate vicinity Of the
American camp at The defeat Of General
Braddock, Of which event she habitually re-
counts a great number Of interesting and
thrilling incidents, closing each paragraph
with the remark that the battle field was wet
with blood. She has been husbandess and
chiIdIess for nearly hats century, and for
many years has lived, as now, 10 the solitude
OF the mountains, utterly alone. lndeed,
everything about the old woman is peculiar
and strange. In stature she is quite small,
and her hair (Which is white as SNOWY, is very
long; when engaged in conversation, her
counenance fires up exceedingly, and she
accompanies each sentence with the most
animated Of gestures; her voice, though still
strong, is altogether beyond her control.
having an unnatural tone: and the wrinkles
running entirely over her face and ere as
deep As we might imagine them 10 be afer
having been furrowed by the tears OF even
one heart for so long time as century.
She was clothed IN the simplest manner.
having upon her head cap made Of com
mon brown cotton, Irock Of blue homespun
cloth, and upon her feet nothing but wooden
socks During the WHOLE time that we were
in her cabin she was smoking some bitter
weed in corn-cOb pipe, and, though hag
gard and worn TO a marvellous degree, she
had pleasant smile, and when either of her
guests happened TO utter something that was
novel 10 her ear, she would exclaim m-'Oh,
yes, that is wonderful
Her only means ofsubstance for years past
had been obtained by making hickory brooms,
but even this business she has been compel
ed TO give up, Tor she could no more climb
the mountains TO obtain the proper material;
and, though she seemed 10 be perfectly Ger.
tain that she would be provided fo,, she ex-
pressed the greatest dread Of the county aims
house. We enquired as TO her appetite. and
she replied. oh, eat very little, never
eat much, sometimes nothing in whole day
As to her sleep iSST We SHss 7qdtsyrUaRd Lam
aud'she said, that's what troubles me most;
I cannot sleep now. am so old, and so
Law on my bed all night thinking OF my great
and good Father 10 Heaven. We asked her
how she managed to obtain the Dccessarles
of life. and she said she did not know, only
that the people who travelled on the road
sometimes stepped in to give her little col
fee or douT. her main stay being a small gar
den of vegetables, the brush fence around
which had been built by her own haads; and
this garden was just exactly the neatest ev.
er beheld As to her sight, il was as good
as ever. and she was unacquaiuted with the
use Of spectaces. We asked her how much
money she would want to support her
year. and she replied that ten dollars would
take care Of her long time, moro than
wear. matter Of course, my compan-
IONS and made up little purse Tor nef
benefit; and when we gave it to her II seem
ed as if she would embrace us 10 spte o'
ourselves, Indeed we made her nnmoe'
Of trfling presents, and she expressed ue'
| gratitude by weeping. and assuring us ina.
her Father in Heaven would bless US ana
make us happy wherever me might go. hno
| can assure the reader that the tears shed
| by that old woman of iUe score gears ana
! ten were not the only ones that sprung 'n'c
! eyes on that occasion, albeit we were unused
to weeping.
But have not yet given the reader an ldei
Of the home Of this lonely being; in truih' J
battles description. Her nearest nelghoor ]
some four miles off, and her companlons II
her solitude are little dog aud cat. lie
cabin stands near the W tiers edge, ana Oh
rectly on the hill side, il is without wind
ow, but light in abundance comes lb iron
the gaping roof and sides Of tue black moul
dering log hAbitaiion, the chimney IS o
mucA and sticks, ahd in dilapitated condi
ton Her bed stead is made OF small pm
sticks, with the bark sill on, her couch con
sistiug Of hemlock boughs covered wt
straw, upon which are two or three wretched
" WON bed quilts. 10 one corner OF IN
room are two or three shelves, which ar
displayed her cooking and eating utensils
the original cost Of which (srd they wef
: very old and wo,n) could not have bee
more than one dollar. An old stool answer
the purpose Of a chair, board nailed 10 Ia
side of the cabin is her only table; hansin
Q hom the logs at the side OF the bed are Nv
E. or three gowns which help to keep out u
y air and the rain; and from the crevIces
= the logs around, above, and everywhere, Of
# pend punches OF herbs and faded howe
n which she has gathered in her rambIes; o.
: there was taste and nestness displayed
the arrangements of the miserable iurnitul
!, of the room which gave it a really chesii
u aspect.
y We asked the old woman II she never q
o pretended any danger whilst thus living
J. utterly alone. and she replied, 'of course nc
IS who would harm a pour (orsaken eieatu
It like mel aint afraid even Of the bears. I
r. its only last fall that one cane down here al
# scratched up my garden, but | drove him
with big sIickr Upto this point. ever
thing we saw aud heard concerning this sg
A woman vas strange, but when ~e rose to
~ part, we we've still more astonished 10 na
,,,ant;on hy her wild NOV