Nashville daily patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1855-1857, 1856-09-25
For the Nashville Patriot.
D A MEL w ES T:
The Solitary.
This is all true as it is strange"


The world is full of PERMITS. We meet them
every day in the busy streets-we pass tn I'm in our
journeyngs to and fro-we jostle them in the crowd
ed ma7ts Of commerce. Rouud about us, ibid We
but know it, there is many Timon hiding away
his bitterness and bis disappointment in the cav
ems of his own heart; many a noble Prospero
with no stair minister" but the dedicate Ariel of
his own tried spirit; many lonely Crusoe living
ever upon some pleasant and solitary island in the
far away ocean Of the past. These are our mental
ascetcs-the anchorets OF the heart
But have tale to tell ola bona tide hermit; one
whose secluson is of the body as well of the soul
Not ten miles from the spot where am now writ
lug, there lives an aged man Of perhaps more than
seventy winters,-he lives alone, not in cave, las
novel haunting hermits invariably do) but in hol-
low tree! Deeming the accounts which bad reS
ceived of his manner of living, somewhat fabulous,
| went, few weeks since, in company with my
husband and some gentlemen friends, to pay him
visit. As well as | can, will describe to you the
scene. About half way up rather steep bank
where the woodland joins cleared field, stands
gigantic American poplar, the trunk oil which Is
hollow, affordiDg considerable space, and the open
side is closed with a door of very primitive con-
struction This is the old mans home-his 'sanc"
tum sauctorum." In the centre he builds his fire
in winter, and also for culinary purposes, chow the
smoke escapes Heaven knOws,l and around the
walls ~ are arranged his cooking utensils, &c He
sleeps | believe, in sitting posture, reclining
against the walls Of his prison-house, having the
door carefully closed and fastened with en- iron
chain Immediately without the entrance to his
house is an enclosure, perhaps about twenty feet
square composed of rails and fallen saplings, and
covered with broad strips Of bark. This, suppose
might properly be denominated his workshop for
here he has collected his tools turning lathe and
the various articles Of his domestic manufacture
such as small wooden cider presses, boxes, CHAIRS
&C. | confess / felt some inlsgivings, after first
glance at this strange establishment, and unfortu.
nately, being Of the sex to which all PERMITS are
said TO be particularly inimica | made up my mind
to suffer such inhosptaty that which ST. Ke-
vim is reported to have nfictedupon poor Kathleen
But my "eyes of blue" seemed to exert a contrary
effect upon the recuse so that instead Of becoming
exasperated upon my introduction, he gave me a
very cordial shake of the hand, and hustled about
for one of his new chairs with all the poteness, if
not the grace, of Chesterfield. On the whole,
Sir Charles Grandson himself could not have done
the agreeable with more credit to himself, or more
satisfaction to me. Instead of having my head
snapped off 10 the twinkling by ogre, found the
hermit a simple, genial, conversable old man.
Poorly clad, and if l must say it, not scrupulousy
clean, there was yet dignity about him which
cannot express otherwise than by saying that it
seemed to me the dignity of truth, for the old man
appeared, somehow, as though he had never even
dreamed Of falsehood or deception, though | doubt
not that in his life he has suffered from both. In
looking at him / was more than once reminded of
the words of old Adam in "As you like it,"
Though I am cid, yet strong and lusty
For in my youth never did apply
Hot and rebelouS liquors in my blood
Nor did with unbashfll foreht ad WOO
The means Of weakness and debility;
The efore, my age is as lusty winter
Frosty, but kindly"
Finding that my watch had stopped inquired of
"pon ami" the hour. Immediately one of the
gentlemen turned and proposed the same question
20 "Uncle Daniel" He brought forth from a ca
pacious pocket piece of sheet lead in the form OF
a quadrant, marked with degrees and with line
and plummet attached setting this in peculiar
position in regard the sun, ne told us the hour,
and correctly too in a moment. The queer little
chronometer was of his own construction. had,
by this time climbed mot very gracefully, fear,
though did not think ofthat till this moment)into
the enclosure, TO observe his manner of taking
time" and then be showed me his cooking appa-
ratus this principal food is pounded corn, or hom-
my his cidcr-presses pipes, &c. purchased one
of his unique chairs for my little boy, and taking
hold Of ''uon dmi's' hand stepped cautiously up
and took sly peep into the tree. On il looked
like a den Well II Diogenes lived in tub,
"Uncle Daniel" has evinced much better taste, to
say the least IN choosing the greenwood tree"
You would be astonshed by this man. lie is 20
simple, yet so shrewd so child like, yet SO criti-
cal; crazed one would think, and yet exhibiting
more good sense than one 10 thousand OF those
who make more pretensions. His manner is quiet,
bis conversation candid, his language good, aud at
times even choice, and his voice singularly soft,
and winning. In religion he is an independent
thinker, in politics he has ever been supporter OF
the principles of the old hero of the Hermitage,
under whose generalship be has so often fought.
His tavorite oath land as far as ] heard the only
one) was an original one, to say the least. by
blood 70 he would often e1claim, yet never, il I
remember rightly, except when talking Of his old
campaigns.
We learned something of his former history. It
might form the ground work for a novel, and shows
conelus;vely the power Of woman TO mould the
destiny Of man. He has, he says, resided in the
counties of Warren aud Canaon for the last fifty
years He is North Carolinian by birth, and was
a soldier in the war Of 1912 He says he was at
the Mobile station when the battle OF New Orleans
was fought, and heard the booming of the guns
when his old General was whipping the British. He
has a drum and fife Of his construction, and
even he every morning beats the rsVeilies that
he was wont to hear at day>bresk in days so long
gOue by He married, il is said, in early life, a
woman whose husband had left her. and who was
by her considered dead. They had one child and
lived together in great happiness and harmony.
Alter the lapse OF years the former husband
turned, aud claimed his wife. He told her to make
her own choice; il she loved him most 10 remain
with him aud she should never repent il; If, how
ever she loved aud preferred to 20 With her first
husband TO do CO. and he would never blame her.
She decided TO go with the FIRST.
Daniel West was az that time in comfortable cir
cumstAnces, bad quantity Of stock, and was add
ing TO his substance every year. After the deser-
ton Of the woman be loved, he became detected,
let his property run to ruin and finally adopted the
strange and secluded life OF a hermit in bis tree
lie has lived 10 this way many, many years. lie
does do from necessity tor he has friends who
have besoaght him 10 make their homes bis oWn,)
bat from choice. When questioned IS 10 why he
prefers such mode Of life, he oaly answers that
''the world has not used him we'll" And yet be
does nos appear 70 be so1red In disposition, or en-
Uttered ia feelings towards IN indeed 80 full ofcon.
tengment seemed his conversation, that could not
help thinking Of Crss@ in his cave trying TO make
the best Of everything. The rough winds OF the
world have passed over bin, leaving him without
the asperity Of the misanshrope, the austerisy Of
the aseedc, or the exelasiVeness Of the anchoret,
leaving him in short only whAt he appears 60 be-
a simple Solitarsl l.. ".
FoREsr HOHE. Sc.
Grand Mass Convention.