Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1863-08-28
Lone j ack.
BY LIEUT.. j. w. TILDEN.

curiosity for the traveller, except lis her.
nit, Lone Jack" as he was called, q
mysterious solitaire, who for about TWEEN
ty years had made his abode in cavern
near the brow of the mountaiD-one o.
the famed Blue Ridge-at the foot oi
which the village summed itself, and, like
most Virginia villages, slept.
Absolutely nothing was known in the
village of Lone Jacks history, other than
that he had come there from parts un-
known, bought the whole mountain, fur
nished tho cavern for bis permanent home,
made clearing around it, and had gar
den there. From time to time he would
descend to make purchases, or could be
seen saunlering through the village or
the woods around, holding small converse
with any one and often be could be es-
pied at the very topmost point Of his el-
evated home, reading, upon the rocks, or
gazing with folded arms upon the sub.
lime landscape which encircled him.
He was now seemingly man of sixty
years, foil six feet in height, and well
proportioned. His full flowing beard
swept Lis massive chest, and added much
to the impressive majesty Of his counte-
nance. His eyes were large, dark and
caycrnous; and melancholy and frmness
blent in the refined expression Of his
features, whose benevolent cast rendered
their sombre character the less forbid
ding.
A Mr. Mountfort, n Georgia planter,
with bis wife, travelling north to escape
the excessive heats Of their warmer lati-
tude one summer, and tarrying in this
village on their way, heard of Lone Jack,
and determined to pay him a visit
Early one bright morning they were pi-
oneerel up The mountain side and met
the "eodly oremitc" at work wedding his
garden. Dismissing the guide, Mount
fort approached the old man, who bowed
a welcome to bis visitors.
Explaining who they were, Mountfort
hoped he should not be regarded as a
trespasser upon the privacy of one, who,
he had heard, was agerse to human soci-
ETY..
Not always" replied the hermit, with
a faint smile, leading the way to his cav
ern and beckoning them to follow, where
they were soon seated, in a capacious and
comfortably furnished cavity in the rock,
his abode for a score Of years, perhaps
the abode Of wild beasts before him, from
the creation down.
The old man Of the mountain may
be somewhat misanthropic, but he is no
churl, though not over fond Of visits from
mere idle starers; and visits from these
are now fortunately few
"Isuppose you must sometimes weary
Of this loneliness, and the sight of the
human face is then not distasteful to
you?'
II have never regretted my choice of
an abode" replied the old man "babit
is second nature, and thoughtful minds
can people solitudes. l know l should
feel more lonely in the society Of my
fellow creatures, and can truly say that:
sc / love not man the less, but Nature more,
From these our interviews from which steal
From all may be, Or have been before,
To miuglc with the universe and feel
What can ne'er express, but cannot all con-
ccal"
Further conversation induced Lone
Jack to volunteer his guests an outline of
his life.
my story may be tedious to you"
said he, "but its peculiarly is not with
out interest. Though was born in the
north, where there are no slaves, have
been, ike you, a STAKEHOLDER. At the
age Of thirty five was poor man with
no near relatives. AT about that time
the death Of a kinsmau in the State of
Mississippi made me his sole heir, and |
went there to find myself rich-the own
er of broad lands and many slaves.
"The novelty of the transaction made
it highly pleasing for while; but my
own good fortune could not dull my sense
of the misfortunes of others. i had been
educated in a different school, and l could
not but view with pity and disgust sys-
TEN of unpaid labor, some of the concom-
itants of which were the buying and SELL
Jog Of human beings from bondage to
bondage the sway of absolutism in a
free country; the arbitrary parting OF
kindred at the will of master and the
power to whip and brand human. flesh.
felt guilty in the possession of wealth.
resulting from no merit Of my own, but