Wyandot County Republican. [volume] (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1869-1903, 1872-04-18
The Hermit Of the Cliff.

In the State OF Kentucky, at point
not far from where the romantic little
Tradewater throws itself into the arms
of the Ohio, may be seen standing upon
the very verge of lofty cliff, small and
somewhat strangely stone hut.
No person seems to know anything about
it. An old man lives there, and he might
have lived there since the creation of the
world for aught any one can tell to the
contrary. All have seen him; some have
endeavored to get into conversation with
him, but none have been able to arrive at
his history, for he is provokingly uncem-
municative.
Business took me to that region some
months ago, and while there / made it
convenient to visit the 'hut on the cliff.
The old man, an eccentric looking char
acter, truly, received me kindly, but, as /
had been forewarned would be the case,
showed no disposition to converse. Ibid
not try to press an interchange upon him,
but stated that / was a stranger in the
place, merely rambling about, and had
been attracted to his locality by the mag
nificent view it afforded of the Ohio
River.
One word brought on another, until
finally we got into an easy conversation,
and it was not long until / discovered a
disposition on his part to give me a scrap
of his history. l took a seat upon the
brink of the cliff, and he stationed him
self not far away, and at last, after l had
humorcd him in every manner possible, to
the evident seeming of his good opinion,
he said:
81 am now seventy-four years old.
Fifty years ago, this coming spring, /
first saw this cliff, and since that time L
have never been three miles away from it.
Fifty years ago l started with my lit
tie family-a wife and one child-from
Pittsburgh to go to New Orleans. 1t was
before the age of steam had been inaugu-
rated, so we took passage aboard keel
boat. Right out there, pointing with his
hand) our boat stuck fast on a saRd-bar,
and necessitated waiting till rise in the
river should let US off.
1t was dull place at which to tarry,
and consequently life soon waxed monot-
onous to the fullest extreme; and with a
view to a change, one day took my wife
and child-the latter little girl of four
summers-and came ashore to walk in the
woods. We strolled to the top of this
cliff, and seated ourselves upon the very
offset which you are now occupying, to
to enjoy the scene which you have just
been praising. 1t was somewhat different
then from now. An unbroken wilderness
reached out in every direction, as far as
the eye could see. Man had not yet in
terfered with the primitive features of the
forest.
after looking upon the scene in
silence for some time, my wife said:
"Ah, George, did you ever see any
thing so enchanting before p
az told her it was really sublime.
"'It almost makes me feel that am a
Bird she continued, liable to sail of
these lofty cliffs and go just where l like.
fly away over yonder, out of sight, would
you stay here till / returned 2
81 laughed at the idea, and promised
that would wait.
Now, George" she continued,
might get to be bird. Promise me good
that, should take a notion to fly, you'll
never leave this place till come back to
you.'
"'I promise good said 1, laughing
again, yet feeling some astonishment at
her continuance of the subject. The
words had scarcely passed my lips ere
she rose to her feet, seized our child in
her arms, and before / could move hand
or foot leaped from the cliff. A rustling
of clothes in the air, a wild scream from
the child, dull, heavy sound from far
below, and all was silent
"I made my way to the foot of the
cliff scarcely know how-but a bleed
ing and almost shapeless mass was all
found therel The spirits had also flown
"See that flat rock there beside my hut
that is their tombl AT my request the
boatmen bore their remains to the top OF
the cliff, and there they are buried. And
they then assisted me to erect this hut.
promised her to remain right here till she
returned to me; shall keep my prom
ise!' '"-lMo6Sle Register.