The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1873-03-21
The Story of a Hermit.


ance of n man far advanced in life, 10
has since been ascertained that he was
not vet forty years of age. Who or
what he was no ono knew. He very
rarely left his lonely retrrnt, and then
only 20 obtain certain necessaries OF life
How he lived or what he did were mat
ters of which the inhabitants of The
town were entirely ignorant. Old resi-
dents remember h m coming 20 these
parts. and say that he truly "dwelt
with solitude and walked the roads and
forests like n wolf" Young men grew
10 old age and died, and still Harper re-
manned in his rude hut. At last the
hermit not having been seen for some
time by any of the villagers, II began 10
be whispered about that he was dead.
His hut was visited, but, although IL
was empty, and evidently had been for
some time, nothing was found 10 indi-
! cate that the hermit had died.
A short time ntterward, there appear
ed in the village of Ringtown a queer
! old man, with long, snowy 10 ks and
| beard, bent form, and wrinkled visage
| He was bare-headed, clad in ragged gar
ments, and with long, smooth staff.
! Purchasing few groceries in the vil-
| lHge, he disappeared. Some months af-
terward, he again came 20 the village,
made similar purchases and went away.
This time, the curiosity Of the villagers
being excited to know more of the. sim
| gular being, he was followed. He took
a rough and narrow path, which ran
some miles over the mountain, and led
TO h deep, rocky gorge. near the boun-
dary of Schuylkill and Columbia coun-
tics. In this gorge was n dark and
damp cavern, into which the old man
entered and where IL was found he
dwelt. This was the hermit of West
Penn township. He had, IL was thought,
left his former retreat To find more per-
feet solitude and isolation.
The severity of the present winter
and the great depth Of the snow short
time since compelled the old man TO
leave his mountain fastness, as lac was
on the verge of starvation. He wan
dered over into Columbia county, where
he found an asylum in the house Of n
kind farmer, where he died a few days
after he was given shelter. On his
death bed he gave an account of his life
and the causes which led him 10 put
himself beyond the pale of a society Of
Which he had once been n bright orna-
munt. His narrative was substantially
as follows:
His name was James Harper. When
he died he was within n few weeks
of reaching the eightieth anniversary OF
his birth. Between forty and ffty years
ago he was the senior parter OF Hnrper
& Bro hardware merchants, Market
street, Philadelphia. His brother was
some years his junior, and their firm
stood among the leading ones Of the
city. They lived in fine style in Chest
nut street, and neither of them being
married, their only sister superintended
their household affairs.
About the wear 1895 James Harper
went 10 Europe, leaving the business in
charge of his brother, in whom he
placed tbe utmost confidence. He
spent two years travelling in the old
country. during which time he married
an accomplished, beautiful and wealthy
Young English lady, member Of one
of tile leading families. For some
months previous TO his departure from
London To return home, Mr.. Harper
had not heard from his brother-his let
ters, which had l, en- regular and cheer
ing, suddenly ceasing. Apprehonsive
of something wrong, the senior partner
determined TO fore go further saunter-
ings in Europe, and, shortly after hrs
embarked for Philadelphia,
by his bride. When the
voyage was about half over and the de-
spondency that had seized Mr.. Harper
when he left London had been some
what dispelled, the smallpox brokeout
among some emigrant families in the
steerage. The plague spread TO the
cabin passengers, aud among the VIC
Tins was the young wife of Mr.. Har-
per. who died IN the greatest agony,
and whose body was cast into the sen.
This was the first thrust into the heart
of the returning merchant, and prepar-
ed him for others that awaited him.
After lying in quarantine some time af-
ter reaching pOI the passengers Of the
ship were permitted TO
lal Il.
A few hours afterward Mr.. Harper
learned that he was ruined man. His
brother, shortly after his senior went TO
Europe, felf into dissolute habits, and
in wear and a half had driven the firm
into bankruptcy, and IN n fit of despern-
lion blew out his brains in n gambling
hell. The sister died i'm few weeks OF
grief, and the property OF the firm was
all 8 Id by the sheriff Mr.. Harper
found himself without dollar or n sim
gle relative, and barely friend, where
be had lett n prosperous business,
happy home, and hundreds Of hattering
Overwhelmed with mis-
fortune, broken hearted and deserted,
nc determined to put himself forever
away from all contact with the worA
ana live alone with his bitterness. He
Kept his vow sacr, dly until lac knew
hat death was stealing upon him, when
ne felt that he would like 20 close his
yves upon the world surrounded, If
possible, by fellow-beings who would
minister TO his last wants, and give him
Christian burial.
What must have been the weight Of
he sorrow that sat upon this uniortun-
.te mans soul TO induce him TO forsake
he world and its manifold blessings
md live in bitter solitude, alone with
lis misery, dur ng an ord nary lifetime
lis case certainly has noknown Parellel
Il the history OF our race.
\ House in California One Thousand
Years Old.
M n a