Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1874-03-27
The Hermit OF Ewing Castle.

| Much has been said and written of John
Smith, the hermit, and his cave castle,
which is situated on the side of rocky
and precipitous mountain in Erving, Mass.
Blu, Decies rcpetita pldcebn. Thinking
| perhaps that brief sketch OF my recent
visit 10 the castle might be ntere, ting to
portion Of the readers of the "PHGNIx."
| | have tasked myself TO give the result Of
said visit. We started "a friend and my.
self oge clear. cold morning from the viii
! laSe Of Erving, for the express purpose Of
Interviewing the hermit. We arrived at
the castle about 10 o'clock \. NJ, and were
received in ve:y hOspitable manner BIZ
the hermit. He gave us seat by his stove
with the remark, "Quite cold this morn
ing We assentcd and inquired how he
| had got along this cold weather. "First
rate; haven't been cold hut one night
this WINTER" was his reply. He was very
volub!e, talking of himself in the free>t
manner. lie said he thought the American
women were of higher order than the
men. ! noticed cat under the stove. and
inquired how many of the Feline" tribe
lie kept IL have but three now" said he;
81 have had five die this fall and winter:
some fatal disease has carried them off
and there his voice was tremuous with
emolion) my little fodder died. l thought
more of her than any of the rest, she was
so gentle and affeciionate. Why, sir, not
one half hour before she died she rot upon
my knee and tried to purr, and, poor thing,
she died upon my knee. / could not help
but shed tears" l asked him what the
cats name was that was lying under the
stove. said he, Rodney Hunt, and have
one by the name OF Princess Royal, and
another by the name of Dolly Warden,
which was named by some ladies visiting
here last summer. They called her Dolly
Warden because of her eyes, one of which
is brown and the other blue" He saws he
thinks he shall leave Ervng in the spring.
He was writing letter when we arrived,
in answer 10 one received from Warren
Ames of Locks Village, requesting him to
come there, and offering him building
and as many acres Of land as he wished 10
cultivate. He had more than ten thousand
visitors last year. lie keeps a register and
invites people to place their names therein,
but not one half of Them do so. He likes
to see gentlemen and lady visitors, but says
be has many that are a disgrace TO man
kind. Among others, one day last sum-
mer, was young man and woman from
Athol The young woman was rather ar
rogant, and in an impairment manner said
TO the hermit, 81 suppose you have seen
Queen Victoria? p YES" said John, land
princesses without number" "Well,"
says the young woman, 81 am a princess
myself" "Tou may be as regards flesh
and hood, but you have neither manners
nor education" was Johns answer. The
company applauded loudly and the young
man and woman sneaked off to the salts
faction of all.
Now, in conclusion, | would say to the
reader, If you want to know more of the
hermit and his castle, go and see him.
have not described his cave and surround
ings for the reason that it has been so ma
ny times described by ADLER pens than
mine. A year or two ago the hGrmit's la
vorite eat, "TabLy," died. and this last
summer he got a marble slab erected over
the grave with the name "Tahby' on il.
But 20 and sec for yourselves.
MERE ALLYDEN.