Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1878-10-12
The Pennsylvania Hermit.
LIVING FORTY YEARS IN DARK AND DIS
NAL CAVE.

Inc TtuucsINd Itct uu'
LIVING FORTY YEARS IN DARK AND DIS
NAL CAVE.
Nine miles west Of the village of
Dingman's in Lehman township, Pike
County, Pa, in an isolated and almost
unbroken wilderness, dwells human
being who has spent the last forty-one
years of his existence in q deep and
gloomy cave. He lives without sim
gle companion, and when he first set
lied he repealed every attempt at ia
miliarity, but soon became courteous
and gentlemanly to all. His strange
life has always been fruitful theme for
the gossips Of the surrounding neigh
borhood, but none have ever been able
to pierce the mystery with which this
strange being has chosen to envelop
himself and his life.
His name is Austin Sheldon, but he
is now commonly known as cold Plu-
to-" He Was born in the beautiful vii
lage of Bradford, Connecticut, q few
miles from the city of New Haven, in
1906. His father was Q farmer in COM
Portable circumstances, and had large
family. Austin was the pet of his faith
or, and arriving at the proper age was
endowed with q good common school
education. At the age Of fifteen he
sought employment at blacksmith
ing in Bradford, and after q four years
apprenticeship was thoroughly familiar
with the art, and was one of the best
mechanics in the place.
On October 10, 1882, after brief
courtship. he married Julia Tuttill, the
eldest daughter of well-to-do farmer
residing near the city Of New Haven.
They lived happily and prosperously
together for period, when Mrs. Shell.
don was taken suddenly ill, continuing
. helpless invalid, and after long but
patient suffering died. The sad mis-.
fortune was almost death blow to the
husband, and gradually he became mel.
anoholy and respondent, and one night
unknown to any one, he left Bradford
and came to Milford, walking the en-.
tire distance. The family, learning Of
his departure. were alarmed, and search
for his whereabouts was at once insti
tuted, and continued for some time
but without success, and finally tn.
family gave him up as lost. Austir
having frequently expressed desire X
go to sea, it was thought probable thai
he might have boarded sailing vessel
Years rolled by, and still NO tidingl
OF the missing one reached the sorrow
ing family, until in the winter Of rs
whom . photograph appeared in one o.
the New York daily papers stating thai
mm named Sheldon had been for {
period Of years living . hermit life in {
dismal cave near Dingmsns, Pa, hi
whereabouts remaining mystery. Thu
item reached some member Of the fam
lily, and q brother and sister, ate,
learning the sad intelligence, came K
Milford, remaing over night ct the Saw
kill House. There they learned, aftel
inquiry, that Sheldon was living Q mos
vretched life in the wilderness in Leh
man township.
On the following morning they pro
cured livery, and embarked for thu
cave Of the long lost one, finally reach
ing it after long and difficult drive
Though separated for . long term Of
YIN, their meeting was anything but {
happy one. Al the brother and sister
aN ,oached the cave, and beheld stand
ing at its rocky entrance the object Of
their search, their hearts we're wrapped
In sorrow. II vas late in the DAY wher
they reached the gloomy cavern, and
al there MAS 10 be seen vas the thici
forrest. and here and there the fainl
Asck-ring Of . distant star.
Austin greeted tss~z cooIly, vishou,
exhibiting the sals hest sign u euo4ion,
and after sone ke-if~tion th@s followed
tkelr aged bxotiaer laso hi. xresrhed
abode Tesetb-r tsey spent the might
vita nsfa1ng - eat, nor bid rpox
vhscA O. sep They eGtru4.eG ani
- every inanneEa@af fog Au~xin "a
shan<soa hs. cave zna @r-snpsny fh~n
10 tk~ asae II sss esiliassi. sker~ he
naxh. have . eoa@fsrssl,se hsra= for tn
r~sn~assser Il has iis~. hot % adj fE@i,
s.sr~~rs-~ ne gave SENSITIVE szssex,
sezxszg TIA. be wz- eaas~Gs-sl - he nox
vs~- S-si=w sh.s be ~s- ss~s~ru.in~d.
tbry Ess~ haas ~saEe e31xhznx xna a
snan szm IL zsss~y. sn3 sur sf-ena
- tse zaa sz1>~sss:f~ AID srefehe 4
-nlghf 81 tasesr exsssrs.ce. hxSs Az<szn
xH<w<zl-
Tkx odd s~ser~z % ln heixka isfxss
essx Eve s~s<. vhise kis y~axhs vsE nos
szes~s . ksn1scd BsssssaA Hss kasr II
hsnr ~xsa xrxRxay. sna han aexrd skaxxy
- ks< sHng loo 60 kis ts~~ss He u
hpvss-isssAzng. . zzsss 81 rags and tns-
- e4uzies-hsuaez. snl Susy. H.
a<.a3k