The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-03-28
THE HERMIT OF THE HUDSON.
HIs LITTLE DAUGHTER FOCND ATLIST
LIVING UITH KIND PEOPLE

nut-l ne
to he his Books. his Cat. and Dog-1he
Story of n scholar who Lives In "A Cabin.
PoUeHKEEPsIE. March 27.-After a search
that has been unceasnc for seven days. the liz
tie daughter OF the solitary. who is called tho
Hermit Of the Hudson " was found this after
noon. When the old man tottered into tho
ofice OF the Chief Of Police last Friday and
said. " Ny little girl has not come home. DO
you think she can have been taken from me p
he thon for the first time since he came
here threw of the reserve that re-
pelled men. and showed that he had affec-
tions and human feelings. The police
began their search. and the old hermit
did not Leave the task to them. HI has walked
7rp rnd down ths-sp - BY ssski anl = ny - 1sn.
ing into the faces Of tho little girls whom he
met His cave and hut he deserted. He said
that 1t would be anguish for him to stay there at
night when he had been used SO long to the
company OF his daughter. and he begged tho
Chief TO allow him to take such rest as ex-
hausted nature demanded. in the office Of
the police. Food he has barely tasted.
The Chief has tried to tempt his appetite
with savory steaks and wholesome bread. The
hermit ate as a man who did ii for punishment
Once or twice day he would 60 to his hut
with the hope Of finding his little girl there
and come back from the four-mile tramp sad
ofice for some report. he would start OIL. night
or day. and begin his search.
e. lam broken down II | do not find her" he
said to a person In whom he has placed some
trust Il am so fearful that she has been
listening TO bad advice. l do not think she
meant to leave me. but IL she did and Is with
respectable people ond wishes to stay there.
shall not oppose 1t"
He could give no hint or suggestion to the
officers Il was in my bed early last Thurs
day morning" he said for was well-nigh
sick Ny little girl came to me and said she
would build the fire. and so she did. did not
get up at ALL but she came to me as she al
ways used. and kissed me. and said she
was going now. and asked me to be sure and
meet her. The child had a walk Of two miles
by the railroad track. and always used TO walk
part way up in the evening to meet her would
strain my eyes after / got up by the rolling
mills labout half mile from the hut and /
would think I saw her little dress futterng
away on. Then felt kindly until | saw that
my eyes had deceived me- Then again would
see something. and l said TO myself Thereshe
comes tripping along; but I'd miss the figure
for an instant. and I'd say No. not yet; Then
ia see 1t again. II would be her little figure. /
knew IT, though l couldn't see the face. She was
coming sure right toward me- safe and sound;
and then I'd feel the liti dog she always took
along rubbing against my legs. and then |
,et R,nqy II. Wthous msIw4Sn' 80 We cone a
kissed her and told her Ia meet her. and
gave her the customary warning TO look out for
along here. But that night my eyes deceived
me without ever atoning for H. Thought saw
and then II vanished. Then was sure / saw
the figure, but that was sad mistake. The
neSt Gof M S You n' hS% epS q! s s smpn m b
wasn't coming. and then / went 70 the hut II
vas sad night for me-
This was ali Ithe story that he told Il said
he child had not taken her best dress. as she
might. had she, thought 81 leaving him for
good. He therefore feared that she had been
enuced away or iorcioly taken. The police
had visited every place OF bad reputation in
questioned every one likely TO have been on the
railroad track. or who were accustomed TO see
almost given up hope to-day. when the Chief
OF Police told him that he had got
clue. and was, going a. once to investigate
came back with smile and said. We've found
her; she's all right, and with respectable pco-
the tears back. The police found her with some
respectable people who live about Two miles out
there. She said that she is IA years old.
s, ssnd that her name is ba. Ella Elize6eth i beth
her own and her fathers past life. She
Esmemhers that her father dug CLANS IN Sandy
Hook Bay once. and she believes that her
mother died in Harlem three years ago. Then
her father came 10 Poughkeepsie and built his
get some books after the hut was built. but she
doesn't know whore thny went. except that IL
has lived by odd jobs At shovelling snow.
and the like. and he frequently left the hut
as early as three o'clock In the morning.
50 that he might get paths cleared early and SO
obtain more work. Tho reason She Went away.
she SAYS, is because there were owls and bats
aoout the hut. and they frightened her She
doesn't want 10 go back but she said that she
loved her father dearly. and would work at any
thing 50 as 10 nelp him live, She has vague
idea that she was born in Philadelphia and
knows that once she lived N nice house and
had things like other girls.
The little that is known OF the hermit Of the
Hudsons past life or oi the rrasons which led
him 70 despise the customs OF his fellows are
largely matters OF conjecture. | have seen the
hermit to-day and in the course OF long con
yersaiion upon subjects utterly foreign to his
there remarks which show that there is an un-
usual history in the mans past
He first appeared IN Poughkeepsie about
three years ago, and IN personal appearance
we're tattered; they are now. His beard then
was white but not Of long growth. and 50 IT ia
to-day. He then wore shoes that bore evidences
Of long trampinR. He had on to-day pair Of
heavy farmers boots into the tops Oi which were
tucked the legs Of trousers that were shiny with
age and patched IN many places. but always
neatly. His outer cont to-day WAS sadly tat
tered about the collar. and there were evi-
dences that the under garment WAS not whole
been recently washed. but uncaleniered. sug-
Rested. MS did his face ana hands. that he
was tiqy person 50 lar rs i was possible 10 be-
slouch hat. the tr!m ot which wholly con-
cealed all Of his ince above the eyebrows, was
darned in several plaHes, The hermit cannot
conceal his nationality. however much he de-
sires 70 hide his history His fuce and his
broRue are those o, the north Of ireland peo-
pie. The it'e is broad. rudy, ana the eyes the
When people in Poughkeepsle FIRST saw this
man they thought be- WAS a tramp. The
railroad men discovered him. a.t.l he lad been
that juts into the Hudson about Two miles s'utiR
a "a ]. p "a