The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1879-11-14

A party 81 hunters, WINE IN staftn ~
game lately In the Santa Cruz hills,
came upon rude hut In small clear
ing. about six miles from Patchen, and
nearly the same distance from the Santa
Cruz stage road. Impelled by curiosity
they approached the structure. and,
finding the door open, went in. Imagine
their surprise and wonder ut discover
inc a. the sole inmate Of the room
(there was but one). what must have
been originally intended for a man. The
creature was but partially clothed. the
body from the waist upward and from
the knees downward being entirely
naked. His hair is long and matted,
and his face, bronzed from exposure,
and scanned and Scared from conflicts
with Wild beasts or enemies Of his own
race. presented an appearance that
startled the behoiders. Their consterna-
ton was not lcs~encd when they beheid
his ewes. which. protruding from their
sockets. glarcd like those Of a wild man.
Ills arms, breast and legs were covered
with long. coarse hair, and a look al him
convinced the hunters that the strange
being was not a firm believer in the
axiom that q Cleanliness i akin 10 God
lness.~ For moment they gazed and
celerity when the man beckoned
for them 10 remain, nj the same
time muttering in some unintelligiblc
iargon. The hunters. not without trep-
idation, took seats on huge log, the
only furniture in the room. Casting
their ever about fhey Were still more a.
tonishcd ut what before had appeared 10
be- black mas Of something around
and about the presumed owner Of this
habitation They saw AZ least fifty eats.
ali black and of all sizes: some n large
and as fierce and wild looking a, Il
wild cat. Some 81 the larger started for
the visitors with spineS erect. when the
man gave peculiar whistle and all im-
mcdiatcly clustered around him again.
Wondering what was 10 come next. the
hunters maintained. for some time, a
perfect silence. Then one spoke up and
asked the man how far il was 10 Patch
en-, but ~ .swer came. Other que~-
tions WEI asked. but the man only
looked al them with puzzled stare.
All al once he leaped 20 his feet. gave a
yell that nearly cnrdled the blood 81 the
listeners. and bounded out Of doors
The eats followed and the hunters saw
them ~campering away over the clear
ing into the brush and out If sight. AZ
ter remaining for some time in the room
the hunters, noticing small box in one
corner, took il up, opened il and found
therein several sheets If writing paper,
old and faded and with writing hardly
Il. u
managed to read il. and were re-
warded with the following strange mar
rative, which explained what they de-
sired to know concerning the strange
occupant of the hut:
ISLE or JAMAICA. ls1l.-My name
l. X. +. Nenfa. Nv father. a native 81
Spain, and my mother an English
woman. died many years ago. fear
that ! am going crazy. that before an
other week arrives | shall be berefi ~
reason. In order. then. that the world
may ~ some time know my strange his
tory. have determined 10 write il down
while my senses are acute and nv mind
clear. have been for five years steward
on the plantation Of Mr.. Morris. Two
wears ago | married creole. Felice
GallcgoS. beautiful woman, and ore
whom believed could make me happy.
We lived In peace until our child was
born. An American then came to the
plantation and met Fclice. They Were
often together suspected nothing un.
I'll obtained complete and overwhelm-
ing proof If her infideliiy. She came
home one night after meeting with her
lover, and then | told her what | had
discovered. | can not remember what
said. only know that when | con.
Guided. this shc-dcvil caught her child
from the bed and flung il on the floor
Then she sprang at me with uplifted
dagger and my face will show what re.
suited. was unprcpared for such an
attack, but managed 10 seize Felice and
wrcst the dagger from her hands. Hall
mad from the blow she had given me,
| caught her by the throat and plunged
the dagger into her breast: she sank
without a groan on the floor. Then
must have been mad, for week after
wards found myself miles away, in this
forest. feel that | must leave. mus
70 somewhere. anywhere, and hide my.
self. My brain troubles me and ! am
afraid that shall soon 20 mad. will
write this and keep il with me. The
time may come when il may be given q
the world
The wording ended here. The pre-
sumption was that venia came 70 Cali
fyrnia. and wandering 10 the lonely
clearing in the Santa Cruz hills, erected
the hut and lived there alone. Tn,
hunters remained until dusk. hoping /,
meet the strange occupant again. but
he did not come. The next day the,
came again. but the man was sill al
sent. lie probably has never rcfurnc,
y the spot. One ~ the hunters Jane,
Bowman 81 San Matco County
gave a. the above particulars. and VIII,