Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1880-04-15
A WESTERN ROMANCE.

Away up on the main range-the
Sierra Madre-of the Rocky mountains
$4,000 feet above the sea- rests little
mining camp of some twenty or twenty.
five rough log cabins. Right on the
edge ofthe timber line! Tai, spruce pines
below; bare, Jagged rocks above. North,
sonth, east and west, huge peaks tower
In massive grandeur and rear THEN
stony heads to the rising and setting
snn, and seem like grim old sentinels
keeping watch over the little basin in
which are the cabins, collectively known
as Mineral City The mountain sides
are scanned and ribbed with the rich sill
yer veins Of San Juan, and scores of cuts,
shafts and tunnels echo daily the clang of
drill and sledge as the hardy miners
delve after the metallic treasures of these
great store houses
Near the blacksmith shop, where the
not unmelodious ring of drills and picks
being sharpened is heard all the day and
far into the night, q little cabin stands
unobtrusiyely upon it3 rocky foundation
There IL an air Of neatness about its
hlpped roof of nicely split "shakes and
its carefully hewn door that speaks well
for the patience, taste and skill of its
builder In fact, the cabin is pointed
out ns fine specimen of frontier archi-
lecture.
The solitary owner and occupant of
this little building was known through
out the camp as "the Hermit" Not, be
it understood, because of his initiating
tho>l poor OLD b2iugs OF ancient story
who dwell in caves and fled at the APP
proach OF any one, but simply because
he was taciturn, quiet old fellow, who
worked his mine alone, and, when join
ing the rest of the men about the fire in
the saloon, always sought n corner and
rarely, if ever, took part in the conversa-
ton.
He was vastly different from the re 1t
of his fellow-la borers. He never drauk;
he never swore; but in his quiet, unob-
trusive way would sit and gaze intently
at the fire, unmindful OF the stories, the
hearty laughter, the social drinking and
the absorbing games of cards going on
around him. Tallhe was, with decided
stoop IL his shoulders; n long beard,
plontifully streaked with gray, and a
pair of wearied, restless, nervous, ycarn-
ing eyes, that somehow appealed to the
Mail came twice week in Mineral
Ciiy, and the saloon was the postotfice.
Regularly upon the carriers arrival the
Hermit woull JOIN the crowd and listen
with an eager, expectant air MS the
superscriptions of the various letters
were read out by the saloon-keeper, and
then, when the last missive had been
reached and either claimed or set aside,
he would lower his head and slowly slip
Away to his seat at the corner of the fire
Vlaec, with never word. Every mail
Tint went out carried letter from the
Hermit, always directed to the same
party, and every month he registered
ona same address, which the boys
shrewdlv guessed contained such money
RS the poor fellow WAS able To scrape to-
ge.hcr from the scauty yield OF his NINE
The Alice.
The boys had often debated upon
wiring n letter to the Hermit, for his
continual expectation and his regularly
bitter disappointment touched them; but
thcv argued that 1t would not be what
he wanted, and so the idea was abandon
ed. Several of them asked the post
master to lay aside their letters without
reading aloud their addresses, that the
contrast might not be SO painful to the
Hermit. and none # them gave vent to
any joyful ordinations when the mail
brought them favors, as WAS their wont.
The old whisky-kcg Mt the corner of the
Fireplace was always reserved for the
Hermit, and, como when he might, he
never found it occupied, nor when sitting
ahere was he ever crowded. And Sc
these rough fronticrsmen showed IN var'-
GUS ways Their sympathy for their lonely
and silent companion, Of whom iaey
knew nothing save what his rinched,
careworn face and yearning eyes told.
One day the mail came i'll aud the Her
NIT was not there. THIS was SO unusal
that it led to considerable speculation
among the boys. Then Roney, whose
lead lay mean the Alice, remembered that
the Hermit had no. been 70 work that
day or the day before; and when night
came on and the key III the corner re,
mained unoccupiad, the boys concluded
that investigation was necessary.
"Pards. reckon he Hermit may heI
leetle oil aud might kinder need help,
said Georgia. "an' it sorter strikes m,
we might call in M see.
As thts met the approval OF all tn
men Georgia and Roney started up t
the Her1nit's little cabin. A dim hgh