The Benton weekly record. [volume] (Benton, Mont.) 1880-1885, 1880-07-09
THE HER WHIT.
a Tale OF Mining Life.

a
east and west huge peaks tower NTH
massive grandeur and rear their sto
heads to the rising and setting sun. a
seem like grim old sentinels Keeping wat
over the little basin in which are the Cd
ns collectively known as Mineral Cit
Ihe mountain sides are scanned and RIB
with the rich silver veins of San Juan, al
scores Of cuts, shafts and tunnels echo ds
~ to the clang Of drill and sledge as Il
hardy miners dclve after the metallic trea
'lres OF these great storehouscs.
Seartllc blacksmith shop, where tho IL
unmcodious rings of drills and picks beir
slarpencd is heard all the day and far in1
the night, a little cabin stands unobtru
lFeiy upon its rocky foundation. There
an air of neatness about its hipped roof [
niccly-splt shakes and its carefully
llcwn door that speaks well for the paticnc
and skill of its builder. In fact, the cab
Is pointed out as fine specimen of frontic
architecture.
The solitary owner and occupant of t,i
little building was known throughout tn
camp as the Hermit Not, be it under
stood, because of his initiating those poo
Old beings of ancient story who dwelt il
caves ard fled at the approach of any one
but simply because he was tacit,lrn qui
ct old fellow, who worked his mine alone
and, when joining the rest of the ner
about the fire i'll the saloon always sought
corner, and rarely, if ever, took part in
the conversation.
He was vastly different from the rest OF
his fc!low-laborers. He never drank; he
never swore; but in his quiet, unobtrusiye
way would stand gaze intently at the fire,
unmindftll of the stories, the hearty laugh
ter, the social drinking and the absorbing
games of cards going on around him. Tall
he was, with a decided stoop in his shoul-
ders; long beard, plcntifully strcaked
with gray, and pair ofrestless, wearicd,
nervous, ycarning eyes, that somehow ap-
pealcd to the rough but good hearted min
crS.
I Mail came twice week in Mineral CITY.
and the saloon was the post-office. Rcoll-
/ !arlY upon the carriers arrival the Hermit
. would join the crowd and listen with an
eager, cXpcctant air as the superscriptions
OF the various letters were read out bv the
saioon-keepcr; and then, when the last
mlsslve had been reached, and either claim
| cd or set aside, he would lower his head
and slowly slip away to his seat at the cor
ncr of the fireplace, with never word.
Every mail that went out carried a letter
from the Hermit, always ditected to the
same party, and every month he register
cd one to the same address, which the bows
slreWtl|y guessed contained such money AS |
the poor fellow was able to scrapc together
from the scanty yield of his mine-the
Alice. -".. .".
The boys had often debated upon writing
a letter to the Hermit, for his continual ex-
pectation and his regularly bitter disap-
polntment touched them; but they argued
that it would not be what he wanted, and
so the idea was abandoned. Several of
them asked the postmaster to Law aside
their letters without reading aloud their
addresses, that the contrast might not be SO
painful to the Hermit, and none of THEN
gave vent to any joyful exclamations when
the mail brought them favors, as was their
wont. The Old Whiskey keg, at the corner
Of the fireplace, was always reserved for
the Hermit, and come when he5might he 4
never found it occupied, or when sitting ,
there was he ever crowded And 50 these
rough fiOntiersmen showed in various :
ways their sympathy for their lonely and ,
silent companion, Of whom they knew :
nothing save what his pinchcd, carcworn
md yearning eyes told.
One day the mail came in and the Her
nit was not there This was so unusual I
hat it led to considerable speculation
lmong the boys. Then Roney, whose lead
ay near the Alice, remembered that the !.
Hermit had not been 1T work that dav or | :
he day before, and when night came on | !,
md the keg in the corner remained unoc-i
,upicd, the boys concluded that investiga- :
ion was necessary. 49,.
''Partls, / reckon the Hermit may be ;
eetle off, and might kinder need help"
aid Georgia, ''an' it sortcr strikes me we :
night call in an see"
AS this met the approval of all the men,
ieorgia and Roney started up to the Her. !,
nit's little cabin. A dim light crept !
round the edges of the old flour sack that :
ctcd as curtain for the little square pane ),
# glass constituting a window, and, after r
CONSULTATION, the two messengers conclud- :,
d to take Il peep before making their pres ),
nee known. ..--. :,
Georgia put his face to the glass and :,
'eered intenJly within. The Hermit sat ;
~ the carthcIn floor cnveopetl in torn !,
nd miserable blanket. His hat was off, ),
nd his long gray hair was tangled and un-
empt. His eyes. which. Georgia could | q
'lainly see as he sat nearly facing the win +
low, combined with their usual pleading +
Spression sort Of feverisI glitter, and lf
he whole attitude of the man was one of =
despair. In his hands he held What ap- Ir
'cared 10 be 4 photograph and an old let y
Ell, and he never moved sllis eyes. from 4
llen .A Il
The rest of the room that came within | j;
icor9ia's field of vision betokcned cIc:tlli-
eSS. but III the same time extreme power T
Y for even that rough country. Georgia +
withdrew hisShead, and his compaion took !,
look. after which they both retreatcd I
omc little distance into the timber and =
,allseel3 1SE
''Wel?" said Roncy. i
burned queer" said Georgia.
Kinder sick-looking, 4eh?'' III
Gcorgi;. nodded his head tllouglttully. II
Let's see The boys about it, said Ro-
ley, ana then they retl'aced their steps to ii
he saloon. III
The boys listened with interest to the re- Il;
,ort, and pulled their boards ana scratched II
heir heads u attempts to obtain 4 solution b
4 To what allied the Hermit Many ana i,
.arious were the explanations given, and !
hen they decided that Georgia and R6ney \
lad better 70 back and knock at the door,
nd inquire, ut any rate, If anything was 3
wrong; V thereupon the two once more .
tsrted t,p The trail. They kpocked--tirst 4
oftly and then Iouder-but elected no re-
ponsc, OF caused any show Of life within, q
ave the extingnishmcnt Immediately Of il
he light. IN
No use, 4 whispered Rooney; and with
lit further wcrd they left the little cabin Ii
With it, solitary occupant, and joined their \
omladcs. dk
The next day passed and the next, and }
he Hermit gave no signs Of existence. y