The weekly herald. [volume] (Cleveland, Tenn.) 1876-1888, 1880-08-12
A HeTImIt's Lie.

n llNl hlA hiiNs
A letter from Dingman's Ferry, Pa.
TO a New York paper, says: Austin
Sheldon, who has occupied a rocky
cave in the forests of Lehman township,
Pike county, seven miles from that
place, for more than thirty years, living
without a companion OF any kind, has
become tired of leading a single life,
and recently became enamored Of a girl
yet in her teens, who resides within a
few miles of the hermit's abode. The
hermit has frequently visited the girls
home, and the last time he was there he
asked her parents to consent to their
marriage. or course, they refused, and
ordered the hermit TO make a hasty de-
parture, and never trouble them again.
Sheldon ielt greatly injured, and has
since been looking in other directions
with a view to matrimony.
Sheldon's life has been n sad an0
checkered one. He was born in the
village of Bradford, Conn, in 1906, and
consequently is se%vonty.four years old.
In his boyhood he learned the black.
smiths trade, and arriving at mans
estate he mysteriously left his home.
came to Pike county and purchased q
few acres of wild, uncultivated, WORTH
less land. Upon this land was a~caye,
in which, with a few alteratiors,,Sne old
hermit has since made his abode. Dis
appointment in lovcis said TO have been
the cause ofhis leaving his home. His
parents were well.to-do farmers, and it
was not until a paragraph appeared in
a New York paper a few years ago that
they knew of Austin's whereabouts.
A brother and sister came here and
visited their long lost brother, and after
staying with him in bis cave over
night, used every inducement TO have
him abandon his lonely and rocky habi-
tation and return with them 10 the
home of his childhood, where he would
be we'll cared fer. lie refused, stating
thathe preferred TO die as he had lived,
a hermit. They left him some clothing
and money and returned home. Shell
don has frequently received letters from
his family since then, entreating him
to abandon lis wretched abode. A
short time ago he partially concluded
to do so, but becoming acquainted with
the young girl above referred to, he
gave up the idea altogether. Sheldon's
dress and appearance has of late years
improved, although he is a wretched
looking object yet.
This cave is only about. l2xl4 feet,
with a slab roof. His furniture con-
sists of four blocks of wood for chairs,
a box used as n table, a fireplace, over
which he does his cooking, and an old
rickety rockingham in which he
sleeps. He has about an acre OF land
cleared, on which he grows a little corn
and garden truck. What he grows and
what is given to him by the neighbors
keeps him. He is as deaf as an adder,
has been so for years, and persons who
visit him occasionally, out of curiosity,
converse with him by writing upon q
slate, which the old hermit keeps for
that purpose. He is intelligent, and
reads a great deal. The book be most
loves is the Bible, which he has lead
through many times, and most OF
which he has committed to memory.
He has had many hairbreadtn escapes,
A few years ago his cav was sur.
rounded by the forest fires, ard the old
man came neal being roasted alive.
He once fell from the uppernost
branches of a huge chestnut tree,
breaking several ribs and otherwise
gripping him, and he has been fire.
~quently found in his cav in a freezing
condition. That.he will eventually be
found dead there is almost certain.