The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1880-06-03
THE HERMIT.


edge Of timber line. North, south, east
and west huge peaks tower in their
massive grandeur and rear their stony
heads to the rising and setting sun, and
seem like grim old sentinels keeping
watch over the little basin in which are
the cabins, collectively known as Min
eral City. The mountain sides are
scanned and ribbed with the rich silver
veins of San Juan, and scores of cuts,
shafts and tunnels echo daily to 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, a little cabin stands
unobhusive upon its rocky foundation.
There is an air Of neatness about its
hpped 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 point
ed out as fine specimen Of frontier
architecture.
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
those poor old beings of ancient story
who dwelt in caves and fed 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 corner and
rarely, if ever, took part in the CONVEX
sation.
He was vastly different from the rest
of his fellow laborers. He never drank;
he never swore but, in his quiet, unob-
trusiye way, would sit apd 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. Tall he was, with. a de-
cided stoop in his shoulders; long
beard, plentifully streaked with gray,
and pair Of wearied, restless, nervous,
yearning eyes, that somehow appealed
to the rough but good hearted miners.
Mail came twice week in Mineral
City, and the saloon was the postofice.
Regularly upon the carriers arrival the
Hermit would join the crowd and listen
with an eager, expectant air as the SUI
prescriptions 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 Fireplace.
with never word Every mail that
went out carried letter from the Her
NIT, always directed to the same party.
and every month he registered one to
the same address, which the boys
shrewdly guessed contained such money
as the poor fellow was able to scrape to-.
gether from the scanty yield Of his mine
the Alice.
The boys had often debated upon
writing letter to the Hermit, for his
continual expectation and his regularly
bitter disappointmen touched them. but
they argued that it would not be what
he wanted, and SO the idea was aban-
doned. 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 of them gave vent to
any joyful EXPLANATIONS when the mail
brought them favors, as was their wont.
The old whisky key, at the corner Of the
fireplace. was always reserved for the
Hermit, and. come when he might, he
never found 1t occupied, nor, when sit
ting there, was he ever crowded. And
SO these rough frontiersmen showed in
various ways their sympathy for their
lonely and silent companion, of whom
they knew nothing save what his
pinched, careworn face and yearning
eyes told.
Oneday the mail came in and the Hermit
was not there. This was SO unusual that
it led to considerable speculation among
the boys. Then Roney, whose lead Law
near the Alice, remembered that the
Hermit had not been to work that day or
the day before, and when night came on
and the key in the corner remained I'M
occupied the boys concluded that invest
lgation was necessary.
Pards, / reckon the Hermit NAV be
a little off and might kinder need help. .
said Georgia, an it sorter strikes me
we might call in an see.'
As this met the approval of all the
men, Georgia and Roney started up to
the Hermit's little cabin. a dim light
crept around the edges of the old flour
sack that acted as a curtain for the lit
tie square pane of glass constituting
window, and, after consultation, the two
messengers concluded to take peep
before making their presence known.
Georgia put his face to the glass and
peered intently within. The Hermit sat
on the earthen floor enveloped in a torn
and miserable blanket. His hat was off,
and his long, gray hair was
tangled and unkempt. His eyes,
which Georgia could plainly see, as he
sat nearly facing the window, combined
with their usual pleading expression q
sort Of feverish glitter, and the whole
attitude Of the man was one Of despair.
In his hands he held what appeared to
be photograph and an old letter, and
he never moved his eyes from them.
The rest of the room that came with
in Georgia's field Of vision betokened
cleanliness, but at the same time ex-
treme poverty for even that rough coun-
try. Georgia Withdrew his head, and
his companion took look, after winch
they both softly retreated some little
distance into the timber and paused.
Well 2" said Roney.