The weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1878-1881, 1881-07-05
CAROLINA ROMANCE.

| CAROLINA ROMANCE.
! Shipwrecked a Woman Lives
|ermitess Until Found by Her
Ter.
N months ago the following statement
Id in the Asheville Citizen written by
|tor Mr.. Robert NJ. Furman. We have
burned from our annual visit to Miss
Burt, the hermitess Of the mountains,
/ few persons ever saw or even heard of
|ange woman, a short sketch, embody-
/ that is known of her, may not be unin-
c to our readers. About fifty years
repossesslng young woman appeared
Nv in small mountain village, as If
l dropped from the sky; who she was
nee size came, no one knew. To all
us she replied simply "My name is
Burt; am lady and have come here
t'pleased me TO do so; other than
hcerns no one but myself" She had
rage beyond few clothes tied up in a
rchief, but was so lady-like in her ap-
he and department that when she ap-
br work at the house of well-to-do
she was gladly received and treated
pspects as an equal. She assisted the
wife and daughters in the duties Of
billy. Ten Or fifteen years passt d and
ystery of her appearance was grad
bgotten, and She seemed to have been
lamily. About, this time she was,
pch persuasion, induced to take charge
untry school near by, and having de-
more than one good offer Of marriage,
fked upon as permanent institution.
bly, however, her whole character
to change and she. became moody,
(holy, and fond of solitude, and after
ears teaching gave up the school, pur-
section of wild land, and had rude
erected in one OF the love!icst spots
fountains, but so far of from all hab-
that. pal ticularly in winter, she often
weeks without intercourse with any
being. A dog, cat, few chickens
Ow, whose milk supplies the place of
Ohee, are the only living things with
she at such times has any intercourse.
now comes the solution of the mystic
ught about by this very sketch in the
lie Citizen, which being copied into a
pit paper, fell into the hands of a
gentleman of that State, who imme-
went to Asheville, sought the editor
Citizen, when the two in company
led to the mountain home of Miss
Eptering the house, where she was. as
llOne, the stranger said
by, do you not know me ?'
hnnot say that do," she replied.
ng her by both hands he exclaimed
y Burt Howe, have you forgotten
Fletcher ?''
ave not" she replied, but ! suppos-
we're either married Or dead"
the whole story was told to the CHi-
Fifty years ago Mary Burt Howe was
to be married to Robert Fletcher,
Oming jealous Of his fancied attach
to another girl suddenly left
ROme in Maine and went to
determined to make her own liv-
ay from all who knew her. She
ace as stewariess OH board sailing
bound for Liverpool, but a terrific storm
be ship out of her course and wrecked
dthe coast of North Carolina. Mary
only woman saved, aud after many
ps landed from a small boat on Shep-
plHt, a tongue of land running out in
fort harbor, to.which the shipwrecked
Frs guided by fire burniag brightly.
Fey found aparLy of trading Indians
ed, who treated them with the utmost
s. The men of the party remained
buy few days, shipping as sailors in
Pc vessel bound for the West Indies.
oud have taken Mary on board, but
such horror of the sea that moth
ID induce her to trust herself again to
and she remained with the Indians,
ph broke up their camp and started for
oantain home, taking her along with
Gradually her mind recovered from
Of the shipwreck, and she deter
y 60 back to civilization, sbut not to
Gestitute to her home, so, taking the
hes she had managed to save, she one
" the Indian camp and the next day
prself at the little mourtain village
|he dwelt so long. Having traced her
vessel on which she embarked and
at it had been wrecked OH the coast
Eh Carolina, Mr.. Fletcher mourned
dead. until he read the account,
om the Citizen, of Mary Burt living
The mountains of that state. Being
nan, he Immediately started for Ashe-
and Mr.. Furman, and, as related, his
1t did not take long to induce
or rather Howe, to return with
u ermont as his wife, bnt before mar
:, at Mr.. Fletcher's earnest request,
q deed of gift by which she trans
er beautiful mountain glen to the
the Asheville Citizen, stipulatiDg
should take care of her faithful dog
& long as they lived and go there
mmer 10 fish anu hunt in the wilds
ae had so long resided alone.