The news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1882-1891, 1882-05-25

al iioue VI tuO hOuSc SAtco a w" " :"
sloping ten-acre field, through which runs
rill of icy water, whose source is found
in bubbling spring just within the
grove. Although the lofty green-topped
trees surrounding the house and the gen
eral air of quietude make the picture a
pretty one, the visitors attention is at
once distracted by species Of grim humor
which catches his eye on every side.
QUEER DESCRIPTIONS.
Nailed against almost every tree within
Fifty yards of the house are barrel-staves,
| on which are legibly printed satirical
legends, Biblical quotations and pungent
inscriptions. On one of the trees an index
finger points to an abandoned path in
the woods, leading to bog, and following
are the words "Road to the New Jerusa-
lem" Another path, leading through the
open field, is pointed out as Gains path
TO the Land of Nod, after punishment"
A heap of underbush near the spring is
designated as being "Here Moses was
found in the bulrusnes by Pharaoah's
daughter" In large, bold letters another
barrel stave announces the place to be
"Canaan's Happy Land" 1.-THE Ladies'
Recruiting Office" is a small summer
house near the open field. A dozen hair
pins and weather-beateu stocking are
nailed against post, and on the other
side of it appears, Ladies' Convention
held here Monthly" A small cabin
like building, to the west of the lodge"
used as barn, is marked as the NHome
of Adam and Eve Rebuilt" forbidden
Fruit" appears over the shriveled re-
mains of two apples nailed to small &C.
dar tree. Two tall pines growing closely
together have had rough seat placed
between them, SO that person can sit on
each side of the pair but not come in CON
tact with each other. This is very APP
propriately dubbed "Old Bachelors and
Old Maids Courtship Seat" The
lodge" itself is modestly entitled, ''The
Colonies Palace formerly Solomon, $ Tenn
pie" and 80 on in variety of style and
languages do the signs give some indica-
ton of the old character of the hermit
| himself.
Corey is man Of sixty-seven, but looks
seven years younger. His face, nearly
covered by long, struggling beard, is
scanned with lines and wrinkles and brown
ed by continual exposure. lie is rather
slenderly proportional, but is that pecu-
liar "wiry" type in build that indicates an
ability to withstand great deal Of ia
tigue, where more robust-appearing men
would fail altogether The hermit is a
voluble talker, and when the opportunity
is presented his tongue will run like a
mill race. He readily consented to tell
his life, and did it with minuteness Of
detail that made the listeners head swim
THE HERMIT's STORY.
II come of good old stock" began the
hermit, "my maternal grandfather, Major
Curtis, having been in the Revolutionary
War under General Washington. l was
born at Hanover Furnace, Burlington
county, 1915, was educated at Princeton,
and graduated there in 1885. In 1910,
| went into the drygoods business in
Philadelphia, and while SO engaged
began studying civil engineering, and OBJ
tanned position on the old Camden and
Amboy Railroad under General Cook, the
chief engineer. / remained in the com
pany's employ for three years and then
went back to Philadelphia, and took up
dry goods again. l think l can say with
out boasting that | was considered one Of
the best statesmen in the city. That was
in 1858. l was with Hoskins, HeiskeIl
& Co., and made what was then consid-
cred the largest sale ever known in sin
gle bill. 1t amounted to $751; $50. How
ever, that's all over now, SO let it pass.
Fond of adventure and somewhat restless,
1 finally gave up selling goods and went
West as civil engineer again, under
General R. B. Mason and Colonel Pre-
vost and surveyed for proposed branch
railroad, from Dubuque to Omadi, among
the Sioux Indians, where / learned their
language and gained some knowledge Of
herbs. stayed West for few years
and then returned to Philadelphia and
sold goods for Kline & Carroll. Two
years after the war broke out l enlisted
in the Sixty-eighth Regiment Pennsylva
mia Volunteers, served for year, and
then got sick and was sent to Washington
and from there to my home in this State
reenlisted afterward in the Thirty.
fourth New Jersey Regiment, in the Six.
teenth Army Corps, and served through
until the close of the Rebellion. l pot
tered about for few years and finally
settled down in 1872 where you see m,
now"
HIS REASONS FOR RETIREMENT.
"And are you perfectly contented il
this Wilderness
"Why not?" queried the hermit. g
have two dogs, each named Dromio; tw,
cats each named Antipholus, plenty o
chewing tobacco, enough 10 eat and moth
ing to bother me but inquisitive people
What more could / ask2 sleep with
double-barreled gun-my only compan
ion-and talk to my cats and dogs
Why bless your SOUL" added the old MAJ
facetiously, @those cats are Greek scholars
and we talk together by the hour. cal
them Antipholus because they're the mas
tiers of the two Dromolis-the dogs. Go
pen-knife?"
1 ruN1