The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1883-12-14
ADOWN EAST HERMIT.
The Fate of a Man Who Could Love
Hut Once

Waterville (Me.) Letter in Boston Herald.
Twenty-Five years is a long time
for man to live the life oi recluse .ano
yet this was the fate of one who died
the other day, who fled to the wilder
ness of Northern Maine and lived that
period of time as hermit. His name
was William Cunningham, native OF
Washington, in Knox county. In his
youth he was eccentric, like his iather,
Asa, and that trait of character followed
him through life. When he grew up to
manhood, like other humans, he fell in
love, and his love was reciprocated by as
pretty a girl as was to be found in the
town, and one OF as good parentage. 1t
is said that it Was d remarkable instance
OF devotion on both sides. She hap.
was her disease that completely upset
him. For eiIhteen months he lead a
secluded life, and then he disposed of
his little property, went to Bangor,
thence to Oidtown, where he did littl.
numbering business, and finally brought
up in the region of Moosehead
Lake, where he worked in the woods in
winter and on farms in sum-
mer. About the year lS4S he worked
in the logging swamp near Chesunceok
lake, and in the spring he felled some
trees on the shores on land belonging to
the state, and built him camp. For
three years he lived here clearing up
land and selling Il e products of the soil
to lumbermen. He was large, muscu-
lar man, and, though possessing great
physical. strength, he lacked energy and
perseverance. Occasi )nally ne would
have his sprees. While absent, some
one, as he supposes, set fire to his camp
aDd burned all his tools, clothing and
camp outfit. This disaster had such
depressing effect that he never fully re-
covered his former cheerfulness ofmind.
He, however, built another camp, and
had very good log house. He cleared
up some twenty-five acres of land, built
a log barn, and raised hay and oats. H.
made 9, two-wheeled hand-cart to haul
his hay, on which he was able to trans
port 800 or 400 POUNDS as load. He
had no disposition to wrong any one and
liked to live in peace. About the year
and had trouble in settling his account
in the spring, the company for which he
had worked claiming he was indebted to
it some $l4. This he declined to pay.
He was sued. and his little farm, which
was worth $500, was attached and sold,
and he was driven away from his home
by officers Of the law. This blow COM
pletely broke him down. He went still
further down the lake built another
camp more remote from human habita-
ton, and there worked just enough to
procure the coarsest food and scantiest
clothing. The remainder of his time
was spent in idleness. During the war
of the rebellion he paid a visit to his sis
ter in Rockland, on which occasion he
was dressed in continental style. He
tried to initiate George Washington in
his garb, and declared that ne was done
with this world. Last June he was
stricken with paralysis, and for six DAYS
he lay helpless upon the ground, unable
to get food or drink. During this time
he was terribly tormented, by swarms
of black flies and mosquitoes. He was
found by natives in famished condition.
With one hand, (the other being palsied)
he had excavated a large pile OF earth
by his side, vainly endeavoring to draw
himself toward tood and water. He was
brought to Greenville and kindly cared
for, butno' hing could save him. and he
died on the LIST inst, at the age of sixty.
FIVE.