The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1883-12-14
A DOWN EAST HERMIT.
The Fate of a Man Who Couid Love
nut Once.

But Once.
Wa!erville (Me.) Letter 10 Boston Herald.
Twenty-Five years is a long time
for a man to live the life of recluse. and
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 lie grew up to
manhood, like other humans, he fell in
love, and his love was reciprocuted by az
pretty girl as was to he found in the
town, and one OF as goosi parentage. 1t
ls said that 1t Was a remarkable instance
of devotion on both sides. She hap
pened, however to die suddenly, and il
was her disease that completely upset
him. For ei.hteen months he lead a
secluded life, and then he disposed of
his little property, went TO Bangor,
thence to OldtOvn, where he did littl
numbering business, and finally brought;
up. in the region of Moosehcni
Lake. where he worked in the woods in
winter and ON farms in sum.
ner;. About the year 1913 he worked
in the logging swamp near Chesunceok
trees on tile shores on land belonging 10
the state, and built him camp. For
three years he lived here clearing up
land and selling Il @ products of the soil
to lumbermen. He was a large, n.uscu.
lar man, and, though possessing great
physical. strength, he lacked energy and
perseverance. Occasi onally he 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 a
depressing effect that he never fully re-
covered his former cheerfulness of mind.
He, however, built another camp, and
had very good log huuse. He cleared
up some twenty-five acres of land, built
u log barn, and raised hay and oats. He
made two-whceled 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
1862 he worked in the logging swamp,
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 paw
He was sued. amt 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 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 a furnished condition.
With one hand, (the other being palsied)
he had excavated large pile of earth
by his side, vainly endeavoring to draw
himself toward food and water. He was
brought to Greenville and kindly cared
for, but nothing could save him. and he
died on the 1st inst, at the age of sixty
five.