Western sentinel. [volume] (Winston [i.e. Winston-Salem], N.C.) 1856-1886, 1884-01-10
A down EAST HERMIT.
The Fate of a Man Who Could Love But
Once.
HaterriUe (-Hc.) Cor Bosto,, 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 a hermit His name
was William Cunningham, native of
Washington; in Knox county. In his
youth he was eccentric, like father
Asa, and that trait of character fol-
lowed him through life.
When he grew up to manhood, like
other humans he fell in love, and his
love was reeiprocated 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 a remarkable instance
of devotion on both sides. She hap
pened, however, to die suddenly, and
it was her deeease that completely up
set him. For eighteen months he led
q secluded life, and then he disposed
of his little property, went to Bangor,
thence to Oldtown, where he did a
little numbering business, and finally
brought up in the region Of Moose
head Lake, where he worked in the
woods in Winter, and on farms in
! Summer.
About the year 1S4S he worked in
the logging swamp near Chesuncook
Lake, and in the Spring he felled
some trees on the shores of the lake Oh
land belonging to the State and built
him camp. For three years he lived
here, clearing up land and selling the
| products Of the soil to the lumbermen
He was large muscular man, and
though possessing great physical
strength, he lacked energy and perse
verance. Occasionally he would have
!. bis ,snrees. While absent, some one
as he suppG2ses, set fire to his camp
and burned all his iOGls. clothing and
camp outfit.
! This disaster had such depf csslnl
effect that he never fully recovered hi:
former cheerfulness of mind He
however, built another camp, and had
a very good log house. He clear
ed up some twenty five acres Of land
built a log barn, and raised hay and
oats. He made & two wheeled hand
cart to haul his hay, en- which he was
able to transport 500 or 100 pounds al
at load. He had no disposition tl
wrong any one and liked to live in
peace. Abont the year 1862 he WORK
ed in the logging swamp, and had trou
BILE in settling his accounts in the
Spring, the company for which he hae
worked claiming he was indebted to i
some Sl4.
This he declined to pay. He wa
sued, and his little farm, which wa:
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 wen
still further down the lake, built an
other camp more remote from hun
habitation, and there worked JUS
enough to procure the coarsest fooc
and scantiest clothing. The remain
der of his time was spent in idleness
During the war of the rebellion he
paid visit to his sister in Rockland
on which occasion he was dressed il
Continental style.
He tried to initiate George Wash
ington in his garb, and declared thai
he was done with the world Las
June he was stricken with paralysis
and for six days he lay helpless upor
the ground, unable % get food Oh
drink. During this time he was ter
ribly tormented by swarms of blael
flies apd mosquitoes. He was founc
by natives in a famished condition
With one hand (the other being pal
sied) he had excavated large pile O
earth by his side, vainly endeayorin2
to draw himself toward food and wa
ter. He was brought to Greenvill'
and kindly cared for, but nothin:
could save him, and he died on the Is
inst, at the age Of IS.