Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1884-03-27
(To be contlnned.)
A HERMIT IN A CAVE.
Forty-four Years Of Life Passed in
Complete Solitude.


Austen Sheldon, the famous Pike
County hermit, has abandoned his cave
in the mountains and returned 10 his
birthplace in Connecticut 10 spend the
remainder of his days. For many years
"Old Sheldon, the hermit" has been
one OF the curiosities of this region,
and his cave has been visited 10y thous-
ands of people.
He was born in Sunnysidc, Conn, in
1902. and is consequently, in his sd
year. In his boyhood he learned the
blacksmith's trade, and, arriving at
mans estate, was married to come
ly, respectable young woman. who be-
came insane shortly after their union.
Sheldon put his wife in private asy-
lum, where he supported her until she
died. In 1910 he came 10 Pennsylva-
MIA, where he expected TO engage in
stock-raising, but he fell into the hands
of some of the wild lani agents who
infest this region. and they relieved
him of all his cash and decided him a
tract of wild land in Lehman Town
ship that was not worth 10 cents an
acre. When Sheldon saw how he had
been swindled out of his hard-earned
money he raved like mailman and
partly lost his reason. He took up his
abode in cave on the premises, and
there he has remained ever since, de-
string no human companionship until
within the last few years. In 1878 he
became enamored of pretty girl liv-
ing not many miles from his subterra-
mean home, and asked her to marry
him. She Indignantly refused, and her
parents forbade him TO come near their
house. Since that time the old man
has been thinking of returning to Con-
necticut, and when n few days ago his
sister, n woman 80 years of age-his
only living relative-came to see him,
she induced him to accompany her to
Sunnyside. where she has a comforta-
BILE home.
FORTY-FoUR YEARS IN A CAVE.
When, in 1877, the writer first visited
the hermit's cave the recluse was a most
horrible looking object, although since
then his appearance has altered for
the better. He is as deaf as post and
those who desire to question him are
obliged to do so in writing. The cave
in which he spent forty-f0ur years is
12x14 feet, with a gravel floor. The
furniture consists of four blocks of
wood, which serve the purpose of table
and chairs, and one old rocking-chair
in which he sleeps. He has not slept
in bed for forry-three years. he says.
He has about half an acre of ground
which he calls his garden, and in it
grows little corn and few potatoes.
Upon these vegetables and upon fruit,
dried roots, and such game and fish as
he can trap the old man has lived for
nearly half a century.
He has an old Bible which he reads
every day, and he can quote chapter
after chapter with wonderful accuracy.
For thirty-six years the old man never
shaved or had his hair cut. He wore
curious-looking clothes, which he kept
fastened to his person with hickory
"withes' secured about his waist He
never wore q hat. For his defense
against wild beasts he carried long
knife, sharp rs razor, which he made
by grinding down an old file. He new
er read n newspaper since he came to
Pike County; never heard of the civil
war and never heard of Lincoln or
Grant. He asked who they were and
what they did, one day last summer.
HAIR-BREADTH ESCAPES.
The old mans hair-breadth escapes
from death have been numerous. In
| 1876 the horrible forest fires that swept
over Pike County surrounded his cave,
and he only escaped from roasting
alive by blocking up the entrance with
stones and remaining n prisoner until
the fierceness of the flames abated. So
hot was the cave, where he remained
thirty-six hours, that his vegetables
were made unit to eat. On another
occasion he was showed under, and
for week lived on crackers, sassafras
root, and melted snow. Once while
gathering chestnuts he fell from the
! tree and broke six of his ribs. and.
crawling to his cave, remained there
without medical assistance until the
broken bones were healed. His escapes
from wild beasts and snakes would ill
a volume.
The old man Is believed TO have
amassed considerable sum VI money.
Visitors TO his cave generally gave him
a douceur, and his income from the sale
OF furs and game was considerable. As
he never bought anything but crackers,
cheese, and sugar, he certainly must
have saved money.-Philddeiphta Press.