Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1884-07-03
a FEMALE HERMIT.
An ECCENTRIC CHARACTER.
Nancy Lecc-Her Appearance-Her Modest
Hens and Cow Of spotiess Teiief.

4
/ quarters az mile from the village OF Yves
! Iistury, and Is banked on either side by
grove Of oak trees.
Nancy Is regarded as natural curiosity
and one Of the first trips the visitor 10 tn
| VINEYARD undertakes Is visit 10 her her
milarc. In her carly youth she was
| pcculiar child. 10 IL said. and was looke'
upon BY the neigibors as sort o
..naturpl." As she grew to woman
| hood her only companions we're pc
/ mamie. goat and her horse, q wiki
| creature whom she alone had ridden. He
| eauestrisn performances were remarkable
| for the daring ard skill they displayed
and nrc even now well remembered.
When Young woman Nancy sudden!
shut herself up In her room, and refused 4
! see even her parents for long time.
different causes were assigned for thl
act. Some say that Nancy had q lover
whose name was also Luce. Archie was
sailor. and, owing to some lovers quarrel
Le departed suddenly on long voylg,
without bidding Nancy farewell. His shiI
was never sighted after she left port on ;
dark, cloudy morning. Months after sh,
had gone, q narrow strip OF board with gil
mouldincs and letters was washed ashore
ON Inc Ntel Slut VI ilt 'rhtuNs NiitN TNtts
ohc found Il, and deciphercd the WORD
.AIelbusa." II was the name OF Archie
Luce's ship. They carried II 10 Nancy.
Thon about this time her goat died, and
this latter bereavement greatly added u
her grief. This attachment In itself wa
not curious, but the effect OF the goats
death upon her was great surprise TO the
village folk. While her parents lived she
declined to see any one for long time.
bnt after their death she was OF necessity
forced 10 have more or less to do with the
outside world, and gradually became ac-
cusiomed TO receiving visits.
II is now thirty-flye or forty years since
their death, and she has resolutely refused
10 allow any one to share her home with
her. It's only other inmates beng COW and
a few hens. These occupy several rooms
Of the mansion, porch, and quadrangle
adjoining. Her principal occupation is
caring for these hens and the COW, which
supply her chief support. Report OF her
ecccntriciiy drew many visit n. and it is a
fayoritn rendezvous for pic-nics aud holt
day enjoyment for the islanders as well.
Whether she is as crazy as she seems now
is doubtful, as she certai' ~ exhibits gen.
eral method Of procedure. and 10 degree
which sends some OF her visitors away
with the idea that she is not q picturesque
lunatic at all. OF course Nancy has been
more or less advertised. One circumstance
in particular which has aided her in this
direction is the fact that Luce is 4 common
name on the island. and there have been
several Nancys. So that several times the
death Of Nancy Luce. "the only and ongi-
nal, etc. has been reported, with more or
less Of her history added. This story, Of
course, is denied to some extent. and alto
gether adds considerably to her notorie;y.
Der STRONG POINTS ARE HENS AND RELIGION,
and on these subjects she exhibits q rational
reasoning and consistent experience. Her
religious development is something which
is marked characteristic OF many others
in her peculiar condition, but her erudi-
ton in the other Is unprecedented in GALL
nary annals. Her reverence and attach
ment fer her fowls is certainly the most re-
markable CT her thousand oddities. At
the graves OF three Of the most priced OF
her favorites are placed headstones, with
inscriptions thereon. Original? Yes.
Nancy is an authoress, and las published
a book containing her recipes for the
treatment OF hens diseases, the epitaphs
some religious poetry"
and clever paraphrase OF the Golden Rule.
She occupies two rooms OF her house,
her cow third, and her hens the fourth
and the cellar. These "dumb creatures"
: she calls them, are her special pets and
friends. The apartment allotted to the
hens rs sleeping-room is fitted with hunks
with curtains drawn in front. Still another
room Is allotted TO the hens for laying.
This is provided with barrels filled with
hay for the purpose. The cows apartment
is provided with bed OF husks across one
side OF the room, separated from the re-
mainder OF the room by q cleat nailed to the
floor. Perhaps the reader may imagine that
the house does not look neat in consequence
Of this innovation upon the usual GUS
toms. Not so, however. Even the floor OF
The cows apartment is as white as II Just
scrubbed. The apartments OF the hens,
also, are exceedingly neat, showing great
care. These hens are her friends, aud have
nil been named by their owner. The fol-
lowing are some OF the names, Us publish
ed in her book Of "Poems": "Teedla
Toonna," "Phebea Pea GEO." "LeebOOtie
"Phe-endy Tuttaly." "Jaiy
" Shang-go-Rcamy Meleany,"
etc. These number eighteen. Several years
ago two Of these pets died, after Il lihger-
ing illness. These were named Ada
Queetie" and Beauty Lirml." They
were quite aged, and on their decease she
wrote quite lengthy obituary, DewailiGg
heir untimey death. This was written in
:. poetry" and published in pamphlet
foim, copies OF which she keeps for sale.
Here Is the opening stanZi:
Poor HUE Ada Cuectie has departed this life,
Neytrto be here no mere,
Ne mere 10 love no more tOspc1k,
: . more 90 he my friend!
Jb, how long 10 see her wi b me live and wcll
HC T heart and mine was united,
owe and feeling deeply rooted for each other;
Sic and | could never part.
avn left hrukon-hcared.
Her enforced isolation has nearly caused
her death on several occasions. Frequent
" during the winter months she is utterly
alone for weeks at time. although she has
1eighbors within leo yards. and has nearly
persisted for want of fuel or food.
Although at all times OF the year she Is
liable TO receive visitors, there are certain
occasions which they are almost certain 30
come. Fem the 4th OF July until the Isl
II October she receives large number OF
visitors.
The visitor to her little house will be as
onishod at first sight OF the quecr-loOking
who Is the subject OF this sketch.
Imagine the realization OF Carcontc. who
,larcs forth from the pages OF Dumas's
: Monte CristO," and you have her. Per-
loniiy 10 your al lner sight" the uncanny
Hicrdnoss Of the witches who do duty in
= Macbeth" and behold her. A we'll
irown literateur said on seeing her:
" SIZE is WALTER sCoTI's MEG MERRILLEs
without her strength" You tap at the
locr, and she comes TO the window. II
some one Is with you whom she recognizes
rs friend you are admitted before the
irst emotion has died away. IL entirely
unknown, your admittancc is more tardy.
II after the first feeling OF reverent admi-
'ation has died away the visitor desires to
augh, he is met with sharp rebuke from
Nancy for "laflin' at one Of Gods pure
,Teeturs."
The small square room in which he finds
himself has two or three small windows,
but is very dark and the ceiling is loG.
Around the room is a row OF chairs, placed
back against the wall, and very close to-
gether. TIE walls are hung with pictures,
which are for the most part Illustrations
rom magazines, and nearly all represent
horses. sign OF her early equestrian tastes,
and the others are all OF hens. Two or
three OF Nancy's works also embellish the
walls. 4 table or two and few books
thereon, an old-fashioned Wall-closet,
and sideboard complete the list
Of the furnishing and ornaments.
ton. scanty, you Think No, it is too
sAsnt, 40