The San Antonio light. (San Antonio, Tex.) 1883-1886, 1884-06-14
AHfRMIr's suAs1y.
Picturesque home perehed High Above the
Creek Ibis rawlings al the World for
Wrouos NJ which Ma Tail. Eothtno

Creck--Bis rawlings al the World for
Wrongs OF which He Tells Nothing.
On bluff that rises a hundred feet
above the wissahickon, nesting among
rocks and trees and shrubbery, is the
home of Michael Carriat, the CANADIAN
reoluse. II ID an old cabin, and its mosaic
work Of boards and tin and thatch dis
tingulshes II alike from the quiet cot
tages Of Blue hill, on the south, and the
humble habitations of the people of Bony
hollow. on the north. The panes in the
bullying window-frame are cracked and
so is the old. fashioned chimney, but the
plot Of the ground around the house
looks fresh and pretty with rows of
growing vegetables and flowers. Sur
rounding the cottage the scenery Is fine.
Away to the northeast, glistening
through the trees, Nom Rinker's rock,
with the colossal statue Of Penn Gaping
its topmost point. Beyond Is German
town. In the valley Is struggling Wis
sahickon. and mile or more away are
rustic Marlborough and grimy MaDayunk.
Rittenhousetown, with Its old church
and older houses, plays hide-and-seek
among the trees behind the protecting
shadow of Blue hill. In the east the
city is hidden behind the trees, but I'M
der the clear sky the monuments of
Laurel Hill and Mount Vernon glsten In
the distance.
A visitor yesterday ratified the door of
the dilapidated cottage, and moment
later it was cautiously opened and lit
lie, wizened old man showed his face.
us this Michel Carrlat's house?"
The old mans bead-like eyes twinkled
reslessly as he strove to divine the object
of the intruder's visit.
YES" he answered finally.
"And you are"
"Michel Carriat."
"The hermitY'
A CLEAN of resentment flashed into
his eyes.
Whom people call the hermit he
said. The old man turned and put his
hand upon the door.
"Haye you any business with me ?m
he asked, sharply.
"Yes; may i come In ~
mo one ever comes here" he said,
suspiciously. Then, chuokling to him
self and running his bony fingers
through his long hair, he continued
people are afraid of me-afrad of an
old man because he happens to like his
own company better than that of any
one else. You're not afraid ?''-turning
suddenly to the visitor.
Without waiting for an answer he led
the way into the shanty. A dilapidated
stove In the corner was putting volume
of plne-wood smoke into the room, and
over the flame the kettle was humming.
A table and pair of chairs made from
barrels and bound with strips of cloth
were the only furniture In the room,
but the floor was Uttered with curious
odds and ends, and on the wall flint
rock musket, with powder-horns, and a
rusty cutlass with pair of rustier spurs
gave the place an air Of war. Under the
stove an emaolated cat blinked in Won
der at the intruder.
"Sit down-sit down." said the old
man, waving his hand toward one of the
barrel chairs. Standing at the table
and looking down at the visitor with
mingled curiosity and impotence, the
recluse presented a striking appearance.
His long hair gave to the already pale
face a strangely cadaverous look. With
his bony fingers he necessarily pushed
the hair from his forehead, and as, con-
stantly brushed 1t back over his brow
and into his eyes again. His form was
bent and his clothing dilapidated.
"1ou have lived alone ~ was asked.
yes; why shouldn't II" almost
savagely.)
'For a long time ~
"fes, but why do you wish to know?
\ gu can have no interest In knowing"
Then, as II influenced by sudden reso-
luton: "lf on really want to know I'll
tell you. The day the first post of this
shanty went into the ground-or rather
the shanty that preceded it, for the old
place has been blown down once and
worn out once-was 81 years ago. I've
been here ever since"
ITS long time"
Yes, but not so long to man who
mares the world and its people as / do. :"
"Hates them?"
Eyes, hates them. Would You have
me go over story of wrong and oppres-
sion--a happy youth and brighter man
hood-wealth, prosperity, love-blighted
by the perfldy Of woman and the con-
nivance of hellish world?,
line lace OF the recluse became White
with passion, and the words were Kissed
between his teeth. Half rising. he
clinched his fist and brought 1t down on
the table with a crash.
say" he almost shrieked, ''if Won
were such man would you find it hard
TO I'VE for 20 years away from people You
uespise and who despise you because
life is?"
20 yes" said the recluse, growing
oalmer and chuckling and bubbifng over
with diabolical delight, ''they call me
me old Nick and the 'Old Man of the
woods and say l AMI hermit and a
reoluse, and whisper dark things about
me and keep the children In the house
when | come in sight. But what do
carer I'm here and here stick. live
alone and eat alone, and I'll die alone
But this Is the hermit's home and these
are the hermit's hills, and the fresh all
ana the rain and sunshine belong to the
hermit Just as well as anyone else. He
be left alone"
"Good-bye, Mr.. Carriat.r
You are going?"
"Yes."
"fou needn't come again."-[Phila
delphia Times.
interchangeable Med icines