The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1885-01-22
AN OLD T%ROGL0DYTE.
v hat Captain Moseley Discov-
cred in His Search for Health.

" hat Captain Moseiey Discov-
cred in His Search for Health.
While a party of men were waiting
at a lonely station for a night train,
Captain Jed Moseley was induced to
tell a story. The station agent, after
placing a signal lantern on the end OF a
cross-tie, had gone home. He had
locked up the squalid little shanty that
served as a depot house, and the men
who were waiting for the down
freight" had built a fire in the woods
nea the track and were sitting around
it with as much patience as men could
well exercise on such an occasion. The
Captain did not yield in ready response,
for he was not in the best of spirits, but
fter urgent solicitations he began.
without knocking the ashes from his
his pipe or refllingit il, as the story-teller
known in literature always does, but
simply tossing an old briar root pipe
to the man from whom he had borrowed
it, he related, so far as the writer's re-
collection is unerring, the following:
Some time ago, when Twas in the In
ternal Revenue service, my health gave
way to such an extent that I was ad-
vised by a physician to relinquish all
labor and seek a prolonged rest in the
country. l had numerous invitations
from friends living near the city, but 1
accepted none, having decided to visit
some place far removed from the active
cen of man. One day, after bidding
the boys a hasty farewell, I mounted a
horse and set out for the sylvan shades
and rugged sleeps of the Boston Noun
tains, in Arkansaw. The weather was
charming. The October sun shone with
the merest suggestion of summer
warmth; the air was refreshing, the
horizon purple with a soft haze and the
woodland streams, covered with leaves
of all hues, sparkled in Kaleidoscope
splendor. l made no inquiries; asked
not whittier a road would lead me, but
pursued my incidental and unchosen
way.
Houses became scarce, and sometimes 1
was compelled to pass the night under
a rock. I had brought with me a re-
serve supply of food, and as the little
valleys afforded abundant grass, neither
myself nor my horse suffered.
One afternoon, after traversing a a
row path that wound around among the
mountains and suddenly became so
steep that to pursue it farther seemed
impossible, I stopped. and, allowing my
horse to Craze, l lay down on an an
cient bowlder that had evidently fallen
from some great height, and sank to
sleep. l was awakened by music-a
flute. Can it be possible" 1 unused,
that anyone away up here is acquainted
with the use of such a mellow-tOned in
strumentP Yes, it is evidently a flute.
l will look for the musician"
Leaving my horse, I climbed down,
stepping from rock to rock, holding to
saplings and swinging by vines, until |
reached a little valley. The sounds of
the flute, after l descended, were not
quite so distinct as before. for 1 could
now hear the noise of swiftly running
water-not a rush, nor a roar. but a
quiet glide of water, if l may use such a
phrase. Turning a sharp ledge of rock.
l saw the musician sitting on a stone.
just below him a small river swept
along, and back of him, | soon discov-
cred, was q cave. AS l neared him. he
ceased playing, but did not arise. He
was a very old man, with long, white
whiskers and long, snowy hair that fell
on his shoulders.
"How are you sir??" said l, though
with bad grace, for l could not help but
stare at him.
LAS well as one of my age could ex
pect to be" he replied.
'Do you live in this neighborhood?'
Il live in there" pointing toward the
a
do you live alone?"
Yes, and seek no company"
Il do not mean to intrude upon YOU
l am seeking health
And I am seeking quiet"
Il should not have known that vol
were here, sir, if you had kept quiet
And if you had kept away from thi.
place you would never have known bur
that l was quiet"
Here he took up his flute and begar
to blow a dismal tune, which 1 took Il
be a melancholy signal that the con
versation, so far as it concerned tn,
venerable troglodyte, was closed.
ventured to make another remark, bu
the mournful tones of his long yellow
flute were the only reply 1 received
ASOeuiuinS ~ NY HOTSe, dlteT ulScOVef
ing a way by which 1 could lead hin
down to the valley. 1 continued m,
maynard course. The sounds of tn,
flute followed me, and aver after I hat
crossed the river, which my faithful
horse swami like a duck, l could hea
the melancholy wall of the old man
lugubrious overture. l had not pro
ceeded very far, after crossing the river
until l came to a large log house bull
close against the side of a mountain. I
WIRE the first house / had seen for som
time, and rs / was not likely to see an
other one very soon, / dismounted, tie
my horse to a sapling, and opened tn
rude gate with the intention of knock
ing at the door, when an enormous dog
that looked more like a lion, bounde
from behind an ash-hopper, and cam
at me with a roar l sprang on to tn
fence and climbed up a grapevine dc
pending from a tree, just in time, toe
for when l ventured to look down, Their
he stood on the fence gazing at me.
.Ycu Bose!' yelled a voice. ''com
here, sab. Don't pay no 'tention t