Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1886-10-13
A SOUTHERN HERMIT.
Killing His Hated Rival and Shun-
ming the Society OF Men.
A North Carolina Ecciuse whs Turned
His Back Upon the World Upon
the Dav That Ills EEpectant
bride Married Another.

His Back Upon the World Upon
the Dav That Ills EEpectant
Bride Married Another.
lSewbernc ~. c. Cor. Philadelphia Timosl
In 1915, just seventY-one years ago,
John Armstrong was born near Whining
tn, In this State. lie was the only son OF
wcil-to-do farmer, and received an or
din ~ Common school education. At
twenty years % age he bocame cnamorrd
Of q young woman named Carrie Scott
daughter 81 a farmer who came from Vir-
pinia and who u-chnsed the land adjoin-
INK the farm OF Armstrong; father.
Johu's love seemed 10 he Tcciprocated,
nnd he lived In blissful anticipation Of a
happy future.
Fer two years no was asslduous IN his
attention. and the wedding day was
finally decided upon. There was no hap
pier man Ia the State OF North Carolina
than John Armstrong. The eventful day
arrived. John arose early, arraySl him
self la his wedding suit, and, in company
with few invited guests, set out for the
home Of his expected ride. On the way
be was mot by - colored servant, who, in
n few words, toll him that Miss Carrie
had been married at seven o'clock that
morning TO Northern gentleman by the
name OF Samuel Opdyke, end had started
on wedding journey North In car
IiaEe.
For n moment Armstron 2 was paralyzed
with as,onishmont, bat presently recover
INK bis self-poSsession, he looked about
Kim upon his wonde ing group OF sympa-
tLetic spectators. Then. without uttering
word, he nut - urs TO his horse, and,
leaving Bis guests still In the road. soon
disappeared In the distance. He was
never seen again In the ncighborhool,
Hnd, although every effort was made 10
discover ~. Whereal OUT, they invariably
proved futile, and nnslly the community
settled down 10 the leliof that bo had
committed suicide.
Years passed away, and tho cIrcum-
stance was forgotten. His father and
mother had died, aud. although John was
the legitimate heir 10 the estate, an uncle
took charge Of the farm until he should DO
found. One day during the war Federal
officer, 10 escape capture by n scouting
party Of Confederate cavalry, took refuge
In swamp. In wandering about he be-
,ame bewildercd, and penetrated still
deeper iuto the gloomy rccesses Of the
great 'orest. lie suddenly came face to
face with q man armed with an ordinary
shotgun.
"Hullo, stranger, who be your"
"A soldier who has lost his way" re-
piled the officer, seeing that concealment
Of his position was Impossible.
"Not one o us, l guSssy" queried the
man.
"No, I'm an officer in the Federal
army"
"Wall, stranger. I'n no killer, though
I'm mighty strong ngin thar Yankees.
What might yr namo bey'
"Samuel Opdyke."
The mon started back and cooked his
gun. "Opdyko-Opdykc-t scoundrel
who married Carrie Scott and destroyed
my happ!nessy"
"l did marry Carrie Sc,it-married her
lecauso / loved her. But who are you.
that you should ct so excited over the
matter"
"Me-me-wby, I'm John Armstrong,
who courted that AR gal, and sho vowed
she loved mo better than Eny thing else
10 the world. but she deceived me; her
heart was hollow; she was false 10 me and
have my revenge" And he raised his
sun Hnd pulled the trigger. Captain sam.
rOl Opdyke foil dead at his feet.
In relating this the old man-for he him
self told the story-Lccame terribly All.
tatod and rubbed his hands in apparent
hendish cxultation. "Ah ." said he, shat
we're a moment Of sweet revenge"
For nearly fifty wears he has lived alone
in the North Carolina forests. He deter
mined, when the servant on that fatal
morning brought him the startling and
bitter intclli yence that his would-be bride
had violated her promise. TO forever turn
his back ON humanity. The cabin in which
he lives he built himself IL Is in the
gloomiest aud remotest solitude OF the for
est, aud were Il not for the little garden he
Cultlvate', thus evldenciug tho existence
OF civilization, would To a dismal abode
indeed. lie endeavors TO avoid the So
ciety OF men as much as possible, and +
exceeding annoyed that his hiding place
has lecome known. Ito was accidentally
discovered by a party Of hunters. lie Is
still vigorous for his age. aud, although
his hair aud long, flowing beard are
white as snow, he walks erect and with
an elastic, buoyant stop. whe
he does condsscsnd 10 talk he
IL cheerful and entertaining In his CONVEX.
sation, but stuiiously avoids any reference
10 the female sex. He AYERS that he has
not - OF spoken 10 a woman for the
post thirty years, and has never seen
railroad car OF steamboat. lie knows
comparatively little Of the incidents Of
every day life going on in tho outside
world. Tie Il constant reader OF relig-
ious and scientific works aud an ardent
student OF natural history. He has a
magnificent collection Of specimens in the
ontomolosi zeal world, embracing bugs,
beetles and butterflies. lie can tell cor
rectly the name and hatis Of every insect
native 10 the neighborhooI. Heis also an
expert With tho pon-knite. Since his
abode has locomo known the boys bring
Lira toleceo, knick-knacks, etc, In ex-
change for which he gives them crosses.
hearts, Whistles, etc, which he makes
ironi bosf bonos. These he carves with an
ordinary knife AMI file, though the work
~ slow and tedious. He is contemplating
moving 10 more secluded quarters, and Il
will not le surprising II soms fine moruina
the boys win search for John Arms1ron .