Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1886-08-01
THE GAZETTE. FORT WORTH, TEXAS SUNDAY AUGUST |.

water, the vapor-shrouded moon disap.
peAred In cloud, and the form OF the
brain-wrecked man was no longer detiu-
able. After months OF wild coniecturing
on the part Of his friends he was discov-
cred on his island engaged in the con
struction OF the cabin whose unhewn logs
are now half decayed. To those who had
known him when the ardor of love had
frightened his eyes and given elasticity
to his step the spectacle OF his
unshaven, tortured and death-like
face, with his blank eyes and
almost fleshless jaws, was one never TO be
forgotten. For months after the reap
pearance people along the Shenango's
banks would many evenings spend hours
gazing at the weird creature as he Law
stretched In front OF his hovel, his whole
soul apparently wrapped up in contem.
platlUD of the ornament. A Characteristic
Ct the man was his invarlable habit of
retreating In his hut whenever the moons
disc ingulfed itself in a cloud. As
years passed on he became partially for
gotten, and was only prominently brought
to mind when he disposed OF portion of
his land for snug fortune, which, how
ever, he never enjoyed the privilege OF
handling, as owing to his demented con-
dition 1t was placed in bank to his credit,
only to be drawn, however, when he had
established himself as being capable
OF properly handling 1t. The sum
has been accommodating interest for
q number OF decades, and 10 now
doubled II not trebled. In addition to It
he has amassed a. fortune realized from
the sale Of sstonishngly large quantities
of Junk, which he gathered. He also re-
80, %
but mlserly sea captain, who in youth
had been a boon companion and whom
chance brought to this vicinity many
years ago. by accident the mariner dis
covered the whereabouts of his friend Of
boyhood days, and their dispositions being
similar In many respects, established an
affinity that resulted in the car tain taking
up his abode in the maniac's filthy hovel.
This was in the cold season, and during
that and the eight succeeding winters
the strange beings were quartered to-
gether. During the intervening sum-
mers, however, the sailor made his an
nual voyage.
At the end of the ninth winter after
their reunion the mariner, after deposit
ing his llfe-hoardirgs with his devoted
friend, departed without a word to any
one save the lover who had sought solace
In solitude. The latter continued his
lonely existence, and the exposure TO
which he subjected himself would have
undermined the constitution of an Arctic
explorer. Often he was observed going
barefooted and thinly clad through rain,
slush and snow. AS might be eX-
pected, his body became wreck of
what was once specimen OF manhood
that would elicit admiration from even an
enemy. Sustenauce of life he obtained
from herbs, berries, fishes, etc, and once
presented the repulsiye spectacle OF max
Ing Il repast from a portion of the carcass
OF COW which had 0een accidentally
killed fully week previous, convincing
those who witnessed the sickenipg gas
Economical feat that Adam had drfted
into state of semi-barbarity. His cloth
ing consisted of tattered buds resurrected
from junk-bags. Their texture or color
cannot be dlscerned, owing TO dirt and
time discoloratlons, His apparel some
times includes ragged gunny-sack
with an opening at either end.
This is pulled on over his head and
girded at the waist with twists of
hemp. 1t is well-based presumption
that his unkempt hair and shaggy beard
have not come In contact with comb,