The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1888-12-21
In the vernacular OF srmpson's grocery.

In the vernacular OF Simpsons grocery,
he was ga hard one to tackle"
In the beginning Of the hermit's last
winter on the mountain some hunters,
driven by cold to his cabin, entered and
found him moaning ON his rude couch.
They spread the news in Milford, and
''the authorities" conferred together and
decided that it was time to act But
what should they do with him? Nobody
could go up to his lodge ON the mountain
to take care of him; his wretched dwell
ing contained no comforts. And nobody
wanted to take him into his home.
There was the county house, where all
paupers were sent, but that was near
the county seat, seven miles away.
They who were most outspoken in the
matter of having him Cooked after" and
who owned the largest and most COM
Portable houses, 'hemmed and hawed"
when it came to a question Of taking
him in. Some one, in a moment Of hui
name feeling, suggested that the seven
miles journey to the poorhouse might
prove dangerous to the sick man, and
might even throw serious blame on those
who became responsible for it.
However, after much thought and
more talk had been put upon the subject,
the poorhouse faction prevailed, and the
fiat went forth that Old Weaver must be
taken charge of by the county, willing or
unwilling.
The expedition set forth the next
morning. 1t was principally composed
of ''the authorities" otherwise hard
headed and dictatorial personages, with
that degree of heartlessness peculiar to
the class known as prominent citizens"
A heavy snow lay upon the ground, and
the mountain roads were unbroken. A
big sled, generously supplied with straw
and lunch baskets, was made ready.
The departure of this hermit capturing
expedition was an event. The postoffioe
loafers gazed upon the imposing specta-
Gle with envy in their hearts, though
they cheered the noble philanthropists
roundly. The people at the corner drug
store were all outside waving their hats
and making other demonstrations of
good will and interest. The yarn
spinners at Simpsons grocery held
their tobacco firmly between their teeth
and their hands in their trousers pockets
as the sled went by. This was their
manner of expressing very warm in
terest. Women watched from doors,
windows and porches, as women always
do, and a swarm of enthusiastic small
boys hung on TO the sled until driven
back when half mile out of town.
The philanthropists reached Viewers
cabin late in the day, after digging their
way through great snowdrifts. All this
heroic eXertion made them feel more
dominant in spirit than ever. The very
first rap on the hermit's door had the
sound of authority in it, delivered as it
was by the formidable fist of the town
marshal, backed by the appreciation of
the other prominent citizens who accom-
panied him.
There was no response.
The expression of decision on the mar
shals face deepened as he began to beat
upon the door with both fists and kick
it with the thick soles of his tremendous
boots.
Still there was no answer.
While they were parleying about
whether it was time to use the ak or
not the closed shutter Of the hermit's
single window opened, revealing his
haggard face, in which blazed a pair Of
eyes whose wrathful lightning fairly an
initiated the prominent citizens.
"What do you want" he asked, after
a moment of discomfting silence, as
they stood, wordless, under the spell of
MS unSpOken anger.
"We heard you were SICK" said the
marshal.
"Well?"
1--WE knew you would need help" said
the justice of the peace, sand SO came
to try to do something for YOU"
''You have put yourselves to unneces-
sary trouble. want nothing"
''But our duty as citizens will not
allow us to let a fellow being suffer-"
said Deacon White.
"Your first duty is to mind your own
business" said the hermit.
"Here is DR.. Horsefly, who will help
you right off, if you will let us in," SAID
Mr.. Smollett, also a prominent citizen.
The doctor stood silent, medicine case in
hand, the rigidity of the regulars code
preventing his doing any trumpeting on
his own account.
"When I am weary Of life I shall send
for DR.. Horsef1y. Until then he must
excuse me-" returned the hermit, with
something like merriment dancing in his
wild eyes.
The doctor colored under this deadly
insult, feeling it the more because the
earth was yet fresh over his two last
patients. This offensive defiance of their
authority was the tacitly understood
signal for concerted rally of the rescu-
ers. Instinctively they drew nearer to-
gether, and one said: