Johnstown weekly Democrat. (Johnstown, Cambria County, Pa.) 1889-1916, 1889-12-20
HERMIT OF THE PLAINS.
TRAVELLERS IN TEXAS ENTERTAINED
BY A MYSTERIOUS HOST.

Disappearance of the Strange Man.
A certain gentleman whom | shall call
Herr L., was sent to Texas from Ber-
lin by a syndicate of German noblemen
who were desirous of investing in land
Tor the purpose of establishing an exten-
sive ranch Herr L. stonpeo IN Fort
Worth for a few days. and. hearing
favorable accounts of the country lying
northwest of this city, became impressed
with the idea that he would find there a
suitable location for the proposed ranch
He wished to visit the sections he thought
of purchasing, and your correspondent
as agent for the Houston and Texas Cen
tral. which owned the lands, was APP
pointed to accompany him. We left the
railroad at Vernon, and went by private
conveyance to the tract in question,
which lay some eighteen miles out from
that town.
As we left the hotel at Vernon we
asked the landlord if there was any
house on The road where we could pu
up for the night should it happen that
we would not be able to make the return
trip that day
mo house at all, sir" said mine host,
except that of the hermit.
The hermit we both exclaimed
YES. the hermit of the plains. He's a
sir "lar foreign character, who lives
some fifteen miles from here. all alone,
in little shanty about half mile off
the road He's so mighty unsociable he's
got himself the name of the hermit of
the plains. lie might take you in, Mr.
-, but it's one of his peculiarities that
he can't bear German" with a glance
at my companion, land he wouldn't
accommodate me to save his life"
"a rabid Frenchman, in all probable
ity," said Herr L., as we drove off
We had a capital pair of brisk little
Texas ponies, all fire and nerve, and, the
roads being good, reached our object
point in good time, but several hours
were consumed in driving over the coun-
try, and, unconscious of the flight of the
short day, we were surprised to find our
selves near it's close Another reason
3or haste was also apparent in the
purplish masses of cloud lying near the
horizon that threatened a storm. In an
Incredibly short time darkness was on
us and the entire heavens black with the
coming tempest. The ponies became
unmanageable at the first peal of thunder
and forsooi the road, which vainly en-
deavored to find again; but the vivid
flashes of lightning, instead of serving
me, only added to my confusion. An
hours plunging here and there in the
bald prairie threw me completely out of
my reckoning, and when at last the
storm had spent itself and the rain began
% pour down in torrents, | couldn't have
told my right hand from my left. Herr
L. called my attention to a dim but
steady spark of light burning close to
the horizon at no great distance from us.
Taking il to he at some house we drove
the Row subdued ponies straight to it,
and found ourselves before a low shanty,
through whose unshuttered window that
welcome light was shining. We knock
ed, and a voice in English, though with
a slight foreign accent, called QUO to
know who we were. We replied that
we were Two balated, lost travellers. who
sought the shelter OF a roof for the
night After some delay the door was
opened, and we stepped in. A man of
average height, but of a commanding,
elegant Gearing, stood holding in his
hand a candle, whose light falling on his
face revealed it most distinctly. Herr
L. looked at him and at once ex-
claimed in amagement:
God in heaven, It is tie Count yor
-w
But the name was unuttercd, for the
man dropped the candle Instantly, and
sprang like wild beast at LIS throat,
crying, in Germans;
"Spea!; ,hat name and kin yon like
a dog!
L. gasped out that he would not,
and his assailant took his hands from
his throat and relighted the candle The
room was furnished rudely, but was
scrupuIously clean, and the plank table
covered with books that proved on ex-
animation to be the untranslated Latin
poets, with few well chosen volumes
of English essays. The hermit provided
us wit supper of boiled ham and
crackers, and then, turning to L.,
said that if he would pledge himself not
to reveal to any one his name and
whereabouts we would be welcome to
such shelter as he could offer. L.
promised, and we remained all night.
There was only one room, and we all
slept in blankets on the floor. Our mys-
terious host had little or nothing to say,
and when L. volunteered some infor-
nation in regard to recent German poll
tics. replied that he wished never to
even hear the name of that country
mentioned again.
= 81 don't ask you who that man is, af-
ter your having given your word to him,
Herr L." ] said, "but what is he, OF
rather what has he been:"
II will tel you only this" answered
my companion. THAT lone hermit is
the head OF one Of the most powerful
families in Germany He is supposed 10
have died. however, some years ago At
any rate, coffin was buried with every
possible honor and, up to last night,
am sure. j.. never occurred to any one to
doubt his body lay in it, lie occupied
one Of the most important positions at
court, and / am at a loss to understand
his cyila tD these Texas Ulains for ne left