The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1891-08-07
TIE YELLED HERMIT
q Strange Being Who Kesid.-
a Texas Cavern.
hi, Woodland Cave, FILLED wiz, -.
of Artistic skill. Accidcsrt. %, I'' ,''"''
covered 10y a BeIat..a
Trdaeier

Traveller.
Wilburger county, Texas. h.,,..
mystery IN the form of a l...r,,;, !, ~
near Willow creek in n .,..,I, H'lis
partly natural and partly ,.y,.,,,..,. ~,
him. lined with skin and dcf,o-,,as ,
drawings On the wall which AZ, '-,,s VIZ
b. the work Of an artist 81 cpl,;--, cl;;..a =
taste and great talent. yerr iSe i.,.Se
known of the rccluSe bcynnj ,l@.A
that he is n white man. an En..I;'t AZ
or American by birth, and h,. I,'''S' I;,-D.Ss
his cave for the past fifteen y,.,-.
always wears "A closc-httinl- M,
bucl1skin. which, falling 1. Li.L.
completely hides his face. and a.
in skins in the winter. Will, in ~
he IL clothed IN Z loose carmen, ~
be woven Of the prairie grass.
This strange being. says tia. Phil,
phia Times, by some REGARDED -
myth, is only seen at long into,
when some traveller runs acro,, b;,-,
accident, when he viii make noa,,-.!
Ia escape, but respond p!ca,nr,,. = !,
briefly, to any question or grc.,ir.,.-
quietly walk away. II follou.a
nolcsted he first mildly prntes,, :,
then, IL the attempt is persisted +,
been known TO draw Il yyeapop -
haS usually the effect Of ridding -
his torme entor. lie carries d small "a
which. however. he has meyer
seen to use. but Snarrs all bi>
after the manner Of puachcr,. nr m
along the creek. On such fare "a -
cures in this way and n patch ~ -,
which he cultivates the rrcluSs -
for he has never been known % -.
town, Though several attcmp,s -
been made 10 induce him u ahsrI
his solitary life. His cavern. r..
known 10 a few. is never visited -
is believed that he would resent a,v
trusion in IA very unpleasant mapn:,
The only man who has ever er,,,s
the cave is Col. J. Nixon. who. o, -
occasion was invited there by Us ,rr
terious inhabitant. His story l.. r
had driven out from Harold b I'ors
ranch. when ! was ovcrtal.cn by am, I.
our Sudden prairie storms. Nv no-,.
7NDbAA XIV and ] rf
out % hold them by the bit. when,
tremendous peal and binding IA,
caused the little demons To br,a. .y,,
from me and go tearing across the mn.
rie. After relieving my full heart Nv,
few words suitable for the occasior
trudged on, but soon found the road 7,
heavy for my thin shoes that ab.s
dSned il for one of the cattle natl,
which seemed 10 run parallel with
'An 1t once. as ] plunged on. ! hes-
voice hailing me, and looking clo.5
about. saw sitting in the mouth q,
dugout or cave in the side u a g,l
sized hillock mnn with sOme,hr,
over his face. / hallOoed in An,Ws,
when the stranger called - me 10 con,
in out Of the rain, SO / marched bod,
up to him. ] knew him in Inou,p,
or / had often heard Of the veiled bs
NIT of Willow creek, Though up tou
time I actually beheld him had uers
believed in his existence.
"IIe led me into his cave and lighe;;
"a fire of pine knots. piled MP IN a I'd
fireplace with funnel leading up M
the open air, revealed me 10 a ses
which for wildness ! never saw equalisG
Snakes 40 well preserved rs 70 ayper
alive, in al their ugly viciousness. hun,
pendant from rafters that suppJ7e.
the clay-daubed roof: grinning head.
panthers. catamOunts, bears, ia,uGn
and every wild beast 10 be found 70
hundreds Of miles around added to "a.
weird grotesqueness OF the place, vii,
their skins cRrpeted the cavern a.
made the hermit's bed. which was a
the furniture the place afforded, eIc,F
low stool before the fire
The walls Of the cave were o. ,lET
evidently hardened by heat, and Vsr
covered with drawings made By s-i
sharp instruments while the clsyE ~
yet soft. / am sufficient judge of sng
know that the hand which executed Tx
pictures was that Of a skilled arts. ~.
they were fine indeed. They were To-
the most part, from the Bible and rsPrs
sented Peters denial of Christ Jult
kissing His cheek, and the disciple
asleep in the garden of tiethsemane. Sr
! also remember one or two scenes ina
the Odyssey and Had.
MY host brought on some cold Te,5
son and a plate Of beans, Of which 81
thankfully after which he RESUMED d
seat in the door Of the cave. tried
talk 20 him. hut his mOnpsyllahi' 2
plies soon silenccd me, and when pc
emily, the rain ceased, he said. pei
must excuse me, but / am under aw
to hold communication with no one. =.
rose at this hint. and prepared 10 20 4
had a late newspaper in my P'ciir'' -
rendered il to him. but be thAnkc1E
and shook his head
MY one desire is - forget the T''-
and be forgotten by it Here he pr
tated a second and said: ] would lh
however, 10 ask you one question. ~
England But he checked hinseh =
groaned. NO. no; better not ~ =
quickly. ] an n wretch who eTP'N
deadly sin in solitude and pain.
''IIe ran 10 the back OF the cave .
falling on his knees groaned and soo'-
! had some tobacco with me anl ,.
other trifies, such hs pcckrlAlI
matches, quinine and flask o. pr1-..
which ] placed on the floor sna
left. I have never seen him -
for am sure the greatest klnaD'N
him is To let him alone and hst-
erted all my influence that he AhA-
main unmolcsted.