Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1891-12-24
HERMIT MOUNTAIN.
Orange Story OF the Selklrk Hermit as To
to an English Tourist.

dreds OF feet TO the north. and the top
seemed almost as sharp as razor.
With arms alsimbo on the rail OF the
observation car was an English tourist
who wore monocle and stare, and
seemed very much bored by the
scenery. Near him stood commercial
traveller OF Toronto, who was explain
ing how the mountain got its name
Follow the edge of the mountain
from its front to the rear" he said
Right where the edge breaks off you
see solitary pyramid. From here 1t
seems to be only about six feet tall,
though in reality 1t is about thirty feet
high. Don't you see it bears some re-
semblance to man? That Is the
hermit, and 1t is this solitary pillar that
gave name TO the mountain"
The English tourist suddenly showed
indications Of interest He edged a lit
tie nearer, and remarked:
beg pardon, did l hear you say
something about hermit?"
The commercial traveller gave his
conrade dig in the ribs "Why, yes,
he said to the tourist, didn't you ever
hear the remarkable facts about the
hermit here?"
mo" said the tourist
"Well, I'll tell you the story" said
the drummer. cts remarkable one.
and every traveller ought to know it.
You see, about the time of the gold ex-
element in the Frazer river country,
way back in 1856, man came here to
make his fortune. One of the miners
had brought into this wild region his
little family, and among them was his
daughter very pretty girl, with
whom this other fellow fell madly in
love. He had hated rival of course,
and in a few months this rival carried
off the prize, and she became hollow
moclsery to the disappointed lover. He
became not only woman hater, but
hater of his kind, and he made up his
mind he would spend the rest of his
life as hermit.
$50 he came up to this mountain, and
he clambered up that brush you see
alongside, and he built him hut of
stones and branches, and there he be-
gan his Jew life. He had gun, and
lived onswhat he could $ M ttls,
flour he got from the SETH
the berries and roots he gathered
lived that way a good many years,
bringing down from the mountain an
occasional fur or bearskin, which he
sold for provisions. For years now he
has been old and unable %, lrfna11ueR,
but nothing has eveI,inducea jAln "a
give up his queer lii ~
BY this time the En8lish topt3af was
all eyes and ears. YSu Won tjneAh to
tell me" he said. "How on earth does
he live now?"
"Well, once week the people who
live in this little hamlet you see here
fill basket with provisions, and one of
them takes it up to the top of the
mountain. When the hermit hears
anybody coming, he leaves his hut and
retreats into the woods The man
with the supplies leaves the basket at
the door, and the next fellow who
comes up with provisions leaves an
other basket and takes back the
empty one. The hermit never speaks
to anybody. Early in the winter, be-
fore there is danger OF big fall of
snow, lot of provis ions is taken up to
him, for fear that heavy snowfall
will prevent anyone from reaching the
top"
"Why, doesn't he get sick and need a
doctor sometimes?" asked the tourist
Nobody knows that he ever had a
sick day. He is old, but he's we'll. You
see the air up there is magnificent, and
there's no reason he should be sick
There he is now" continued the drum
mer in state of wild excitement
There he is near the edge of that rock.
Don't you see him?"
The Englishman looked, but could
see nothing. He borrowed field glass
and was adjusting the focus when the
man exclaimed:
There, he's gone. just caught a
glimpse of him. He's up so high he
didn't look bigger'n specls, any way"
Remarkable" said the Englishman,
as he lapsed into seat He rolled 1t
all over in his mind for couple of
hours. Meanwhile the story of the
Englishman's interest in the hermit
had been told to number of choice
spirits, and there had been much hilar-
ity. One of the men who 81 ared in the
fun was standing near the Toronto
drummer when the English tourist
sided up to him again.
Nov, look a-herc," he said "honest,
is that really all true about the her
mit?"
Certainly, it's true" said the com.
mercial traveller. ''Most all tourists
know it. and anyone who lives in this
country can tell you all about it Ask
this man here"
The Englishman turned to the other
man, who told the story Of the hermit
over again, with some graphic and cir.
cum stantial additions.