The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1891-08-16
THE YELLED HERMIT.
A Strange Being Who Resides in
Texas Cavern.
Ills Woodland Cave, Filled with Evidences
of Artistic Skill, Accidentally Dis
covered by a Debated
Traveller,

Wilburgcr county, Texas, boasts of q
mystery in the form of hermit, living
near Willow creek in small cavern.
partly natural and partly excavatcd by
him. lined with skin and decorated with
drawings on the wall which are said to
be the work of an artist of cultivated
taste and great talent. Very little is
known of the recluse beyond the fact
that he Is white man, an Englishman
or American by birth, and has lived in
his cave for the past fifteen years. He
always wears closc-ftting mask of
bucksllin, which, falling to his breast,
completely hides his face, and dresses
In skins III the winter, while in summer
nc is clothed in n loose garment said to
be woven of the prairie grass.
This strange being, says the Philadcl-
phia Times. by some regarded as 4
myth, is only seen at long intervals,
when some traveller runs across him by
accident, when he will make no attempt
to escape, but respond pleasantly, if
briefly, to any question or greeting and
quietly walk away. If followed or
molestcd he first mildly protests, and
then, if the attempt is persisted in, has
been known to draw weapon, which
has usually the effect of Kidding him of
his tormentor. lie carries small rifle.
which, however, he has never been
seen to use, but snarcs all his game
after the manner of poachers, or fishes
along the creek. On such fare rs he Sc
cures in this way and n patch of ground
which he cultivates the reclusc lives,
for he has never been known to visit
town, though several attempts have
boon Tpo6n TO inT,,D0 o.
his solitary life. His cavern, though
known to few, is never visited, for it
Is believed that no would resent any in
trusion in very unpleasant manner
The only man who has ever entered
the cave is Col. j. Nixon, who, on one
occasion was invited there by its rnys-
terious inhabitant- His story is: ~
had driven out from Harold to Lloyds
ranch, when was overtalScn by one of
our sudden prairie storms My ponies
soon grew unnanagcablc, and 1 got
out to hold them by the bit, when
tremendous peal and binding flash
caused the little demons to break away
from me and go tearing across the prai-
RE. After relieving my full heart by n
few words suitable for the occasion I
trudgcd on, but soon found the road SO
'henvy for my thin shoes that l aban-
doned it for one of tho cattle paths
which seemed to run parallel with it
"All Mt once, as plunged on, heard
q voice Mailing me, and looking closely
about, saw sitting in the mouth of a
dugout or cave in the side Of good
sized hillock man with something
over his face. l halloocd In answer,
when the stranger called to me to come
in out of the rain, SO 1 marched boldly
up to him. I knew him in moment,
or had often heard Of tho yelled her
init of Willow creek, though up to tho
time actually bchcld him had never
believed in his existence
"lIc led. me into his cave and lighting
fire of pine knots, piled up in rude
fireplace with n funnel leading up into
the open air, revealed me to n sccno
which for wildness never saw euunllcd.
Snakes so well preserved as to appear
alive, in all their ugly viciousness, hung
pendant from rafters that supported
the clay-daubcd roof; grinning heads of
panthcrs, cataInounts, bears, jaguars
and every wild beast to be found for
hundreds of miles around addsd to the
weird grotcsqucncss of the place, while
their skins carpetcd the cavern and
made the hcrInit's bed, which was all
the furniture the place afforded, except
low stool before the fire.
1.-The walls of the cave were of clay,
evidently hardened by heat, and were
covered with drawings made by somo
sharp instruments while .hc clay was
yet soft. am sufficient judge of art to
know that the hand which executed the
pictures YVES that Of Il skilled artist and
they were fine indeed. They were, for
the most part, from the Bible and repro
sentcd Peters denial of Christ Judas
kissing His check, and the disciples
asleep in the garden of Gcthscmanc, but
also remember one or two scenes from
the Odyssey and Iliad-
"Nly host brought on some cold veni-
son and plato of beans, of which ate
thankfully after which he resumed his
scat in the door of the cave. tried to
talk to him, but his monosyllabic re-
plies soon silenccd me, and when, pres
emily, tho rain ceased, he said: You
must excuse me, but am under q VOW
to hold communication with no onc.' I
rose at this hint and prepared to go. 1
had a late newspaper in my pocket, and
rendered it to him, but he thanked mo
and shook his head.
My one desire is to forget the world
and be forgotten by it. Here he hest
tated a second and said: L would like,
however, to ask you one question. Has
England But he checked himself and
groaned NO, no; better notl Sir, go
quickly. l am q wretch who cxpiatcs
deadly sin in solitude and pain
lie ran to the back of the cave and
falling on his knees groancd and sobbed.