The morning call., 1892-12-05
HOMELESS HERrIIT.
His Den Near the Cliff
Cove Wrecked.
For Twenty-Five Years He Had Dwelt
in Cavern, but This Storm
Knocked Him.

For twenty-five years 1 lived there,
George, but the elements throwed me out
last Tuesday morning. and 1 al to go up
ana sleep with old Tom Shearer, nigh the
Cliff House. thar you know"
The old man coughed between these
words, as he addressed them to George Ross,
the shipwright. at his Office, 10 Folsom
street, yesterday afternoon
What's the matter. Uncle Billy? I've
never seen you in town BEFORE" exclaimed
Ross.
'The winds wrecked that old shanty of
mine. and l had TO get out, right away"
Tie old man was Uncle Billy Boyd. the
hermit who had dwelt in a cave, or rather
cross between a cave and hut for the
time he had mentioned.
As he sat on bale of Oakum a cigar was
presented to him, but he refused it as he
stroked his long gray beard and mustache,
saying:
mo, l quit smoking them things a long
time ago. / only smoke this old pipe and
chaws terbaccer."
He pulled out his old clay pipe. and after
ge ttng it satisfactorily lighted he resumed:
George, Pm gwine 10 rebuild in the same
place. i couldn't live no whaT else, and |
thought you might nave some old riggin'
down here that would help me out. You
just before you get round the pint whar the
Parallel busted six years agO?"
Certainly. Uncle Billy"
well. hadn't got through burnin' the
wood | get from that old wreck when | was
washed out the other night. You know my
place was right on the side hill and built
out OF all kinds of wreCkage and made
strong with wire rope. 1t would never have
gone down. but there was slide, you know.
and that carried everything. My little
fiShin' boat was broke up too
Then you will have to begin life anew,
Uncle Billy" said his friend. You may
have all that l can give you"
''All right; III come around tomorrow
and see you. This was a great storm, I'll
tell you. / amt been down this far for
many a year. The towns crowd. George.
amt it?''
"Oh. yes; it's great city now"
"Umphi Since / come in | heard that
jay Gould was dead.' he continued medita-
tiyelv, as lie gazed upon the bare floor.
Yes, and left his Millions"
II knowed his old father i'm Ruxbury,
New ork. when jay was fodder. They
was quaTe folks. John Simmons was nv
partner in Tie mines of Tuolumne County
10 20 lie was cousin of old man Could.
and used 90 talk abou; Jay being so smart.
but he never lived TO see BIN make so much
money because he was blOwed up in a blast
and Killed"
why don't you remain in the city since
you have been WASHED out, uncle?t' was
inquired.
rocks on all the streets. and the racket of
these streetcars would kill me- When I
started uptown Gus that keeps a saloon ont
there offered me n carfare 10 ride in on an
one TO come back with, but told him no,
wouldn't trust 'em, an | walked"
Where were you born, Uncle Billy"
asked Ross.
In Vermont, Of course. What do you
want TO know for?
that's ALL"
"WbatP' exclaimed Uncle Billy, as his
tall form strobe from the office, that's
what L might a thought comm 10 town.
Don, twant nothing 'boutme in the papers,"
Now wont see him again for a week"
said Ross with laugh. That is really the
first time that that old man has been in the
business part of the city. For TWENTY-FIVE
years he has lived in the hut that he built in
the cave. His means of livelihood has been
mysterious 10 every one who knew any
thing about him, but not 10 me and only
three others. We clothed the old man with
our easi-oh garments, as he would take
nothing else. For something to eat he
would appear just after dark near the
Cliff House kitchen, and when lie arrived
always found package OF food that had
been left-and would have been thrown
away anyhOw-left for him in a certain
place. This was placed there by the cook.
because the old man was peculiarly sensi-
tive. de would never receive food directly
from the hands Of the giver. lit was not
there when he came for it he would disap-
pear as suddenly as he came. That spaniel
you saw with him has been his only COM
panion for fourteen years, as he raised il
from pup.
THE story of his life is not I'm like MANY
others that one hears OF. l got acquainted
with him don't know how many wears aCo
by being driven ashore with three others in
the cave just up tie bluff from which was
located his strange habitation.
lie saw our peril and got line to US,
and we were landed by his aid. together
with the boat, which was a Whitehall.
From what l know now, the Old man was
hungry, or he would never have invited ma
TO his abode. We were wet, and il was
cold. In the cabin was good fire of logs
burning brightly. We had fine lunch aud
plenty OF good stuff TO drink, and our host
was not backward In pitching in. though
he seemed shy at first.
well, when We returned to the city we
had to leave the boat beached. In few
days i returned with help to get NV boat.
and l took an old suit OF clothes to cur
benefactor. After much parIeying he ac-
| copied them.
AFTER that 1 often visited him out OF
curiosity. for he had wonderful lot Of
| knowledge. Though lie had an uncouth way
| of talking.
"AlI that l could ever learn of him was
| from picture of n young woman which
hung on the wall. Under it was the simple
| name Jane
HE told me once that he got acquainted
| with her IN Lowell, Mass, and was to marry
| her when he got rich. He did get rich in
mining operations and bought real estate.
| He tells me that when he was sure that he
was worth half million dollars he started
for Lowell to fulfill his contract with Jane.
when he got there she was dead and
had been buried week Returning 10 Cal
| lfornia as quickly as possible he arrived
| just in time 10 find that real estate and his
stocks were gone 10 smash and he was with
| out dollar in the world.
"He attempted suicide but was rescued.
| Then he let go all holds and became a dig
nifed mendieant and hermit, who as he
says. has just been washed ont by the ele-
ments and has no place TO lay his head.
Having served an apprentice TO a car
penter he was able to build dumicle so
strong that he thought only land slide
would take it away. On the Goth of October
l visited him on his seventy-eighth BIRTH