The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-05-31
A HERMIT IN A SWAMP.
He Writes a History of His Life for
Stranger Who Ran Across Him.

! Waycross, Ga, May 3O.-A gentleman
| who spent few days fishing on the Alta
maha recently says he wandered off into
/ the swamp one morning and got lost. In
the evening he became hungry and thirsty.
He had walked all day and was very much
fatigued He sat down on a log and sung
an old hymn, and suddenly he saw tall,
lean, sad-faced looking man sitting on
ledge of rock, under which there was a cave
a small opening being visible from that
distance. He hailed the strengthening
man but received no answer. although the
stranger was looking at him intently.
He started to go and ask for water and
food, but the stranger made wild gestures
for him to stay where he was, and some
water and bread and fish were brought
to him by the hermit, who handed him
piece of paper containing these words: Il
am hermit. Am sorry for YOU The
stranger went back 10 the cave, while the
gentleman proceeded todrink and eat. The
fish was mcOOked and the bread appeared
to have been baked by the sun. \ note
asking the hermit for a history of his life
was written and held toward the hermit,
who motiOned for him to put the note
down and leave the spot The
hermit came promptly and the gentleman
walked off few yards. while the hermit
read the note. He then wrote the
following story of his life since he became
a,hermit, put it on the ground hand walked
back TO the cave. The gentleman read
it and thanked the hermit for his kind
ness and then went to the river and found
that he was at the same place he started
from that morning. The following is the
story written by the hermit AFTER
many disappointments in life, at the age
of 20 | decided to become hermit and
have lived here five years all alone. The
F~,Il Il III 4 II
by me and were written by me at the
start of my queer life in the swamp:
There shall not come near me any female
of human, brute or insect kind. No wild
or tame beast shall be permitted TO come
near me. l shall eat nothing but bread
baked in the sun, fish uncooked, wild
honey and certain herb. l am satisfied
that by so doing my life will be prolonged
and l will never be sick | will not have
a fire or light of any kind, except from the
sun, moon and stars, in my habi-
tation. My habitation shall al
ways be in the cave at the foot
of the ledge of rock in the Altamaha
river swamp, which is well known to me.
Where my habitation is / will not make
known to any one, but should a young
man discover my home l will tell him my
story with pen and ink. ] shall not wear
mems clothes, but will wear a cloak and
shoes to keep me warm in winter, but in
summer a white dress will be worn by
me. l shall not buy anything except once
a year, and that will be on Christmas at
midnight. l shall not speak TO any human
being or any living creature. shall raise
my own bread l intend to worship God
by singing, prayer and meditating on the
things pertaining to the life to come. |
shall not take thought for the morrow,
but will trust in God and leave it all to
him. believe that when l die my body
will be buried by the Lord like Moses. My
grave shall be my only companion"