The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1894-08-16
LIVES In A TREE
The Singular Abode of an Old
Ohio Hermit.
For Fifty Years He Has Been DonaiciIed
in the Hollow Interior of = Syca-
mcre-His Romantic HIS

During the early years of the present
century one Joshua Dillaplanes came
to eastern Ohio from Pennsylvania and
settled on five hundred acres of ground
that now constitutes portion of Han
over and st. Clair townships The land
was clothed in rich growth of primeval
forest, watered by rivulet now known
as the Iwo-mile. On the west bank Of
this stream grew majestic sycamore
that lowered many feet above its am
bilious companions. The tree Dilla-
planes discovered to be hollow, and it
is said that the settler took up his
abode in the hollow and began clear
ing the land which now constitutes
representative farms Of the Miami
valley. In the meantime. saws the
Cincinnati Enquirer, family named
Mustard, soon followed by another
named O'MaIley, settled near the vicin-
lty OF the Dlillville pike. In the Mus
tard family was boy whose name was
William. The youth found a compan-
ion and playmate In the person of
Anna OMalley, a daughter of the near
est neighbor. The treachery of In
dams and the scarcity of students pre-
vented the inauguration of district
school, SO the two grew 20 man and
womanhood in the blissful ignorance
of books The boy, however. became
marvelously proficient with the violin.
thus making up in one particular that
which he SO sadly lacked in others.
The young folks fell in love and In the
course Of time the wedding day was
fixed.
About two weeks prior to the we'd
ding day stranger who said his
name was Shay appeared upon the
scene. The newcomer appeared to be
an object of wonder to the simple
minded country folk. His dress was
elegant, his manner genteel and his !
talk entertaining. He claimed to be a |
civil engineer and boarded for awhile |
at the O'Malleys. In her environments |
the girl had known only Billy and |
Billy's violin. This new specimen of |
manhood was to her like a new and |
pleasing dream. Soon her manner i
toward Mustard grew cold, but the
lover was unsuspicicus, and finally the i
wedding day dawned. One of the
OMalleys then informed Mustard that |
Anna and the stranger had disappeared |
sometime during the night. Then be.
gan a search that lasted far into the
night and ceased only after a traveller
had said he saw the couple riding on
one horse the night before along the
lonely forest path. Mustard's reason
slowly fed His aged parents grieved
into the grave. The O'Malleys drifted
to the same destiny and by the same
path, for few months after Anna's
sudden departure vague rumors came
from the east that Anna, deserted and
had died maniac in an
asylum
taking his only remaining COM
panlon, the violin, William Mustard
followed the example set by Di1laplanes
years before and sought shelter in the
hollow Of the tall sycamore. where he
mas remained off and on ever since. He
talks but little, and then to himself, in
an inaucibIe humble in the dark re-
cesses OF this tree. He refuses all as
and those charitably inclined
are compelled TO resort to strategv,
When Mustard's frame, now nearly
seventy years old, needs covering, a
suit of clothes is left lying at the root
of the historic sycamore. Even then
the hermit trudges from door to
door in vain search for the owner.
ourseen years ago descendant OF the
DiIlaplanes, upon selling the farm.
made special provision that no harm
should befall the tree or the venerable
hermit Once the latter was taken to
The poorhouse, but water and soap &
proved almost fatal and he was again {
allowed to roam about his favored | G
lsunts- Mustard is altogether a dis j
pleasing sight, his only redeeming fea- {
-ure being a pair of benevolent blue
eyes, almost pathetic, that peer '
trough massive eyebrows. When as
'ured that visitor who called TO see t
lim was not an infirmary director. the \
I'D hermit, in childish pride, exhibited
he confines IF his habitation. A ten
Dot pole can be swung around in its
Interior, the furnishings of which con-
lists of little stove and a bed of
traB -