The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1894-09-08
LIVING IN A TREE.
The singular Abode 0e an O1d
Ohio Hermit. NJ
For Fifty Years He Ha0 Been Donnicilod
In the Hollow Interior Of . 1yea-
moro-His Romantic Hls-

During the early years Of the present
century one Joshua Dillaplanes came
to eastern Ohio from Pennsylvaaia and
settled on five hundred acres of ground
that now constitutes portion of Han
over and Stellar townships. The land
was clothed in arich growth Of primevai
forest, watered by . rivulet now known
as the Two-mile. On the west bank Of
this stream grew majestic sycamore
that lowered many feet above its ann
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 elesr-
ing the land which now constitutes
representative farms of the Miami
valley. In the meantime, says the
Cincinnati Enquirer, family named
Mustard, soon followed by another
named O'Malley, settled near the vicin-
ity of the Millville pike. In the Mus
tard family was boy whose name was
William. The youth found compan-
ION and playmate in the person of
Anna O'Malley, . daughter of the near
est neighbor. The treachery of In
dians and the scarcity Of Students pre-
vented the Inauguration of district
school, so the two grew to 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 a 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
ut 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
toward Mustard grew cold, but the
lover was unsuspicious, and finally the
wedding day dawned. One of the
O'Malleys then informed Mustard that
Anna and the stranger had disappeared
sometime during the night. Then be-
gan search that lasted far into the
night and ceased only after q 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 Annals
sudden departure vague rumors came
from the east that Anna, deserted and
friendless, had died maniac in IN
asylum. -
Taking his only remaining com
panion, the violin, William Mustard
followed the example set by Dillaplanes
years before and sought shelter in the
hollow OF the tall sycamore, where he
has remained off and on ever since. He
talks but little, and then to himself, in
an inaudible humble in the dark re-
cesses of this tree. He refuses all as
sistance, and those charitably inclined
are compelled to resort to strategy.
When Mustard's frame, now nearly
seventy years old, needs covering, q
suit of clothes is leftlying at the root
of the historic sycamore. Even then
the hermit trudges from door to
door in vain search for the owner.
Fourteen years ago a descendant of the
Dillaplanes, upon selling the farm,
made a 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 aboutshis favored
haunts. Mustard is altogether dis
pleasing sight, his only redeeming fea-
ture being a pair of benevolent blue
eyes, almost pathetic, that peer
through massive eyebrows. When as
sured that a visitor who called to see
him was not an inhrmxry director, the
old hermit, in childish pride, exhibited
the confines of his habitation. A ten.
foot pole can be swung around In its
interior, the furnishings of which con-
sists of . little stove and . bed of
straw.