Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-07-22
SHAKEN INTO A TREE.
The Strange Abode of Billy Mustard Since
His Sweetheart Shook Him.
Cincinnati Enquirer


During the early years of the present
century one Joshua Dillaplanes came 10
Eastern Ohio from Pennsylvania and set
tied on 800 acres Of ground that now
constitutes a portion Of Hanover and
St. Clair townships. The land was cloth
| watered by rivulet now known as the
Two-mile.
on the west bank OF the stream grow
majestic sycamore that lowered many
feet above it's most ambitious companions.
The tree Diliaplanes discovered TO be hol-
low, and IL is said that the settler took
up his abode In the hollow and began
clearing the land that now constitutes
| a representative farm of the Miami Valley.
In the mean time, family named Mus
| tard soon followed by another named
| OMalley, settled near the Millville pike.
In the Mustard fairly was a boy whose
name was william:
The youth found a companion and play
mate in the person OF Anna OMalley.
| daughter Of the nearest neighbor. The
| treachery OF Indians and the scarcity of
| students prevented the inauguration of
district school, so the two grew to man
and womanhood in the blIssful Ignorance
| Of books. The boy. however became mar
| vellously proficient with the violin, thus
making up! IN one particular that which
he so lacked In many others. The young
| folks fell In love, and In the course Of
time the weddIng-day was fixed
About two weeks prior TO the wedding
| day a stranger. who said his name was
Shay appeared upon the scene. The
newcomer appeared to be an object OF
wonder to the supplemented country
folk. His dress was elegant. his manner
| genteel. and his talk entertaining. He
claimed to be civil engineer, and boarded
| for a while with the O'Malley's. In her
environments the girl Anna had known
only Billy and Blily's violin. This new
specimen of manhood was 10 her like a
| new and pleasing dream. Soon her man
ner toward Mustard grew cold. but the
lover was unsuspcious. and finally the
wedding-day dawned.
One of the OMalleys then informed
Mustard that Anna and the stranger had
disappeared some time during the night.
Then began search that lasted far into
the night and ceased only after traveller
had said he saw the couple riding on one
horse the night before along the lonely
forest path. MustardS reason slowly fed.
His aged parents greved into the grave
The O'Malleys drIfted TO the same desti-
ny and by the same path, for a few
months after Annals sudden departure
vague rumors came from the East that
Anna, deserted and friendless, had died
a maniac In an asylum.
Taking his only remaining companion.
the violin. William Mustard followed the
example set by Dlllaplanes years before.
and sought shelter I'm the hollow OF the
tall sycamore. where he has remained
oil and on ever since. He talks but little.
and then to himself, in humble in
the dark recesses OF this tree He refuses
all assistance. and those charitably in
cllned are compelled 10 resort to strategy.
When Mustard's frame. now nearly 20
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 20 door in vain search
for the owner. Fourteen years ago a de-
scendant 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 AMI
soap proved almost fatal and ne was
again allowed TO roam about his favotite
haunts.
Mustard is altogether displeasing
sight, his only redeeming feature being a
pair OF benevolent, blue eyes, almost
pathetic, that peer through massive eye.
brows. When assured that a visitor who
called TO see him was not an infirmary di.
rector, the old hermit. In childish pride.
exhibited the confines Of his habitation.
a l0-foot pole can be swung around In
its interior. the furnishings OF which con-
sist Of little stove and a bed Of straw.