The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1895-08-14
THE HERMIT OF THE MINE.
Old Abe Is Living to Square Things Fol-
tho Indictment llav.

Old Abe Is Living to Square Things For
the Judgment Day.
Just after leaving Evansville and
some distance to the right there
will be noticed a good sized hill. 1t
is between the gulch and Mount
Zion, and all along the edge there
are little tunnel sites. which have
all been abandoned. The reason for
their abandonment is simply this
no solid formation exists there If a
tunnel we're to bore into the earth
for 1, 600 feet because the whole mass
is glacial moraine, the debris
brought down by the mighty glacier
that plowed its way through Big
Evans gulch in prehistoric days.
But between the moraine and Mount
Zion there lies basin-a wild, only
partially explored region - filled
with scrubby underground and an
occasional clump of pines. In here,
hidden amid a dense growth of tim
Der, is a pretty lake covering several
acres. It is a wild, unfrequented
spot and is really one of the sources
of the Arkansas or at least one Of its
tributary creeks, and is beautiful,
linpid sheet of water tenanted only
by the fnny tribe, WHO have in some
mysterious manner found their way
to this secluded spot.
Strictly speaking the region is un-
inhabited, the only denizcn, how
ever, being an old fellow familiarly
known as Old Abe. His family name
seems to be unknown, and as he does
not appear to be in any voting pre-
cinct the people about Evansville
know nothing about him. He seems
to have been entirely overlooked by
the census teker, and, strange to say,
not even candidate for Office las
ever sought out this hoary hermit
in order to secure his vote. The
old man occasionally comes to town,
and when he does it is with little
bottle of gold amalgam, which he
usually sells to an assayer, the mass
of dull colored metal being exchang-
ed for bright goldpieces. After
loading up his jack with good sup
ply Of provisions, a few pounds of
"bacoy" and possibly fresh set of
flies and some ammunition Old Abe
returns to his little cabin on the
shore of tho lake.
He doesn't cultivate visitors. In
fact, long residence in that vicinity
has given Old Abe sort of Robin
son Crusoe title to the property, and
he dislikes intruders on his pre-
serves. There is evidently placer
ground in the neighborhood Of tho
lake where Old Abe does his digging,
but the exact location does not seem
to be known, although parties have
visited the lake and PANIED the dirt
in the neighborhood.
The old man, SO it is learned from
a merchant who sells him most of
his goods, sends certain amount of
money away each year. The NOR
chant, on handing him change ono
day, asked him what he did with tho
extra money. Old Abe answered
that he was in the habit of sending
most of it east. He had a wife and
child in the east, volunteered, but
when asked why he did not bring
them out hero the old man smiled q
weary smile and said: cts long
story, and I haven't tho heart to tell
it. Some day perhaps you II know"
Old Abe has some sins to answer
for, and he's trying to clear up his
record little for the Judgment day.
It may or it may not do the bust
ness, but man can only try and do
his best.
I've got few years Of life left,
and I'm trying to do the square
thing to those l once wronged."
The old man seemed averse to say
ing much about his early history and
went on his way with q jack as aged
and gray as himself. -Lcadville Her
ald.DcmOcrat.