The Caucasian., 1895-11-28
WOMAN HERMIT.

psnlnsular OF MIcnlRan, I1ves
49, oldest and most eccentric
sr'vn in the Western States.
Mrs. Angus Mcdonald, now
of age, but known IA "The
I Ncponald."
Every settler in Michigan
raous or has heard of her, and
I,,d. Of deer hunters from Hi
diana. and in fact all the
abo Journey to the rich deer
Of "the Rifle district" every
.,, iotted her down in their
~. as a queer, odd~1character
history which she will not dis
b,ss alone in a log house Of
ample dimensions, the nearest
,or being ten miles away.
in the very heart Of the deer
!, and has fed hundreds and
thousands of hunters who
,ombled upon the log house sit
IN the woods, and have been
no pleased to secure a warm meal.
never betrays surprise when a
# hunters comes to the door and
ROOD.
ibe party number one or fifteen
M the same to her. Opening the
he motions them inside and deft-
Dsres the meal.
never apologies for her fare nor
praises it, and has never been
to ak any price for it.
he hunters offer her remunera-
ts takes it, and il not she does
|nplaln.
face is wrinkled and her gums
toothless, but her activity does
,ym to diminish, although the
vnwood branch upon which she
notch for each year of her
lows ninety-fOur nOtches.
N ,n her game larder needs replen-
W, she takes up the long, Old-fash-
rn, handful of cartridges
ARTS for the woods.
never comes back empty handed
her fishing excursions are simi-
nrcessiul.
will never divulge the haunts OF
,pr or fish to the many hunters
ave endeavOred to get infOrma-
rom her.
en- the oldest settlers in this part
state have been interrOgated az
time of her settling in the old
bin on the Rifle river the answer
|ably has been: al don't know;
as living there when | came, and
ed there ever since"
old woman lives alone the yeaI
the monotony of her life being
N only by the visits of the hun.
n lnd this is only during the month
[tember.
he realizes that the State has beer
D since the time of her pioneer
,he does not show it. for she never
nor makes inquiries of others
sas her own little world and live,
en the writer of this called OF
ID few weeks ago she had just re
~ from a few hours huntinS
II and served for the meal some de
{,s teal ducks which a short tim,
had been feeding in the rive
n BY. The meal finished and pipe
ID (she always smokes u Ions
X pipe) conversation was engage,
was communicative this COLI
y n afternoon, and in a dream,
tone she told the story of he
which has comedy, pathOs, an,
Ny interviewer in it.
n ut lS20--she did not remembe
Iact date-she and her husband
i ed but a few months, left the lit
fttement called Detroit, and will
on their backs started on foot t.
rate the northern pine forests.
hy plodded on for many days, q
Il <kaching the Saginaw river, theI
M stream, on the banks of whicl
ID few Indians.
red men padded them acros
B fream, and after staying witt
4 few days they again starte'
n many days they travelled sh
Il pot know, but the leaves had be
10 turn when they reached tn
bit site of the old log house.
.sske they decided to stay, and, tn
n working together all day an
on the ground at night, pu
n fe rude log shanty and they move
ikt arrival of the two sons increase
lumber of the family to four, an
IAng eventful happened for fiv
IA Their only neighbOrs wer
N poor Indians, who lived on tn
Of the river in rude wigwam
one day one of these found tn
Of her husband in the trail alon
liver bank, with a large wild ca
PLY wounded, but still alive, with
i few feet of it. His throat ha
clawed to shreds. She burie
ilone, and seven years later he
son went fishing never to re
As his body was washed upon tn
few miles from the house
q later. She buried him alOngsid
irger grave, and she and tn
ger son lived on. When he becam
r. he went away, and he, too, hs
ki to come back.
Mn is confident he will come befOr
4ies, however, and her calm fac
her piercing eyes, lights up whe
nentions "her boy" and her in
N faith that Providence will r
n him is an object lesson to man,
ce that time she has lived alOn
has never wanted for food, an
she has no trouble in supportin
Nf.
len she is unable to do this 81
'to pass away, following the foo
III Oh her husband and son.