Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-10-27
A MOUNTAIN HERMIT.
SINGULAR EXPERIENCE OF A BLUE
RIDGE HUNTER.
An Educated Man Living n
SOLITARY Life-His Knowledge OF
the Bible ana Views About Heaven.
Alton Notes.
Correspondence of the Dispatch)

| where nobody lives?" was a question
asked the other day by one Of party
Of hunters. who got off at Alton for a
shooting jaunt.
"waIi. kin come mighty nigh IT," re-
| piled the man, who offered himself as
pilot.
| A rambler or tourist need not be con-
sidered selfish because he sometimes
wishes to study botany or blrd-life. or to
| fish or hunt In out-of-the-way places,
where he may he free from human in
trusion.
This young huntsman shouldered his
gun and followed lobe Quick due west
TO the ravine between Hanback, and
Dolly. The path here Ia too steep and
rugged for horses and in many places
difficult even for foot-travel, to say no.
thing of danger from wild beasts or
OF being bitten by rattlesnakes: but the
account given afterward of the hunters
trip was full Of interest
Half way Up the trail led by Tobe's
cabin" said the seeker for lonely places,
land when lobe stepped In for some more
ammunition went down to q rock spring,
by the side OF which a woman was max
Ing soap.
You are Mrs. Quick?" I ventured, as
she handed me a gourd dripping with
the clear water.
dispose go" she assented. me an
hims spliced by Parson Wales, an bin
alvin together fur nigh twenty years"
On further conversation | f0und Mrs.
Quick reticent as to her neare';t neigh
bors, particularly 80 about Top- gene
raj occupation. Knowing this was the
region OF Illicit dlstilleries, changed
the subject
Tobes bullets were soon run. lie
came out with long squ!rrel.rihe. and
we started ON our ten-mile tramp 10 the
higher hunting-grounds, where lobe said
game was plentiful, and 1t was quiet
enough to mako a cat lonesome. We fol-
lowed narrow path right up to the
cliffs and along the Drinks OF dangerous
precipices. The widest OF backwoods
names were given to the places as we
passed them.
THE LOCALITIES.
"'This.' said lobe. is Gully Gulch; an
thar's Bar Mint creek; over here's the
Devils Nose; an that 'ar's his Lookin'-
Glass pointing to waterfall. SO shall
low and clear that We saw the rocks
through tho foam. way below.
"'You say no one lives hcreabouts?'
asked, as We got above the timber-line,
and i saw . small clearing on a knoll to
the left.
Nobody, but or Ia'nclot; an he
don't cAnt-he's bin here so long"
lobe said "Or La'nclot." was q kind
OF hermit. and in his time had more
larnin'. and knew more bout the Bible
than airy parson in ten States"
1t was two miles out OF our way, but
Mr.. Quick guessed We could go by the
old mans house and then strike the Big
Level by "moon-up."
A SOLITARY MAN.
On the way l learned all lobe knew
OF the solitary man with the artistic
cratic name OF Launclot, who lives so
far from the haunts of men and especi-
the haunts of women. For the her
NIT Ia cynlc and might belong to the
AIaelie Rives monks OF the Silent House.
6oInetimes women. in search OF nuts or
berries on the mountain. get over his
line fence. but OF La'nclot burns the
rails X no knows Il, and hews him a
new panel from the pines.
When We reached the clearing, lobe
called out "Hello!' A yellow dog sprang
I'D with a savage growl, but was quieted
by call from within.
"He's contrary-like sometimes" warned
lobe. "an' you mus speak to him easy"
.
CONTRARY" days when he appeared in
the doorway and demanded what we
wanted"
1t was not until lobe spoke that he
let US come inside the cabin. and motion
ed us to q bench near the fireplace.
OF La'nclot had been known as the
Nimrod Of the mountain-sde. The walls
Of the cabin and over the mantel were
lined with the skins OF smaller game
and q big black bearskin covered the
bed. Long rows Of paws were sticking
between the logs and over the joists, with
punches OF dried roots and red peppers
were strings OF fox-tails, and what look
ed like wolf-scalps. Over a shelf were
the antlers of a large deer and piled be-
low IL the rattles of dozen rattlesnakes.
The hermit was a very tall man, 70
years old, with keen, blue eyes, and had,
apparently been a well-educated man.
I asked II he was not often very lonely"
He looked a little scornful. / thought,
as he answered: "You show your igno-
rance by the question:; no man Is ever
alone. What does st. Paul, say, young?
man?-that. I'VE are surrounded by a
cloud Of witnesses"--and, again. hear the
Psalmist: Though go to the uttermost
ends Of the earth Thou art with me.
was a little surprised at the sudden
ness with which "Or Lanclot" dropped
into the Bible. but was glad the con
trary" spell was passing.
"You have books I notice" was the
next remark I made, to draw him out.
YES" he answered, Il read my
"Josephus" when I want to study the
vanity and wickedness of this neeting
world, and the Bible whenever ] can.
You can't read the Bible too often, young
man; remember that"
II am told you have peculiar views OF
Heaven, Mr.. -. Do you think 1t
Is q place"
"Does the Bible say hell Is a place.
was the startling rejoinder.
Read st. John. Yes; Heaven Is To-
cality; Just as much so as that noun
tain" with a far-away look at the top
of Hlmpback. as seen through the open
door.
""The fact that Heaven Is place:
that It has mansions. inhabited by actual.
tangible but incorruptible bodies, and
that they 20 back and forth as angels
OF mercy, ought to be taught in the theo-
logical institutions Of Christendom.
"'Have you studied the Theologians
Farrar and Keike and Doellingerr
was obliged to confess that had
not.
"Then 70 and do It. Don't ask about
thinks you can read for yourself"
BY this time lobe had examined
the four or i've guns scattered about.
and had ratified the snake trophies Inn
patiently, and was, knew, growing rest
less. The hermit took down gun and
walked with US a piece through the
woods. After we parted from him
heard the sharp crack Of his rife, and
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