The Windham County reformer. (Battleboro, Vt.) 1876-1897, 1896-02-14
HERMIT ON wICKOPEE HILL,

Man Who Was nm Inventor in sweden
Now Living i'm Lonefiness. Fifth ana
! POycrty-lIOrse Flesh and TubclCu1OU'
Reef His Food aud Hens His Only
Companions.
Correspondent of the sunday Republican,
Not five miles distant from Main
street. in a house owned 10y a Local
farmer is an old man of 20 or more
years living tho life of Il hermit. who
for some time has principally subsisted
on horse meat, with an occasional LOAF
of bread and few crackers. Your
correspondent being appraised of the
fact visited him in his home yesterday,
and the poverty and squaior every
where apparent was enough to turn
the stoutcst heart accompanied by a
local resident who had been there be-
fore with some little articles Of food,
we approached the little story and a
half house, which is situated off the
main highway leading to 'Wickopec
hill favoritc drive of all summer
visitors, by steep road over which
no track had been made since the last
SNOW storm. 1t was cold and the wind
was blowing a gale when we rapepd at
the door, which was opened by the
hermit. At the same time he twitched
from its fastcnings an old piece or
blankcting used in keeping out the
wind and sitting snow.
He was clad in WOODEN shirt over
three others of different fabric and an
old pair of overalls. while about his
hips was strapped scant piece of
rough carpeting. Over one shoulder
he wore a piece of shawl and on his
feet were a pair of pure gum ovcrshoes,
with the buckles dangling On his
head was a much Worn soft hat, under
meath which showed dingy skull cap.
He wore glasses, ore glass of which
was badly cracked His long gray
beard and hair wcre unkept, and, IN
fact his whole make up was revolving,
yet he might have been a good looking
man but for his dress and untidiness.
He met us pleasantly, and audibly
smiled when presented with articles of
food.
He willingly showed us about the
house, which was anything but invit- |
ing On the stove was kettle, III !
which simmercd large side of horse
meat, which he secured by killing his
half starved, WORKOUT house. There
was scarcely fire enough to keep the
stove warm and there was no wood
save Il few splinters and two fence rails
in one corner of the room.
\ coon skin lay across the stove, and
he pclt of a calf on the floor. Two
bid rocking chairs and three other
chairs. together with dilapidated
able and a bed of rough boards with
few tattercd quilts, made up the bal
nee Of the furniture, aside from an
I'D lounge on which the old mans
lens rested. while two or three
under his bed. In one cor
Ter of the room was Il hens nest, in
which was one egg. Opening a door
nto what was once an entry way and
there the rain of the night before had
Eft two inches of water. we were in
tied to ascend to the upper floor.
here about GO hens were cackling and ;
in the foot or more of filth. .
'urning back we were shown into .
mother room, which possibly might {
ave been used as parlor by former =,
though it would take a
'rong imagination to suggest as much. 4,
Here was tub in which was a
llarter of meat. from which a little !
al been cut to supply the wants of .
10 hermit. He smllingly informed !;
S in broken English that it was por ;.
lin of calf which he himself had !
I'D to Mr. Miner and which had been :
Illed week or more ago by order OF 9
le state veterinary on account of =
= just how he came by !
lis condemned meat, he did not, or u
,uld not. explain. Asked if he ever >
1T cold he called our attention to a :
<f ,,,h, oh ho a
J understand were poured into an !,
her bottle with something resem ~ =,
ing spearment, and this made some u
rt of concoction which he drank. r
G said that after this he dove into ..
IS bunk. in which, it appears, he Il
ays most of the time in cold weather :,
c had laid away in an old purse % =,
nts. one of which was Swedish ",
PIPER. The only food, aside from W W
at described and what we brought. p
as small piece of cooked horse ~ ~
eat. which he declared was as good =,
partridge, and about half dozen ~
lal crackers. In the barn, short y
stance from the house, was COW. g.,
1t this he was not milking. ~
1t appears that the man came from ~
veden some five or six years ago and a..
st settled on Flat street. For short y
ne he kept three noardcrs: finally y
went to Jamaica and into retire y.
mt until he came here last spring y;
d settled in the house described. f.,
, invented in Sweden clamp for -
e use of painters, and so constructed n'
to hold a staging, but evidently :"
is was not salable article, This az
ssibly may account for his retire g. g.
mt. According to one of the village ~
fedes, the man. whose name in Osian ~
hanson. has wife, who is keeping o.,
lool in Sweden, a daughter in ~
lool for nurses, and son who is at -,
lool, while another son resides in =. ~
He has received an
,asional letter from home. But he a..
S very little to say of his intentions 81 81
prospects, leaving his visitors to M ~
cr that he intends to live and die in a.; ;n
fusion. ,r n