The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1896-02-05
THE HERMIT OF FOUCHE.
BY SUSAN SHEPPARD STEVENS.

No one seemed to know whence he
came, or how long he had been there,
his kind, seeing the corner of shanty
through the bushes, stopped his OK cart
and went down the slightly worn path
To reconnoiter The abode which re-
warded this trouble would scarcely
justify even the name OF ''shanty,"
and after a wondering survey OF the
then desert dwelling he returned to
his cart.
Iceland ~ he ordered, emphasizing
his command with crack from his
long whip, and he slouched along be-
side his oxen, with gait and bearing
so like their own weary slowness, med
itating over the foolishness which had
led any human being to select such a
spot in which to dwell. Some weeks
after, when heencountered Elijah, tall,
dark and gaunt, with sombre dark eyes
which seemed to burn with consum-
ing fire, he ceased TO wonder, and de-
cided that "the critter was plum era
zy."
The spot selected by the stranger for
the erection of his shanty might well
have given rise to wonder, even in the
minds of the stolid country folk who
frequented the road. 1t was upon the
bank of stream, fork of the Arkan-
sas, known to the people thereabouts as
Fourche, and i'm reality a cypress
swamp, from whose muddy, current
less depths the corrugated cypress
trunks raise themselves high in air TO
end in dark green feathery foliage arch
ing over and closing in like a green
Gothic aisle in one of natures cathe
drals. From root to topmost branch,
the water below faithfully reproduces
the leafy arch, and so still and unruf-
fled is the surface of the swamp that the
reflected image is as unwavering and
as clear cut rs the original. Bush and
wafer plant thrive beneath the trees,
though little sun strikes through TO
help their growth, while dotted about
here and there is that curious root form
alton, the cypress "knee," which pre-
sents the appearance of an abortive tree,
attempted, perhaps, by one of natures
journeymen, who found his task impos-
sible of completion.
About twenty feet from the bank of
this stream had been placed the hovel
which had given rise to so much Won
dering comment. It was built of half
rotten, discarded boards, and consisted
of but a single room, whose one window
closed with wooden shutter. The de-
| ficiencies in the roo were made good
by covering of tin, evidently con-
structed by the laborious melting and
beating out of stray tin cans. On the
outside of the house was rude CHM
ney, built of lath, and plastered with
mud. Within, on floor of rough
| boards, stood chair, table and bed,
all Enthusiastically of home manufac-
ture, and evidently the work of awk-
ward and unskilled hands. In one
corner of the room, fastened to the
wall, were two wide shelves. Upon
the upper one rested an oblong wooden
box, of size which might have served
as coffin for new born infant. This
box was secured by tiny paddock, and
had evidently remained untouched for
months, as evidenced by the dust and
,bwebs which had claimed it for their
own. Beside the open hearth hung an
iron pot and skillet. There was moth
ing in all the room to relieve its look of
bare poverty save scrupulous cleanli-
ness.