The Bryan daily eagle. (Bryan, Tex.) 1895-1898, 1896-07-17


twenty years. lie had no companions
and when any one accidentally came
upon him in the woods he would run
from sight.
His legs were wrapped In rags. He
seldom spoke 10 a human being and
then only when II was absolutely nee
essary.
Hermit Sam Ia supposed TO have
buried a big sum Of money. Tie al
ways had a mania for boarding silver
In his younger days when he occasion
ally worked. for Of late years. when he
sold game or fish. he would not accept
bills In payment. The money had to
be In silver. which was promptly
buried.
When he was being got ready by the
ofhcials for the trip 10 the county
house he asked TO be allowed 10 dig
up some money. Picking up q shovel.
he laboriously walked to another cor
ner Of the cave and began digging In
the earth. lie soon unearthed some
silver. More digging revealed several
hundred dollars In silver.
curio collectors have managed 10 get
hold OF some Of the hermlts silver.
Some Of the pieces are said TO be very
valuable. One coin IA a silver dollar
Of great age. worth $500.
After Sam had tied up his money be
said that II he must leave his cave and
the surrounding woods that had shell
tered him for years he vas ready 10 go.
Tears filled his eyes for an instant as
he stepped from bis odd home and
closed the door. Looking about him,
he said
4 don't want TO 90. Mother died In
that house (polntlng to an 0ld-fash-
ioned. tumble-down house on a him
years ago. She was the only friend I
ever had. have lived here for many
years. and kept my promise to her,
never to marry or desert the old place
have kept my promise. and would
rather die here now. were left alone
Il was for fear that Hermit sam
would become M and suffer that the
authorities decided to remove him 4
the poorhouse.
He had a hatred OF women that Dor
dered on frenzy. Il Is said he ha
spoken to only two women In fiteel
years lie has always borne a klndl,
feeling toward Mrs. William Mott. wiz
OF his nephew. TO whom he has spokei
half-doEen times In the last tel
yearA
sam Is said TO have had a sweetheart
years ago. OF whom he was passion
ately fond and who Tilted him. From
that time he became a woman hater
lie would walk a mile TO escape con
tact with a woman. on men he wa
almost equally afraid. There are no
a dozen men who have spoken TO hin
In years. and these are those whom h
trusted In his younger days. One o
his fears was that somebody would poi
son him.
Mott seldom visited Patehogue. anl
then only 20 buy a few things at IN
store he patroniEed for years. lie al
ways entered town very early In IN
morning or Jus, before dark at night
he made his living by trapping an
fishing. Occasionally he sold game 4
hunters. who would leave the none
on the ground near bis home where b
could see Il. Then he would put IN
game where the money had been lefl
For years one stcrekeeper bough
cranberries OF him IN this manner.
One Of Hermit Sans freaks a fe'
years ago was to pluck Ions hairs froI
the tail OF a horse. Any horse with
long and graceful tail was a partlcula
mark for his fancy. Il Is suppose
he used the hair In making snares. II
was a great hunter and caught man
raccoons and foxes. the skins OF whic
Ne used for a bed.
The hermit was once a big aud pow
rful man. One or two old reslden,
no knew him when he was young "a
was both a powerful and handsom
IAN. Now he has almost the appear
, nee Of a hunchback. He and III
mother lived for years In a little old
fashioned house a. the head Of prett
valley. just north OF Canaan. No ma
was ever more attached 10 his mOthe
than was Sam. lie guarded her .
her old age and when she became 4
and helpless be was always at her sid
After she died he became morose an
refused TO speak or associate Wit
the few persons with whom he had u
talned a speaking acquaintance.
He stuck 10 the old homestead unit
"a rotten tlmbcrs compelled him
eek another abode. Then he seleeto
dreary and cherries spot a. the hea
Of the Canaan valley, just east Of q
house where he had lived with h
mother. A deep hole was dug In q
side OF a hill.
A piece Of pipe protrudlng throul
: the tep served him az a chime
: There was only one entrance 10 q
cave. which was strongly fortified by
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