The daily morning journal and courier., 1896-08-31
HERMIT JONES' RETREAT.

Disappointed in Love in His Youth He Took Up His Abode Under Hay stack.
 While J. IT. Arthur and Joseph Good ing, tax collectors, were out in a sparse ly settled district in Russell township. Macon county, recently, they ran across not the Oldest inhabitant," but un- doubtedly the queerest and most eccen- l trio inhabitant of that locality. They carried with them a backtax bill for s1620 against one John G. Jones, who had $1 ,125 in the bank at New Cambria. l The amount was more than the aver age bank account of the farmers in. that township and they naturally ex- l pected to find John c. Jones presiding over farm of more than ordinary pre- l tensions. Nearly day was spent In quest of Mir Jones house: no one seemed to know him, but many said that an old man named Ballard had been seen occasionally in the vicinity though but few were aware of the loca- tion of his residence.
 One afternoon, while on their horses, the collectors noticed a peculiarly shap- ed haystaok on bleak stretch of un- cultivated ground. They approached it and saw a ditch running under 1t. One of the men got down on his hands and knees and crawled into the ditch and under the haystack. He disappear- ed from sight, but soon returned with his face pale with fright. He said that the haystack was a human habitation. and that as soon as he had got in some one yelled out to him, "Yi, VI" While they stood there waiting for develop ments queer looking person came from the hole in the ground and ap- preached the collectors, who hastily re- treated a few feet.
 There was no hat on his head, but ark-colored rag was bound around his temples and knotted behind His cloth ing, if such it could be called, was pie turesque. and contained many holes. His arms were long and thin and his fingers terminated in nails which were so long they resembled claws. His snow-white beard fell down to his l waist.
 One of the tax gatherers tried to ex- plain to this queer looking being his mission, but evoked no response that was ineligible. He then showed the tax bill under the old mans nose The l hermit took it, and after long exami- nation retreated to his home, notion ing the men to follow him. They look ed doubtfully at each other moment and then screwed their courage to the sticking point and followed him.
 The recluse took from a box from the shelf, went to corner of the dirt floor, l found an old key, inserted it in the lock, and drew forth what looked like a bandanna handkerchief. After un- winding this until he seemed to have a small-sized bedspread, he drew out arl- other rag in which was collection of dimes and nickels. He counted out the S16.20 and paid his bill.
 While waiting for him to do this the visitors examined the peculiar place of abode. Tn the dirt walls were driven, horizontally, four or five sticks, and across these were laid boards. Hay and rags on the top of this indicated that it was the hermit's bed. Everything kwas of the most primitive design, and indicated that the tenant had broken away from the conventionalities of civ- ilization many years before.
 When he paid the collectors and took their receipt he pointed to the opening, and they lost little time in getting out and back to their horses.
 Since their visit one of the tax col lectors has made inquiry concerning the old man. He learned that the re- cluse had but one or two friends and no confidants. One of them told Mir. Arthur that Jones was a Welshman, a bachelor, who had renounced social ties on account of an unfortunate love af- fair which had bIighted his youthful affections. He came to America and secured forty-acre tract of ground in what was then a "howling wilderness. ' He immediately shut himself in and held intercourse with no one.
 Of late years, however, he has been devoting himself to the care of small garden. He raised potatoes principal ly. and trades them around occasionally for anything the people care to trade for. He has not head of stock of any sort on his place, not even dog to cheer his solitude. Those who know him regard him as an iuoffensive old fellow, and they never seek to pry into his affairs. His age no one knows, but from his appearance he might be any