The herald., 1897-01-23
LOST FAITH IN MEN.
A Pathetic Tale of Desertion, Robbery
and Disbursement.


The Atlanta Constitution has been ex
ploring the dark corners of Georgia and
has discovered a hermit in Lincoln
county. He is James Howard and his
picture indicates that he is deserving Of
more than ordinary attention. For a
quarter of century Howard has lived
in solitude, and he still refuses to have
any more dealings with his neighbors
than is absolutely necessary. The Con-
stitution gives the following account of
his career:
Twenty-Five years ago he was an
honest, hard-working and thifty farmer,
owning a small piece of land and horses
sufficient to cultivate 1t. some catGa
sheep and hoge. He made home sup
plies sufficient for his family, which
consisted of himself. his wife and two
little boys. aged twelve and fourteen
years. Although he worked hard. he
was contented with his lot and was
living life of peace and adding a little
sum each year to his savings.
But his life of peace and content
ment was not to last. His wife became
dissatisfied and, taking her children,
left him and went back to Anderson
county S. c.. where she was raised, and
where her relatives still lived. All ef-
forts to get her to return to her husband
and home were fruitless Jim became
disheartened and gave up. He sold his
stock and land, and was preparing to
leave for the west. But the fates were
still against him. On the night of the
sale he was robbed of all his money his
land and stock had brought and he was
shot and beaten nearly to death besides
The robbers were never caught After
this beating and robbery Jim Howard
was never like himself again. He would
not work any more. saying II was no
use, for il he made anything some one
would take it from him He went over
to John Zeller's place, a mile or so from
his old home, and there took his abode
in an old deserted cabin, where he lived
until the old hut rotted down. Then he
went to the old Wilkes Wellborn plac
and made his abode in the old log kitch-
en-. where in the ante-bellum days the
dusky cook prepared the substantial
meal for the family The old kitchen
had seen it's best days before old Jim
came but in it he lived for ten Yeas
with scarcely any roof and only the
fragments of the rock chimney left
Last winter Dr. Henry Culberson,
who now owns the land, in spite of old
Jim's protests got few of his neighbors
together and built the old fellow a COM
Portable little cabin of pine logs In
this new cabin old Jim has moved his
plunder. and says he expects to spend
the remainder of his days. If allowed, to
90 So lie placeS no confidence in any
person living-not even his own sons,
who have grown UP and come to see him
once in while. He will have but little
to say to them. refusing their requests
to leave his life of solitude and go and
live with them. Sometimes he goes out
and does days work to get a little
meal or meat, but he won't take money
for what he does. He says somebody
will take it from him, When he works
for anyone in the fiefds he will not go
near the dwelling of the man who EN-
ploys him, but has him bring or send, the
price of his labors to the field
wherever Jim Howard goes he car
ries a large stick and two guns, one an
old army musket the other an old flint
and steel gun without a hammer Why
he carries this old gun cannot be told,
as it cannot be fired. His stick is a
large. square hickory one with heavy
iron ferule on one end of it and sharp
spear made of an old scissors blade
riveted through it about two or three
inches from the end. He says he can
kill man or dog with this in a min
ute. He carries it fastened in his sus-
penders."