Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-09-13
ANOTHER OF THOSE RomAKcEs
which New York Papers Are willing to Print
About Maine and worth Reading.

sS~OSs -
writer in the New York Herald says
two hunters. I.ote Johnson and Arthur
Stevens who have been laying out a me
for this winters operations IN huntins
and trapping in the Allagash region IN
Maine tell of strange find IN ravine
at the foot of the Oasaces mountains. 1t
is not another Klondike. but strangely
assorted couple, who have lived alone IN
the northern Maine wilderness for hfteen
years-an old man with snowy white halr
and beard that reach almost to his waist,
and beautiful young woman, with an al
most angelic face and unsurpassed hgure.
OF course, there Is a story behind this
voluntary remuneration of all things con-
nected with the world. Not one human
face besides that of the old man has this
fair girl seen for fifteen years, until these
hunters stumbled upon the rude hut in
the night while lost In the wilderness.
She is eighteen years old and. according
to the patrarchs meagre account. came
to this wild spot when babe of fourteen
months For a few months there seems
to have been another man with the couple
but his relation to them was not named,
and a stone slab set by mound near the
Z cabin and bearing an inscription in for
eign language did not add to the knowl-
edge of the hunters.
The discovery of the cabin was by pur-
est accident, and almost startling to
the prospectors as to the occupants. They
mao become luIhtu dIouliu III 1t ustlh
misty night while returning to their
camp, in Allagash lake, after a long
days tramp. Suddenly there burst upon
their ears a musical note so pure and
sweet that both men declare they thought
an angel was floating in the air above
them They had no cause to believe there
was 81 human being within twenty-five
miles of them. and the sweet tones of
woman's voice were indeed startling.
That's an angel all right" whispered
johnson. but I'm not skeered OF any
thing that sings so sweet.
The voice rose, clear as Il flute. above
any vocal tones the listeners had ever
heard beforehand Stevens has travelled.
and claims to have heard many of the
best singers of the day-then the soft vi
brations trembed on the night air as the
descent was made. until johnson declared
he could hear angels wings about his
head. Finally the music ceased, and the
spell was broken.
The hunters. after bracing themselves
by whispered consultation, decided to
investigate. The hut was discovered and
application for a nights lodging made.
The distress of the old man was appar-
ant and pathetic The wonder of the girl
was unbounded and unconcealed. Mem
DRY of all faces but one had been swept
from her mind years ago
The hunters were permitted to remain,
and during the night managed TO draw
out. in a fragmentary manner. the story
of the strange couple. The old man. ii is
.vident had occupied n high position in
his early life. and has given the girl,
whom he claims to be his granddaughter,
Il thorough education in everything but
humanity. His lessons of the doings of
people have been, heretofore. like fairy
tales to the child. She has realized moth
ing of life but constant association with
nature in her home preserve. Eighteen
years ago, Searles Hastings left a large
town (which he refused to name) near
Philadelphia. Pa. with a baby girl his
grandchd. He was accompanied by a
friend" and fled to the White Mountains,
in New Hampshire. 1t was spring time
and in the autumn the journey was con-
tnued to northern Piscataquis county
Ne. where the hut now occupied was
erected
The cause of the mysterious flight from
civilization is held as the secret of a tot
terine old man. The girl was in absolute
ignorance of even the scanty information
vouchsafed by her guardian. VIII the
story ever be unfolded to the world?
What n field for the novelist. and what
strange tale might somebody be able to
add to that of Searles Hastings, if that Is
his real name. But above all things,
what must be the fate of this child of ma
ture, alone in n great wilderness. when
her only companion passes into dissolu-
ton? 1t must come soon, and will he
leave any record of the past that must
have been to some one a sad mystery?
These questions naturally arise and
We're ASKED. Dy the hunters. but 10 all the
strange recluse only shook his head He
begged the hunters to preserve his secret
and place of abode from the world, even
pleading ON his knees and with tears in
his eyes, that no one be led TO his forest
home.
Truth is sometimes, If not always,
stranger than fiction, and certainly the
story Of the hunters bears the impress of
truth They are known as quiet and We
racious men among their fellows and not
given to yarn spinning. May there not
be some one in the region of Philadelphia
able to recall the incident of nearly a
score of years ago?