Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1898-05-21
HERMIT.s HOME TODAY.

Old Granite state--had Joseph Plum
mer penetrated at the age of 81. when
he purchased seven acres of land In
vast forest at the foot Of Meredith hill.
II was a desoiate spot for a home,
a small cabin erected on mere knoll
OF scrubby pines and sandy, poverty
stricken land in the large forest of
towering trees which struggled for ex-
istence along the rocky banks of linn
pied mountain brooklet. In the writ
er's mind. this small riyulet must have
been the one thing that attracted the
hermit's attention and decided him to
select this unfavorable spot for home.
Doubtless the hermit's weary thoughts
were soothed TO rest many night by
the lullaby this brooklet sang. In
those far-distant days when the hermit
founded his woodland home II was
away from the villages--in the midst
OF forest where the only sounds that
could have disturbed his lonely life
were the singing Of the birds, the sweep
OF the wind through the lofty tree tops
and the murmuring OF the mountain
stream seeking Its level In the distant
lakes. But gradually. change came.
Settlers became more plentiful: high
ways we're laid out, and visitors hoping
to see the now noted hermit encroach-
ed upon his domains. Doubtless real
izing that In view OF the changing time
he could not be as solitary as in his
earlier years, he became more sociable
and entertained his visitors In the
style of the times" treating them to
apples and cider. although when any
one was near him he watched him
with eyes made sharp with distrust. In
his later years he made considerable
sum OF money by selling baskets and
other small articles of his own manu-
facture. The hermit could read and
write and some verses of his compost
ton denouncing the building of rail-
roads and turnpikes are as follows:
Iron stoves and wooden clocks,
Awful storms and dismal shocks,
Railroads and turnpikes through the
land,
Forebodes destruction near at hand.
"But who can make the people see,
II blind as bats they choose to be?
Deaf as the adder they appear,
The truth they cannot hear.
Devils lies they much esteem,
Because II suits their wicked scheme.
His hook is baited with deceit.
And they no doubt will bite the bait.
"rhen Off to fly in vain they try,
Like that from the hook would fly,
The barbed hook will not let 20
But draws them down to endless VICE."
The hermit's cabin contained no win
dows, although there was a hole in
the garnet closed with a board. One
door with dimensions of four feet by
three feet was the only entrance. Just
inside this door was a trap door so that
any one entering without his permits
sion would tumble into the cellar. In
constructing his chimney he placed two
scythes, edge upward, protruding to
prevent anyone coming down. on him.
Originally 1t was log hut which az
ter living in for many years the hermit
built the present building. Joe" was
very ingenious. constructing many use
full articles, among them wooden
scales, violins and bass viols, on which
he was a remarkable player. His sub
was composed mainly of pota-
toes, corn bread, berries, fish. herbs
and meat from wild animals which he
captured In the woods. He never read
but was great student of
the Bible. In the later days Of his life