Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1900-02-01
LEWIS KUEOHLtR, THE HERMIT.

a Strange and Interesting Character OF
Jerks couuty-was Friend of Thomas
r. Baysrd aud Other Noted Men.
Allentown, PSI. Register, Jan. S4th
Lewis Kuechler, the hermit Of Mount
Penn, Reading, was discovered very i'll
on Tuesday in his little hut above
Reading. His place Is better known
ms =" Kuechler's Roost" and as such Is
known all over Eastern Pennsylvania.
1t is situated on the very top Of the
mountain, $500 feet above the sea
level, and In summer time II is the
/ esort Of prominent people OF the
country. who delight in the friendship
and social characteristics Of the
Thomas r. Bayard and other noted
men were among his personal friends
and spent many an hour in his COM
papy. No notable who visits Reading
is allowed to depart till he has visited
the "Roost'' Scholars, statesmen,
lawyers, artists and literary men from
| all over the country have inscribed
| their names on bis register. The latter
| is remarkable book and one can
spend several hours 10 most delight
| full manner looking over the names and
reading the wittioisms, jokes, poetry,
| sentiment, &C., which adorn Its pages,
| the work Of those who have enjoyed
Herr Kuschler's hospitality.
Alongside his frame hut is a big fire.
place, one Of the old fashioned kind
rarely seen nowadays, and 10 this fire.
place Kuechler has prepared many
royal feast for his visitors, served on
| long wooden tables out in the grove.
| His cellar is stocked with rare wines
and imported beer, and dinner
served at his place in company with
congenial souls il ar experience not
easily forgotten.
With strangers Herr Kuechier is re-
etved, but when properly introduced,
or In company of an old friend, he ia
one of the most genial of men and de-
lightful Of hosts. He is man Of rare
culture and there are few subjects upon
which he can not talk learnedly and
eloquently.
All his daughters married we'll and
move in the best circles of society, but
he has always been infexibIe in his
discrimination to live alone, summer
and winter, In his mountain home,
despite all entreaties of his daughters
to at least spend the winter months at
their homes. During winter time,
when the mountain lies buried in
snow, he passes months without any
body seeing him, and several winters
ago, when the snow was three feet
deep on the mountains, a party Of his
friends worked their way to his hermit
! home and found him playing the flute.
i During the recent cold snap several OF
his friends, anxious to find out how
! the old man The is now 80 years of age
was getting along, visited him, ano
were shocked to find him very i'll IN
, bed.
! His vineyard is his particular pride
and contains living niementos giVer
! him by friends-speoies Of vines pre-
! Senators at Washington and othe
prominent men. He speaks with prid'
, how, by an indomitable will, b,
/ nursed his little vineyard into life, ant
\ proved to the world how Pennsylvania
soil can produce the hest wine made II
this country. ..
9 His flowing gray beard. his cap. hi
' German pipe, his genial expression o
countenance, kindly disposition ant
y his warm hearted friendship for chill
/ dren led many mothers during the las
! summer to point out Kuechler to then
! as the Santa CLAUS Of Mt, Penn.
I In Germany he was hunter an,
J. when he came to this county 40 year
q ago the habits of solitude whicn b
q had formed In the old country ooul
not be shaken of. In Germany b
lived ON an open mountain platea
$500 feet above the sea and had as hi
associates in his hunting expedition
members of the royal family. In white
3 he PASSES the time in reading an
. music and In summer he 10 Away
4, busy entertaining friends. He is
q recluse simply from love Of solitud
= and nature. To no one will his deaf
y prove greater blow than to Go
. Thomas Zimmerman, of the Readin
9 Times, who is one Of his deare,
friends. fm