The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1900-07-17


seclusion of a narrow sphere of life,
upon which no one but members of his
or her immediate family were allowed
TO intrude, Is Phoebe Meeks, who for
sixty-fiVe years has not stepped out
side the doorway of her little room on
the second floor OF a weather-beaten
frame house in the center of this town.
The blinds on one OF the rooms have
been closed ever since her retirement.
and therein the hermit makes her
home, seeing no one but sister. In
the years of her seclusion the popula-
ton has changed two or three times,
and today there are but few who know
that the hermit exists, and fewer still
who can recall the days when, for
some unexplained reason, she shut
herself up in her room and bade
final adieu to the social circles of
which she was admittedly the bright
est ornament. 1t was during the days
OF canal building in Indiana that Had
ley Johnson and Phoebe Meeks met
each other, and it was not long till
rumor coupled their names together as
lovers. Both were children OF well-to-
do parents and both were young and
aspiring. After a time theft intimate
friends were informed that they were
engaged and were to be married IN
June. This was in 1885 or 1886, and
Brookville was the most important
town in the infant state, in fact, the
Athens Of gayety and fashion, as gay
ETY. and fashion had 1t, in those prim-
tive times. One evening, few weeks
before the day appointed for the wed
ding, Hadley Johnson and Phoebe
Meeks and three other couples wan
dered down to the canal bank and
seated themselves near the basin TO
watch the towboats as they passed
lazily along. AL seemed to be in the
best of spirits when. suddenly rising
from the canal bank. and without
uttering one word in explanation of
the act, Miss Meeks turned her back
upon her lover and friends and walked
hurriedly toward her home. Mr.. John
son called to her, but received no re-
Spouse. After awhile he followed her
home, but the house was dark and he
forbore to intrude.
The next morning he called to learn
what had occurred to offend the young
woman, but she refused TO see him or
to offer any explanation Of her strange
conduct of the night before. Letters
sent to her by the lover were re-
turned unopened, and he was finally
obliged to accept the situation as it
existed and give up the hope of learn
ing why he had become obnoxious to
her, if, indeed, that was the reason for
her conduct Month after month
passed, but Miss Meeks remained in
her home, and rumor said that she
remained also in her own room. the
blinds to which were now always kept
securely closed.
The people marveled at the strange
action, and busybodies went to the
house to learn what was the $latter
/ They came away no wiser than they
went, for the other members Of the
/ family refused to discuss the subject,
and met references to it so coldly that
even the most inQuisitive were de-
! TERED from asking questions. The
father and mother died. but Miss
Phoebe heard the funeral discourses
from an adjoining room, to which nc
one but herself was admitted, and she
did not even follow the remains to the
grave. The months heightened into
years. and still the hermit kept in the
old home The fact of her existence
almost ceased to be known to any save
the older residents.
After several years of waiting Had
ley johnson went west and soon be-
came a man of wealth and influence.
He located in Utah territory and in
vested in mining. When Utah was
admitted as a state and cast its first
vote for presidential electors he was
the bearer of the Official returns &c
Washington. On his way home he
stopped at Brookville and made a last
effort to see his afianced of more than
80 years before. He was then ad.
vanced in life, but the old scenes re-
vived the fires in his bosom and the
yearning came to him as it had il
years gone by. Miss Phoebe was OBJ
durate, and not only refused to ses
him but declined to receive any word
from him. Her action had gone IN
explained through all the years, and
he was destined never to know what
had occurred on that June night tc
change her attitude towards him ans
the world. He died about a year age
in his western home.
Miss Meeks' only companions in al
these years have been her youngel
sister and the birds. Hundreds OF
sparrows feed at her window every
morning, and for 2 few moments tn.
shutters are opened as she places Their
food upon the window sill. She ha:
ample means upon which to live Sh,
is said to be an omnivorous reader. AL
the high-priced magazines are taker
at the house, also a daily paper
Though she avoids contact with tbs
] -.