The Coalville times. [volume] (Coalville, Utah) 1894-1923, 1901-12-27
WOMANHERMlTWED
MASSACHUSETTS, TOWN LOSES
PICTURESQUE lNHABlTANT.
Mis-. narEnrot Rowland End' nm Years
Of Loneliness by M,yraEo - Her
oirihood's sweetheart Happy Ending
Of Romano Bsgun tong Ago.


N-N--HH
Massachusct.. has a bona hde wom
m hermit.
In a picturesque part OF the village
Of Forest Hills. Mass, there stands
nloEe and many acres apart from any
other residence a quaint weather
stained cottage. This is the home Of
Margaret Rowland, hermit.
For Atty years Miss Nowland has
lived Ia Forest Hills and yet she Is
today at the ago OF 20 as unknown 10
the people Of that town rs she was half
o century ago. when, a beautiful girl
Of p, she walked into the village. from
nobody knew where, and took up her
abode In the little house which had so
long remained unoccupiod.
Weeks and months passed and the
young woma continued to live a life
OF ~seclusion, alone in the quaint little
cottage. Finally. by some chance II
was learned that the mysterious young
woman's name vas Miss Margaret
Rowland. and that she came from the
far West.
More than this no one could discov-
or. Miss Rowland never went TO the
postofioo nor 10 church, and except to
buy food she never strayod beyond the
little wicker gate which shut the out
side world from the lawn which
stretched around the hermitage.
For nfty years this has continued
and all the force OF New England GU
rloslty has failed TO ferret out the his
tory OF Margaret Rowland, which
would have remained n mystery until
the end OF time had not unforeseen cir
cumstancos brought to light the very
romantic story OF this woman's life.
Mysterious Stranger Comes.
About one month ago. the town OF
Forest HIS was startled by seeing q
whlto-hnircd man push open the gate
leading 10 the hermitage. walk bhskly
up tho path 10 the front door. aud llft
the knockcr. which foil back with q
sound that seemed 10 demand admit
lance for tho intruder.
Slowly the front door swung back.
for an Instant Margaret Rowland and
the intruder faced each other. then tho
man stepped across the threshold
which for nifty years had not been
passed by a visitor. the door was closed
and tho villagers were loft standing on
tho sidewalk staring at the cottage In
open-mouthed amazement
About two hours later the man loft
the hermitage. walked quickly 10 the
station and took a train for Boston
The following day Margaret Nowand
went TO the p~ostollce where the aston
lshod clerk handed her a letter so
heavy that IL took double postaU to
carry II.
For one week this same thing oc-
Cured daily; every morning Margaret
Rowland. still uncommunicatlye. went
to the p%ostofice. received her letter and
disappeared in the hermitage again.
On the eighth day the w~hltehaired
stranger r%eappeared.
This time Miss Nowland met him at
tho little wicker gate and the two
strolled around the grounds before en-
terlng the house. Never had Forest
Hills been so stirred. tho entire town
vas wild with excitement and burning
with a curiosity which threatened TO
break all bonds.
Late that afternoon Miss Rowland
and her visitor called upon the uni
tartan minister OF the town and the
lips OF tho hermit were opened.
Before hearing the story OF her past,
full OF a and tragedy however.
Forest Hills was shaken to its founda-
lions by the statement that they we're
to lose their hermit. Margaret Now
land Is going to be married on Christ
mas Day OF this year 20 the white
haired stranger. who will on that day
celebrate his Slst birthday.
Miaistsr Tells story.
The minister was besleged with yisi-
tors on the day following his visit from