The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1903-08-03
Mrs. Morris Owns and OCCu-
pies RumIsy's Hammock, n. C.
She CAN Do WORK or ANY MAN
Widowed and Berefi Of Children She
SPENDS Ter Gays Ia 6rest tcililiy-IS
So YsiTs Ct agc.

Beaufort. y. c., Aug. 3-Thirty miles
wooded isuand. known thereabouts as a
Hammock" lives woman hermit whose
life is that OF a man, and who has all
the address and yigor of the sterner seN.
Her island home covers some 80 acres.
and is known as Rumleys Hammock, and
her name Is Penelope Morris.
Mrs Morris Is 90 years old. She has
the stature as well as the strength Of a
man. Born on her island, which her faith
Or owned. she has spent all her life there
II is her world. on every side is a wide
stretch OF water. her island being In one
OF the North Carolina sounds.
Her home one story wooden struc-
ture. with odd roof. was built early In the
last century by her father. on the island
and the marshes. which on one side ad-
Join Il, her ponies and cattle have their
range. In the winter she devotes herself
largely to fishing and oystering and her
skill with the nets and the tongs Is such
as 10 make her equal 10 the men in that
business.
Her boat was built entirely by herself.
and she also cut and made its sails. She
Is a capital sailor so good a one In fact,
that IL is said she can take any kind OF
sounds or out 10 sea through any one of
the inlets in this section. She is good
shot, and during the season kills ducks
and shore birds.
Her nearest neighbors. who live some
ten miles away. declare that she Is "a
match for any OF the men hsreabouts at
sailing, fishing. oystering, shooting or
tending her cattle" An odd picture she
makes. as mounted on one OF her little
wild ponies, which come from the ocean
shore In her vicinity. she rides through
the marsh and shallow water In search
|of her many cattle in stormy weather
she is dressed In oilskns. and rides bold
|ly
The coldest weather has no terrors for
Mrs. Morris. and she goes out I'm any of
|it. She makes a good living and has
money. Very rarely she goes 10 some
point nearby and once went on a large
|naphtha boat. going directly into the pi-
lot house and opening conversation with
the pilot by assuring him that II any
thing happened 10 him she would take
the boat TO it's destination.
He was amazed but soon found she was
a competent navigator. both i'm theory
and in practice, having, I'm fact, studied
that science.
This recluse is widow. Her husband
was a Confederate soldier. She had two
sons, but one was recently drowned while
In the service Of the government.
She is never idle during the day. when
stormy weather stops outdoor work she
knts socks, which are so well made as
to be much valued by tho fishermen who
make up the world outside of her island
home.
On her island is one of the old time
windmills. a wooden structure, with shin
gled roof and sides. supported by n pillar
made OF a great tree trunk. a long beam
ending In wheel which rests upon the
ground enabling the mill to he turned
quite readily so that it's sails OF cloth
may be set AT the proper angle to clatch
the wind which turns the sails. these In
turn whirling the shaft which actuates
the old fashioned mill stones.
She has been urged to go away to the
mainland 10 live. but declines saying she
has never had any neighbors and wants
TO live and die whore she was born. She
Is known far and near along this coast.
and many are the tales told OF her life.