The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1904-11-11
: GROUNDING 2 ALLEN,
A Hermit Who Lived and Died in
Cave.

a Cave.
Columbus, KY, Nov. 5.-There
are very few people, other than
those who are citizens of this place
who know that there lived tor many
years within one mile of Columbus,
an old man whose home was an ar
tificial cave. Not since the day of
the ancient troglodytes had this
been the case in America, until
''GroundhogF Alien, as he was
called, built him dwelling place
in the ground and there remained
for twenty years before death
claimed him. This strange mode
of existence was only equaled at
time by the tribes of savage Be-
doiuns that inhabit the mountains
of Arabia.
There is not child in town who
does not recall his visits to the sub
terranean home Of this good old
man with pleasure. He was fond
of the company of children and
nothing afforded him more happi-
ness than for the little ones to call
on him. All alone in this world,
their presence cheered him. For
hours he would entertain them with
stories, and the writer distinctly
recalls that he was never lacking
for good one to tell. Always
kind and smiling the whole COM
munity was his friend. While he
made weekly trips in town for sup
plies, he had but very few to buy,
as every one who visited him was
ladened with provisions of some
kind. He invariably received them
by calling on God.to bless the donor.
He was a close reader of the Bible,
a copy of which he always kept on
hand, and a devoted Christian.
He could almost recite the holy
book from Genesis to amen" at
the conclusion Of the last chapter
of Revelation. Religion was his
principal theme, and he never fail
ed to turn to it in any conversation.
The opening in which he lived is
about twenty-five feet deep and
egg-shaped, with the larger end
downward. The bottom end is
reached by means OF almost per-
pendicular flight of stairs. On
entering at the top one was greet
ed with the odor OF tobacco and
wood smoke. The only article of
furniture which graced this dismal
habitation was rude wooden ar
rangement about three inches high
and six feet long which served the
double purpose of bed and dining
table. Lying full length upon this
in front Of large fireplace cut in
wall, with chimney bored through
from above to serve as a dranght,
the old man slept every night for
the last twenty years of his exist
ence. One night turtle from a |
small branch nearby wandered too |
far from home and fell in on
''Groundhog." The old man was
not quite asleep and heard the in
truder as he lodged at the side of
his couch. The story of how he
killed that's turtle was one of his
most amusing yarns. 1t took him
till daylight to accomplish it, but
be succeeded. The watchful hours
he spent on his knees, with a
aatchet uplifted in his right hand.
waiting for the turtle to thrust out
ais head that he might cut it off
we're anxious moments to 'sGround-
iog." Not until day began to
break did the cautious visitor VEN
.ure to protrude his head from the
hell. When he did it was never
irawn back. The blow with the
ratchet was well aimed, and that
lay for dinner the little hole in the
'arth was perfumed with the smell
# savory turtle soup.
"Groundhog" Allen had implicit