The Holt County sentinel., 1911-04-21
FOREST CITY'S RECLUSE.
The Story Of Edward Kewen. Be-
trayed by His Sweet
heart.

"Comc In, Sirs, come In, caIIeu the |
heavy voice of the old man. as the
visitors stood In front OF his half
opened door. His body barred the en-
trance and his keen eyes looked from
beneath shaggy brows. |
"llavca seat. lie said a. he pointed
to the one chair IN the room.
In the old stove q cheerful fire was
burning. Ina large griddlc lie was
baking a mammoth turnover. The
newspaper man began TO talk To him.
lie had little to say: but even his 81.
ience was eloquent Of the past. lie
was clothed In very old garments. In
one corner Of the room stood an old
bedstead: and across the bedstead.
from side to side and from corner To
corner. an ancient cowskin stretched.
On the skin. piled In confusion. were
some old bedclothcs. Such was his
bed. On II he has slept and rested
and dreamed during many years.
tndcr the bed and around II were
pots, kettles, wagon tires. buggy
SnTbfIEN. UluhflI Ii'''N w
broken furniture and tools: and over
all was coating oi dust such n ar.
rumulatr IN months or years. U
course. the floor was dirty. sticks.
broken straw~. coal. clay and plain
dirt blended. Ills fac" and his hands
wr.c dirty. not of the dirt which
comes from toll and sweat. Water is
said To br rppugnan, To him and yet
midway Of his room we're three small
pals of water. Tie sun shunc into
the room from dozen cracks. The
wind sang It's own song through the
splin,crcd wcathcrboardS.
DO you get picture Of the man.
his home, his furnishings Read the
story from the pen Of ;. u. Chamber.
lain. the stan correspondent al ia,
~. Joseph Gazette:
fifty.cight years ago a boy Of IL
years went to Oregon, the county
sra, Of this county. lie stood erect.
Life opened for him a splendid vista
IN this fire., young land. lie lahorrd,
saved. buildrd. bough, and sold. lie
became u brau.idcal Of Young man.
hood. lie Was drcssy. neat. clean.
lie was ,irrlcss. lie was a wagon.
maker 10y trade. and his wagons were
widely rcIcbra' I'd for their strength
and easy running. IIr was more than
the ideal beau. lie was a business
man a success.
Some one has said: There l. a
woman u, tie bottom III II" Those
who revere womaukind. Who believe
IN good women. IN the dear wives and
mothers Of the land, do not like 10
hear of evil done 10y woman. Every
great man has had grca, mother.
A strong wife may enable Il man tn
win position, honor, reputation: or
10y crossing and enormously opposing
him, may so weaken him rs Ia make
his life a comparative failure. 4
young mans sweetheart may exert a
tremendous power for good or evil.
In the case of Ed kcwcn u woman's
influence was all for evil. over iif,y
years ago he met the girl, the only
girl. lie loved her with the strength
and manhood Of his strong heart.
She betrayed his love. lie became
soired, moody, suspicious. When the
civil war began he enlisted under
Capt. Lucas, In the 18th Missouri.
lie was n good soldier. lie did his
duty well. lie served three years,
and then returned to Holt county.
Once more he resumed business. A
portion Of his old warehouse Is stand.
ing yet. But the heart wound he had
received would not heal, and 81 more
and more he withdrew from the at
fairs Of life: and became known, At
last, as a recluse.
Such IN brief Is the life story Of Ed
Kewen. The dressy. dehonaire, light
hearted gallant Of fifty years ago Is
now 10 all intents and purposes her
init. lie has no companions and re-
sents any infringement, upon his soil
tude. lie was the beau. lie Is In
rags. lie was an exquisite. lie Is
now filthy. lie loved his friends and
neighbors. Now lie refuses the ordi-
nary amenities Of civil life. lie owns
property, has money In the bank,
draws fair pension; and ye, lives in
squalor, dirt and apparent poverty.
lie has strangely changed. But he Is
honest and truthful. All who knew
him In the happier days Of his youth
have tried to influence him to mingle
once more with his kind. lie refuses,
They have tried to have him clean up
and dress up. lie will not. They Of
fer him kindness. He repulses them.
Some call him miser. lie Is not
that, He Is only a recluse, II sorrow
ing, suspicious, brOken-hearted man,
living his life alone. doing penance as