The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1912-08-09
ROMANCE IN LIFE
Of OSAGE HERMIT 7

Ponca City Okla, Aug. S.--A COW
boy brought information that an old
hermit had been found dead in d
cave in the Usage country but it was
impossible to accurately locate the
spot from his description. A re
porter sought the aid of A. c. Sol
DAM, who owns about 5000 acres
of pasture and that number Of steers
and calves in the vicinity of the iden-
tiCal cave in which the hermit lived
when he was alive. His information
was simply that there was cool
spring running through the cave,
which was large and roomy, with
only one entrance, and that person
could only reach the spot on horse
back.
A quick rush to the livery barn
and the reporter was on his way to
investigate, guided by pointers Civ
IN by Charley Lessart, who owns
! land in that section and is familiar
with every cowpath and out-of- the
way ravine and black jack in the
Usage country. He told us that the
cave was situated in township q,
range II, section is, which is the
most lonesome and dreary spot in
| Oklahoma. The spot is Is or 20
miles southwest of Hominy Post, on
Turkey creek Bear creek and other
riyulets wind their tortuous course
and meander through this almost i'm
| passable jungle of black jacks and
undcrbrush through which the sun
rays can hardly penetrate. Twisted
ravlnes cut up the land into small
patches, making it unfit for agricul
tural purposes. A damp, malarious
masma. whose infectious particles
of germs float in the atmosphere
with a noXious effluvia.
This place, in the early days, was
the rendezvous of outlaws, booze
! peddlers, counterfeiters and horse
thieves. To United States marshals
| it is known as the Usage Hills, but
! has no legal name or other desig
nation, only on an Usage allotment
map probably as "21-l1-1S.'
1t is gruesome spot by day.
but at midnight, when the reporter
reached the scene, it was ghastly
and hideous with its gnarled and
twisted jack oaks, family discern.
able by the light of the moon, the
whole ensemble vividly suggesting
the drawings that illustrate Dante
Inferno.
After rambling around and STUN
bling in hidden holes and falling over
decayed trunks of trees, the report
er discovered the cave. The dead
body of the aged recluse was found
in an emaciated condition as though
death was partly caused through
thirst and starvation, he being,
through sickness, too weak to arise
from his pallet of brush and leaves
to procure water or food, although
several tin cans and cigar boxes
We're found containing gold and sill
Yer, coins and bills of different de
nominations, besides several letters
and pieces of written notes one of
the letters bore the name of Adolph |
UIuserhuten, and was directed TO
tomny Post bearing the postmark !
dated March 10. 1908. On an unde- |
cipherable document were the words, |
My commission expires July !, 1908" |
I'm vessel was found a parchment
appearing document from which the
writing or printing have been remov-
ed by saturation or exposure. y
few disiointed syllables only We're
discernable apparently part of a
Latin phrase which read "ap-is.po-
tit-is."
On the back of a Pawhuska bust
ness card the aged hermit had scrib-
bled message indicating an early i
love tragedy 1t read:
Strife and worry may fade the
bloom of youth, but loves first
lream remains in the heart forever
The coroner has taken charge OF
he corpse, letters and money and is
rying to find out if the man has
my friends of relatives who are in
crested in the burial and entitled
o his personal property.
A vapor bath. prepares the skin
o perform its functions of health
n.1 u, .