University Missourian. [volume] (Columbia, Mo.) 1908-1916, 1913-11-10
''SOCIETY is HELL ON EARTH"
E. E. Tyler, Columbia S Hermit, Has Given
Up Associations With Man and Passes
His Days With Books
Society is hell on earth.

Society is hell on earth.
1t was E. f. Tyler, the hermit of
Columbia, talking. He sat on the
edge OF his wooden bedstead in his
little hut on high knoll mile south
of Columbia. Outside the snow drifted
through the scattered trees. Big soft
fakes settled on the single window
pane that faced the west. Within a
fire burned brightly. The little room
was Uttered with newspapers, pamph-
lets, circulars and bulletins. They
were in boxes, on the tioor the table,
around the walls in wooden shelves
and in pigeonholes that clung against
the walls like the cells of beehive.
\ glass bookcase. grimy with dirt,
stood along. the east wall. Pots and
kettles and bric-a-brac were every
where.
In this same little hut, built of few
dollars worth of lumber and posts cut
from nearby trees, Tyler has lived
more than ten years. He says he was
ct one time acting entOmologist for
the University OF Missouri, and that he
is a graduate of the normal school at
EmpCria and of the University OF Ne
braska. His textbooks cover a wide
variety OF subjects. In his workshop
adjoining mis- home he has thousand
dollars worth of tools. He has his
Jwn philosophy of life. He believes
hat men today do not use their brains.
He says-well, let him tell his own
story.
Yes" he said, society is hell on
earth. Behind its empty shell there
are always Shiny fingers reaching out
for gold When the debutante steps
into the polished reception hall, there
is always an intrigue. Behind all the
mockery there is but one standard
That is why left il There are only
three things | want shelter, food and
experience. / want the experience
get 10 be Of benefit to humanity; the
shelter and food | want to keep me
alive.
Too Much Rattle and Prattle."
II | were living in city, every
Tom. Dick and Harry would have his
nose in my business. Every time
! would begin something new someone
would want to know how are you get
ting along with it l had to get away
from people so | could think. You
know they teach children by rattle and
prattle. Men try to learn by the same
method. They 90 10 the theaters and
football games where they don't have
to use their brains. have never been
in the theater but twice in my life.
Once l had to take some children: the
other time l went with friend. The
only time | went TO a football game
was when l was attending college. All
the members OF the class bought tick
els and so | couldn't refuse.
These millionaires are never sat
isfied. Ii they get ten millions they
say they want to reach the fifteen
mark. When they get to the fifteen
mark they want TO reach the twenty.
They want to get it all. But before
they get it all, they die and leave all
they have And that's all they do
leave
Some people think I'm a crank.
I'm not. | just try TO use my brain so
jhat ! can create something worth
while. You know lot of the great So
called educators Of today put in most
of their time studying bugs. They for
get about the babies. They study all
about chickens. cows and pigs when
they should be Studying men, women
and children.
Board for 55 Cents Week.
People don't know how 10 take care
of themselves. That is why We have
sweatshops. What would l do here if
[ didn't know how to take care of my
self? If everyone knew how to cook
his own food and make his own
clothes, it would be a better world
But We all depend upon someone else.
And we labor for them. getting in re-
turn that which we ourselves could
create
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