The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-01-10

| The hermit had begun to twist the lid
Off his can, but he hid It again under
| his sacking robe. He could see her great
| eyes shining sadly through the twilight;
but he stood inflexible in the doorway
Of his shack and made no sign.
Just as the moon rose on Thursday
evening the hermit was seized by the
| world madness.
Up from the inn, fainter than the
horns of eflhnd, came now and then a
| few bars Of music played by the casino
| band. The Hudson was broadened by
the night into an illimitable sea-thoee
| lights, dhmly seen on its opposite shore,
were not beacons for prosaic trolley
/ lines, but low set stars millions of miles,
away. The waters in front OF the inn
were gay with fireflies-or were they
motor boats. smelling Of gasolene and
oil? Once the hermit had known these
things and had sported with Amaryllls
in the shade of the red and white striped
awnings. But for ten Jears he had
turned a needless ear to these far of
echoes of "a, frivolous world. But to-
night there was something wrong.
| The casino band was playing "a waltz
Ia waltz. What b fool he had been to
tear deliberately ten years of his life
from the calendar of existence for one
Who had Gwen him up for the false
joys that wealth-"tum u tum tIim IT,
how did that waltz go? But those Years
had not been sacrificed-had they not
brought him the star and pearl of all
the world, the youngest and beautiful
| est Of
But do not come on Thursday eve
ming she had insisted. Perhaps now
IsslG. No
fully to the strains of that waltz held
closely by West Pointers or city com
muters, while he. who had READ in her
eyes things that had recompensed him
for ten years of life. moped like some
wild animal in its mountain den. why
| should
Damn it," said the hermit suddenly,
I'm do IT.
He threw down his Marcus Aurelius
and threw Off his gunnysack toga. He
dragged dust covered trunk from a
corner of the cave and with difficulty
wrenched open its lid.
Candles he had in plenty and the cave
was soon aglow. Clothes-ten years
old in cut-scissors, razors, hats, shoes
an his discarded attire and belongings
were dragged ruthlessly from their re-
mandatory rest and strewn about in
painful disorder.
a pair of scissors soon reduced his
beard sufficiently for the dulled razors
to perform approximately their office.
Cutting his own hair was beyond the
hermits skill. So he only combed and
brushed 1t backward as smoothly as he
could. Charity forbids us TO consider
the heartburnings and eXertions of one
so long removed from haberdashery
and society.
At the last the hermit went to an
inner corner of his cave and began to
dig In the soft earth with a long iron
spoon. Out OF the cavity he thus made
he drew "a tin can, and out of the can
$4,000 in bills tightly rolled and wrapped
in oiled silk. He was a real hermit,
as this may assure you.
You may take a brief look at him
as he hastens down the little mountain
side. A long, wrinkled black frock
coat reached to his calves. White duck
trousers, unacquainted with the tailor's
goose, a pink shirt, white standing col
lar with brilliant blue butterfly tie and
buttoned congress CATERS. But think,
sir and madam-ten years! From be-
meath a narrow brimmed straw hat with
a striped band flowed his hair.
Seeing him, with all your shrewdness
you could not have guessed him. You
would have said that he played Ham
let-or the tuba-or pinochle-you
would never have laid your hand on
your heart and said He is a hermit
| who lived ten years in a cave for love
Of one lady-to win another"
The dancing pavilion extended above
the waters of the river Gay lanterns
and frosted electric globes shed a soft
glamour within il. A hundred ladies
=, and gentlemen from the inn and sum-
mer cottages fitted in and about II
TO the left of the dusty roadway down
which the hermit had tramped was the
e inn and grillroom. Something seemed
- to be on there, too. The windows were
= brilliantly lighted and music was play
s ing-music different from the two-step:
d and waltzes of the casino band.
A negro man wearing a white JACKIE
= came through the inn gate with its i'm
'e mense granite posts and wrought iror
e lamp holders.
IF What is going on here tonight?
lie asked the hermit.
Well, sab" said the servitor, de!
r is havin' de regular Thursday evenin
III dance in de casino. And in de grill
I'd room deres a beefsteak dinner, sab.
ut The hermit glanced up at the inn Of
the hillside, whence burst suddenly
he triumphant strain Of splendid harmony
ie, And up there" said he, they ar
I'd playing Mendelssohn-wha is going o
IS up there?"
Sc up in de inn," said the dusky one
to 'dey is weddin' goin' on. Mr., Blink
in ley. mighty rich man. am marryir
EN- Miss Trenholme, sah-de young lad
who am quite de belle of de place, sub.
IN Copyright by the North America
'u Company