The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1919-03-10
4 - 4 a ii = Il 4 {.
FORMER HERM|TS
OF WANIAST|QUET
Jimmy Barnes and Wife,
-. Sukey, Lived There
Century Ago
,s.e5 81 -=-<--
FORMER ADDICTED
t%s- Ar
s TO FAIRY TALES
Earned Livelihood as Gardener and
Grave Digger Couple Had Shack
Near Where Sidney Hoit's Hermitage
Is Now Located. It Is said.


Friends of sidney Holt, tile Civil war
veteran, are.spleased that he is now com.
fortably housed on this side OF the Con-
necticut river and is receiving proper care
and attention. says the Bnattleboro cor
respondent Of the Springfield Sunday Re
publican. Mr.. Holt who is nearly IS
years old, for several wears lived the life
of hermit on the banks Of the Connect
cut river at the foot of Wantastiquet
mountain. The shacks Where lie stayed
were made up of pieces OF boards, old tin
roofing, and building paper, and arc lo-
Gated in gully made. at some prehistoric
date by the action Of the water from the
mountain Last NiTfer friends OF Mr.
Holt were fearful lest be might freeze to
death in his crude place Of abode
1t Is interesting to learn that a man
and his wife, named Jimmy and Sukey
Barnes, lived for several years in very
nearly the same spot where Mr. Holt
has his shack. Both Jimmy and Sukey
We're well known characters in their day.
but they passed from the scenes Of this
life something Ike 80 years ago. There
is not person living today who ever set
eyes upon them, but their history re
mains
Where they came from and who they
were and just what legal relations exist
Ell between them was never exactly
known. Jimmy himself used to say that
he came from England and that lie bought
Sukey there for a mug OF flip and he AZ
ways declared il was the best bargain he
ever made According to reports jimmy
was one Of the greatest prevaricators that
was ever known. One Of his favorite
stories was of how in connection with
their voyage to this country the ship was
stranded and at his request he and Sn-
4 key were enclosed in large hogshead
with q burg hole OF Sufficient size to pni
Iis arm through. They were then tossed
| overheard and left to tie mercy of tie
waves. According to Jimmv's vivid I'M
agination, the cssk went ashore but the
occupants did not. g5p released from thei,
confinement until eife da5, Il large oy
| came near enough to The cask so that
| Jimmy caught hold Of the. creatures tail
| The animal dashed off in fright. hat Jim
my's vice-ike grip was retained until al
length the iaogshead was thrown witt
sufficient force against large rock to de
motsh il and reie1se the lEnrisoned hap
lpy couple
Thus the Ba1neses landed on American
soil. In some way they' dfifted to Brat
tleboro and took 10 their abode at ii,
foot OF the mountain Rattlcsnakes wer,
at that time. and are today, occasionally
seen. Jimmy claimed at one time t.
have killed 10 that were as long as q
longer than his axe .helve Irumy's &C
cupatlon was that OF gardening and gray.
DIGGING. I'm those dasE whenever perso,
died the church bell was tolled. As 81
key heard the tones which tod Of dc
parted spirit her lace wonld brightas
with the thought that her husband we
soon to have a cash iob, Syilich woul,
mean a reiilled demijolln Sukay was Al
expert fortune teller and uatned consider
able money IN this way AMI IN braidin
mats. Her best customers were the maid
ems OF uncertain age from the village. am
while Snkes's charges were very medet
ate her accomplishment brought her i
considerable revenue 49.sa .f -.
II They were certainly sti.Tige pair. an
while entirely harmless, verc not OF tn
kind that were very efeyating on tli
much TO uphold the social standing of tn
community. One can but wonder .uh
viii be the next to occupy the eventFt
section of the country, and lust whp
flights of fancy he will indulge in in IL
creation of his abode and its surroun,
ings. Ia m