The Hermit of Salmon Bay

Old man Gams Frost, who for the past thirty years has lived the life of a hermit on a tract of land owned by him between Smith's Cove and Salmon Bay, has at last, through the persuasion of his nephew, Mr. W. E. Overstreet, consented to go back to Kentucky among his relatives and friends and pass the remainder of his days. The old man is eighty-two years of age but wonderfully preserved. He is well known to all old settlers, and although living within three or four miles of the city, he has not been to town for fifteen years except on one or two occasions when he was brought in to answer to the charge of insanity. He is very tall and stands erect. On his place, he wears garments made of gunny sacks and looks much like pictures of the wild woodsmen. He lives in a cave, and although he has a fine, large piece of valuable land, he does not cultivate a foot of it nor keep a head of stock. When during his last examination on the charge of insanity he was asked what he lived on, he replied: 'Skunk cabbage and milk.' Although his sanity has twice been questioned, he has never been sent to the asylum, but at one time a guardian was appointed for him. This thing has ever since preyed upon his mind, and he lays all his ills in life to the aforesaid guardian. His nephew, Overstreet, came here recently and will superintend the settling up of the old man's affairs. He expects to get everything cleared up and be ready to leave for Kentucky by the latter part of next week.