Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1858-12-06
8ailg Yirgiuiau.
Willis In virginia.

Willis In Virginia.
N. +. Willis 10 now making . tour in Virginia.
From his last letter in the Home Journal, we mako
the suejoned interesting extracts,
Driving through tho Pine forest, some eight or
ten miles back from ths landing place Of Urbana
"A spot made historical by its ncighborhood TO
kn--we camc to = stream called Moratico creek,
On which stood = saw-mill, Of which my practical
companions wished to SEQ the operation Moro
Interested, myself in problem of negro contriv-
nncc which saw about TO be performed-the un-
loading Of an immense trunk Of tree from cum
on. Tho wheels were very high and M the enor-
nous oak was to be pried arst from the hinder
axle when the forward one should be drawn away
by tho cattle, the small negro lad who appiod
tho lever looked to me unequal to tho task. In
fact. tho long end Of tho pry.stick was beginning
to quiver with the first stir Of the oxen, whom, ro
mcmhering that my own ono hundred and forty
five pounds stood BY unemployed, jumped upon
the pole as near as possible TO tho clutch Of the
slender negro, and, with the weight Of tho falling
log, was Immediately hoistcd with him into tho
air-coming safely down again. with slight tum-
bic in the snnd; but. M looked at tho lads inno-
cent black faco, hoping might mover leave tho
earth in worse company lle thanked mo very
politely, Ms he scratched his head over our mutual
escape, md, as tho other end Of tho timber was
dislodged by tho movement forward. he followed
tho loosencd oxen up the road.
mention this a. tho probable prompting to =
ciylity on tho part Of the millcr-a very sickly,
grave, incommunicative-looking man. who CROSSED
over from tho tumblsdown shanty under which
his rongh machinery was doing lts work, and APP
plying key 10 the paddock OF q stone has near
by. invited mo in. The single room wss Of wig
wan size and proportions, and the furniture con-
sisted Of one long and rude bench, nv 1891
1,ad k, dva4t In kA
one plata, knife and FORK. and byexsn my.ns.
lay wild duck. which had been shot that NOR
ming on tho mill-pcnd. A question - 70 the mum.
round about, tof which he sstd ihsss were thirty.
naming among others. the blnewing. tha cAnvasp-
back tho dpper tho black-duck. the bal1coot
the butter-duck, tho summer duck, tho red-head,
md the mallard led to n conversation as to tho
climate, cto., etc., and was very much struck
with the quiet ustncss of their remarks. and their
phraseoogy, and, wibal. knowledge Of the
world which il only got commonly by much travel
md observation. Under his slouched hat was II
physiognomy very nobly cut and his frame, spite
Of his heavy and tattcrod clothes, showed tho very
finest of hereulean proportions. took very
Grcat fancy to my new friend rs we sat over tho
smoulioring logs Of his huge Fireplace, and spec
ulated not little an TO his probable history. And
who do you suppose he wasf No less person
than Mcknight, tho onco famous Hercules Of
Turner's Circus" who. some years ago, used to
aston'sh the world hy resisting with his own legs
and arms the pull Of four horses. the letting OF
io,ty-two FOUNDER be discharged upon his breast,
lifting unheard-of weights, and many similar won
ders Of skill and strength In ono Of these horse.
encounters he had strained some vital portion OF
his loins. and had como to Virginia to 70 into
sckly retirement ss tho overscer Of saw-mill.
But the sight Of that magni6ccntly moulded
man, ns he lay stretched, the next morning, on
! rl, whara vvah hal ank md Cnn
(for, rs we passed, our return, we learned that
ho had died, few hours after wo had left him.
WINS tho impressive picture in which those intro
ductory remarks will explain my peculiar interest
Think moment of the poctry-l may even say
the sublmty of such scene
The saw-nlill half in ruins, stood in tho heart
of an oycrgrown pine Wilderness tho winding
road, for miles on either side, seeming, to the
traveller, like the inierminable aises Of a tall
columned and dim-lighted cathedral. With tho
death Of the miller the wheel had stoppcl and the
absolute hush decpencd by the muficd still
ness of the largo pond, which reflected, like the
reality itself the overhanging woods enclosing 1t
--onc single sign of life alone visible, the pull OF
n cnuyht Gsl, upon the dead mans pole, which,
with its batel hook and line ho had left stuck in
the timbcrs Of tho bridgc 1t was aday of Indian
summer, without cloud in the sky or q breath
Of wind: and tho intense light which struggled
down through the tops Of tho immense trees, look
Cd amid the deop shade, like tho sharp-edgcd
fragments Of broken mirror.
And, amid these effective surroundings, stood
the old stone hut. with its door open and its IRE
gone out, and, on its long slender bench Of rough
plank, the body ofthe ono hermitlikc tenant-h his
teams and their black drivers remaining for that
day at their remote homes, and he lying cold and
alone in tho solitude Of the wilderness!
NV friends, like myself, were struck with the
exceeding nohleness aud beauty of the dend mans
features rs hc lay asleep Tho clear sallowness
of the skin gave the face the aspect of ancient
marble, and the projecting forehead, the finely
chiselcd nose with its expanded nostrls, and the
firm and well-cut lips below, aided in producing
the effect of some admirable conception OF statuary
the homcly circumstances Of the laying out, IN
that rude and atelooking hut, added not
little tu its impressiveness, and then the hcighth
and breadth Of the enormous chest Of the dead man,
as he lay on his back clad only in his torn shirt
and rough uowscrs, his feet tied together with
coarse rope, and his hands crossed careessly upon
his breast completed picture, which, accidental
", as it formed pSrt of the sights upon the road
in days journey, will hereafter be one Of the
most vivid in my recollection.
Mcknight, if l was rightly informed. was n
Rhode Island man, and has LETT wife from whom
he had been separated for some years. As he wns
living here in apparently forgotten obscurity and
scclusion it is possible that this may carry to his
family also the first news Of his death the result
should state, of sufocation in the congestion of
feyer.) And 80 ended the life Of man who was
gifted with points of superiority, which, to knight
In the days of chvalry, would have been an in.
hcritancc no gold could outweigh. That he was
endowed, also, in disposition and natural powers
Of mind, should presume, from his countenance
tho formation Of his head, and his conversation
Peace to his names. rt' i
A Toucnrxo INCIDENTAL correspondent wri
ting from Philadelphia TO the Louisville Democrat
relates the following.
Wh;lst nm aretl and poOrly y-clad female was as