The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1869-07-29
, = 70
A GEORGIA SCENE.
Experience of Burly Blacksmith with a
s4sa Methodist Preacher.

TYhe following Georgia scene was contrib
uted by Hon John B. Lamar to the Family
Companion, published nearly a third Of a
century ago in Savannah.
At the entrance Of one Of those gorges or
gaps, in the great Appalachian chain Of noun
tains in their passage across the northern
portion Of Georgia, blacksmith had erected
his forge in the carly settlement of that re-
gion by the Anglo-American race, and drove
a thrifty trade in the way Of facing
axes and pointing plows for the settlers, and
shoing horses for wayfaring people, in their
transit through the country to examine gold
mines and land. As he was no ordinary per-
sonage in the affairs Of his neighborhood,
and will make conspicuous figure in this
narrative, some account Of his peculiarities
will not be uninteresting. Having acted
through life on homely maxim Of his own
"pay up as you go up," he acquired some
money, and was out of debt ; and consequently
enjoyed the glorious privilege of being indie
pendent id degree that is unknown to
many who occupy larger portion OF the
worlds attention than himself. He was a
burly, well looking man Of twenty-five, just
young enough to feel that all his faculties,
mental and physical, had reached their great
est development; just old enough to have
amassed sufficient experience of men and
things to make the past serve as q fngerpost
to his future journey through life. With a
shrewd, but open, bold, honest look, there
was a glecful expression in the corners. OF
his eyes, that spoke of fun. The laughing
devil in his eye was not a malicious spirit
however. His physical conformation was
that which combined strength with agility
and if he had been fated to have been con-
temporary Of his prototype, Vulcan, there can
be no doubt but the Lehman blacksmith
would have allotted to him front forge in
his establishment, to act as sort OF pattern
card, and to divert public gaze from his
own game leg to the fair proportions OF his
foreman.
+ Now, although Ned Forgeron, for such
was the name he had inherited from some
Gallec ancestor, was a good natured man, yet
the possession,of great musculin strength, and
courage, and the admiration which success
full exercise of these powers never tails to
command, had somewhat spoiled him. With.
out meaning to injure any mortal, ne had
managed nevertheless, to try his prowess on
sundry Of his neighbors, and from the success
which had always crowned his honest efforts
in that way, had unconsciously acquired the
character Of bully. o4,
With very few early advantages OF ele-
mentary education, he had nevertheless, az
different periods, collected mass OF hetero,
geneous information, which he was very iond
Q fdisplaying on occasions. He was sort Q. po-
Ertcal antiquary, and could tell the opln OF
Mr.. Jefferson or Mr.. Madison on any subject,
and was referred to on all disputed points, on
the theory and history Of the government
that arose among the candidates for the iegls'
lature and county politicians. This ne stud
led on account of the consequence It invest
ed him with. But why he had treasured "
an old and well thembled copy OF PANE s
sage Of Reason and affected skeptlcislm as
to the veracity Of the story Of Jonah and the
whale, and BALKAN and his ass would be hare
accounting for unless it proceeded from de
sire Of character for singularity and cru
dition. When vanity once gets the mastery
of mans reason, there is no telling the alb
surditics it will lead him into. He was fono
Of Speaking Of Volney, and Of being founc
| with copy Of Taylor's aDiegesisa in, hi.
hand, although few Of the neighbors hac
heard Of the author Of the "Ruins," o.
knew what Diegesis meant.
This popularity, together with the peril
nacity Of the missionaries, Worcester an.
Butler. which carried them to the penitenti
ary, may account for the great aversion of Mr.
Edward Forgeron to all preachers of the gos
pei. Z
His dislike for them was so excessive, tina
he could scarcely speak Of the "hypocritico
scoundrels,o as he called them without fly
ing into passion, and using indecorous Ian
guage. But circumstance occurred, whlc
gave his zeala distinct and sectarian direction
A Methodist preacher over in Tennessee, VIII
was fond of spicing bis discourse with ane'
dotes, once made him the principal characte
of long sermon. His peculiarties were d
lated on, and his heresies dealt with in Sc
v rity. He was ridlculed, and his lltcrar
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