Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1871-06-26

GThe DeVtl's Marble ara - n
Strange Place and strange
story.
From the Lynchburg Republican,
Almost Immediately on the line sepa-
rating the counties of Bedford and Bote-
tourt, and at very nearly the highest
point of the Blue Ridge, there is cir
eular tract of ground, several acres in
| extent, level as floor, and entirely de-
void of animal or vegetable life. The
surface Of this singular-looking place is
thickly strewn with round stones, vary
ing in size from that of eggs up TO flour
barrels, and they lie entirely above
the ground. It would be difficult to con-
ceive of more lonely or desolate
spot. Three.fourths of the circle are
bounded by rugged cliffs, which cast a
sombre shade over it, even on the bright
est day, and the remaining space is
skirted with heavy timber. For want
of better name the place ID called
the Devils Marble-Yard; and it
must be confessed if that much
maEened individual should feel dis
posed to indulge in game of marbles, it
would be difficult, if not impossible, to
end a better field for the display of his
LII There is such deathlike stiffness
about the place that the mountaineer,
whose ,,uriosity prompts him to step
within the charmed circle for q while,
iuvoinn,ar;lv t clutches his rife with o
t;rbtar Sr;n d, 4 gazes with bated breath
rnnn % AZ I, 9,aarv a scene. There may be
scores core of of merry bir, 's, barking squirrels
and foxes cbirruppl, 70 criokets,, and
myriads of ;ndescriboble insects, all full
Of lusty life, in the forest b, 'ow, ous ''' NOV
even a lizard or rattlesnake is e''gr seet ss1
in this miniature desert Dreary "uu1J I1
must be the life of that man who " 'uIu
toll up the rugged cliffs for the stranA &c
pleasure Of contemplating such desola-
tion-and yet there was one such man.
Many years ago-how many it mat
ters not-a hunter, returning towards
his cabin at the base of the mountains,
after O long and arduous quest of game,
missed his way, and encamped for
the night within a few hundred yards
of the place we have described. he
had not fallen asleep, but gazing upward
at the stars, was being gradually lulled
into Inconsistencies by the hooting OF
Owls ana lne nOteh Oh tht WhippoOi"LAf
when he was sudden ly aroused by the
sound of approaching footsteps. Peer
ing through the darkness, he observed
what afterwards proved TO be an old man,
bent with age, and wearing long hair
and beard, white as the driven snow.
The strange figure glided almost noise
lessly by him, and the hunter quietly
followed. At intervals tue old man
stopped to rest for a minule, and then
continued his course. Rea ching the
" Marble-yard" at last, he adya need to
large stone within the enclosure and
seated himself upon il.
An hour passed and still the old man
kept his position. The moon rose and
cast its pale light upon the dreary
scene, and threw ugly shadows of the ad-
joining cliffs over the vacant space. We
will not attempt TO describe the ap. .oear-
anee of the strange being who now rose
from the stone upon which he had been
sitting folded his annotated arms TO-
gether, aud quietly looked around him.
The hunter, though frightened at the
strange apparition, made it always q
ruling principle to grapple with danger
upon the best possible terms, and he
now advanced, rifle in hand, toward the |
old man, who continued to gaze abb J
stractedly around him. and moi until the /
hand Of the hunter was laid upon his |
shoulder did he netice his presence.
Who are you, my friendf asked the !