Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1871-04-04
Alexandria Gazette
A Woman Halter.

Near the thriving little city or W lncnt'Sl"r,
in this State. lives the most singular specimen
OF the hermit to be found, probably; anywhere
in all this country His single log cabin, sitting
like "A ragged begear," about 200 yards to the
right of the turnpike tromW Winchestcrt to Boones-
borough, seldom fails To attract the eye Of the
traveller in those parts. Squat like toad,
rs if trying to burrow Itself under ground and
out of mortal sight, its low, fiat roof, its dumpy
.iaubeu dirt chimney, its close ly-barrel single
door and cght-by- -ten-inch window all seem
constructed with the special view OF repclllng
the approach OF man. Shut up in this den,
the monarch of all nc surveys, another, and
this time voluntary. Alexander Sclklrk dwclls
the hernt-son of one Of the weathlest men III
the hborhood-Coalby Quissenberry, jr
The Ouissenberry and the Bush connection
is the most numerous in Clarke county The lat
ter family are descendants Of old Captain Billy
Bush, who came to Kentucky with Daniel
Boone. and who made such judicious sc &C
tion of wild lands that his posterity; generation
after generation, are content to live and die
within the limits of the Bush settlement
OF this ancient and honorable stock comes the
genius of the whole tlock-''Y Young. Coalby,'
as he is known in that neghborhood.
Many years ago Coalby Quisseuberry, ir.,
drifted out to Texas with the young men who
were seeking fortunes in that golden land. lie
was then gay, fond OF company, and IN every
way companionable. But in few months he
home, gloomy sullen and reticent. His antip-
athy to the female sex was SD strong that he
refused to speak to his mother, or to tolerate
her. or any other woman in his presence. lie
was developed into thorough misanthrope,
with peculiar mania against the female sex
generally, both brute and human.
These facts the writer got from a friend few
months ago, as he was riding by the hermit $
cabin, and, being deeply impressed with the
character of the singular subject, suggested that
we should ride by and interview the woman
hater First ascertain, said he, ''thc sex Of
the animal you ride. Fit is a female, Quissen-
berry would 60 into Mysteries on the discovery.
He would burn the gate you rode through the
away the very soil you rode over in his nclo-
sure.
Finding We We're aback oi one of the distran-
chised animals it was with considerable disap-
pointment we were compelled to forego an IN
teryiew. He had sought this most secluded
spot of the family lands to build his cabin His
hair and beard grow in wild profuson; he makes
his own garments, which hang loose ey and awk-
wardly about him, tills his own corn and potato
patch. grinds his meal on Il hand MILL does his
own cooking washing, sewing, Nc, and steals
out but once month"; at night, to garner up
such things as he is indebted to the outside
world for, and beyond this will admit OF no
intercourse with men.
As to whether he conceived his aversion to
the sex from 4 jilting he received in Texas
or elsewhere, he has never spoken In fact he
has not been heard to speak Il dozen words IN
~ many wears. Look there Slid our friend,
do you see that fence panel entirely gone
Well few days since negro woman passing
through the neighboring farms, crossed GUS
scnberry's fence, and he burnt every rail OF the
nanel she climbed over. lie will have nothing
tema]e about him. Mares. COWS, hens, pigs,
everything, in fact, that is cursed with the ic-
male form divine, throws him into perfect
state Of frenzy
Never before were we so solcmmly Impressed
with the fact that the female Is the source OF
all light and life and joy aud sunshine. This
secluded spot. cut off from all communion with
the life-givers of the world, is fit illustration
of what this earth would be if two and two
of all the flesh wherein is the breath Of life,
male and female" had not found room in the
ark. The lines of Campbell
The world was sad. the garden was wild,
And nan. the hermit, sghcd-till woman
smiled,
were never so fully appreciated rs the dismal
spot from which the voices OF women, the pratt
tie of children and songs of bir rls--yea, lii" It
self is banished in the female form by the
irrevocable edict OF this singular and solitary
wretch. melted sadly and gloomily III the dis
tancc aS We passed.
\ MAD oEr-Moscs Colt Tyler is under
stood to be the author of ~ Chat About
Swinbu1mc" in the Golden Age for tins week,
which contains the following remarkable state
ment: ''Swinburnc vibratcs between the III,
spirations Of wine and the eXasperatlonS OF
madness and between fear and disgust at his
conduct people anc forced to exclude him from
their houses. \ sip of wine brings on the
craze which goa,ls him into behavior setting at
nuught all decency What can be done with
an iIustrio,s young poet who invited to your
reception. makes such havoc with the proprle-
ties as to reach across the room with open jaws
to bite the bare neck Of handsome young
lady, whose beauty has attracted his gaze or
who turns from the person with whom ne hap
pens to be conversing to butt his head furious
" against the wall? All who have heard OF
the drunken and douoniac eccentrcltes OF Ed
gar A. Poe, can form some notion Of the SINH
lar freaks of Swinbune.