The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1880-12-03
"a FOOLS ERRAND."
The Location of the story, and Some of
Its Characters.
Chicaso Tribune.

After reading an interesting book, es-
pccially one which, like "A Fools En-
randi is made up largely of startling
facts of current history, in which the
author has figured as conspicuous
character, it affords more than common
satisfaction 10 know the real names of
the places and characters described, and
every circumstance relating to the book
or its author is eagerly sought after by
the curious public.
The principal scenes of Fools Er-
randi are LAID in and about Greensboro,
n. c., "Verdenton" being aptly substI-
tuted by the author for the geographical
name. This pretty city of about 1000
inhabitants is the county seat of Gull
ford county. 1t was named after Gener-
al Greeu6, Of Revolutionary fame,
and is only FIVE miles from the old bat
tle-field OF Guilford court house. The
town, unlike southern towns in general,
compares favorably with northern cities
for the beauty of its streets and homes
there being an abundance of beautiful
and stately old oaks and elms TO shade
the streets, and the majority of the resi-
dences being handsome structures OF
brick or wood, surrounded by large
lawns, with shade trees, vines, hedges
and flowers. 1t inpresses the stranger
as being a center of wealth and refine
ment.
Into this charming place l found N.Y.
self suddenly ushered, one day last
spring, at the close of long Journey
southwark, to escape the savage winds
CT my home in 1.-THE North CountTee"
! l found about dozen northern iaml-
lies living in Greensboro-someO OF them
carrying on large manufacturing enter
| prises, and others deAoted to profession
| Il oil Of
| there at the close of the war, taking their
| lares and penates with them, as did Col.
| Tourgee, and at once setting permanent
enterprise on foot which gave the lie to
| the name ''earpet-baggers, which they
were unjustly compelled TO bear. Que
| of their number is Col. Thomas B. Keogh,
Wisconsin soldier, who, "befo' the
wah," was good Democrat, and re-
| porter for the Milwaukee News The
war cured HIM. Receiving the appoint
uent of register in bankruptcy at Greens
| boro, ne soon found rich harvest in
that bankrupt land, and his strong box
| grew pretty heavy. Last year he was
secretary of the Republican National
committee. He is also publisher and
proprietor of Republican newspaper,
the North State. He is, the Col. Tom
Kelly,' of "A FOOLS Errand." From him
| learned, during my sojourn in Greens.
boro, last spring, many of the facts here
in narrated.
One-haif mile east of Greensboro on a
swell of land, stands handsome new
brick edifice known as the Bennett col.
Ioge-it having been built by q benevo-
lent gentleman of that name, of Troy
n. V, and dedicated to the colored peo-
pie This is the "nigger college, refer.
red to in "a FOOLS Errand" 1t is sup.
| ported by contributions collected in the
Methodist Church North, and is now
under the efficient management of the
Rev. Mr.. Thayer and his charming wife
from Boston, and Miss Hall, from Yer
mont-all experienced teachers, and
most genial, excellent people, whom the
very best of any society might be proud
to honor.
While visiting them, one day, aud con
versing about j dge Tourgee, they in
formed me that he spent portion of tn,
summer of 1879 with them, while hi!
family was on visit north and Mis-;
Hall said, in q sprightly way, ''You ART
now in the very room in which larg,
part of "A Fools Errand' was written
She said the author wrote steadily, and
finished the book in an incredibly shor
time; but he was full of the story, anC
the difficulty was to decide what not t
J. relate. Ali the teachers were most en-
| thusiastic IN his praise, saying that b.
r was splendid gentleman and tn
, brayest man they ever knew.
: Col. Keogh told me that Judge Tour
4 gee placed some of the chapters of SO
Fools Errand" in his hands, to offer til
| book, through friend of his on the stat
: of the New York Tribune, to WhIteIay
i Reid, thinking he would like to publish
4 it as serial, for political effect; BIZ
; Reid decliaed IL. The price asked for
+ was only ST 600; and Il believe" sal
Col. Keogh, shat, after the Tribune dt
clined it, $500 would have bought it, 5
many and calamitous had been th
e authors mfsfortunes"
! One day, shortly after my arrival i
u Greensboro, Stroiled into the Mort
z State Office, and, meeting a gentlema
a there who appeared 10 be the editor,
expressed surprise that q Repubiica
paper could be supported iu the confe'
: ate states why notg' he thundere
u cut ave have 10000 Repubiica
{, votes in North Carolina Pretty 500
: he asked ir had read "A Fools E
4 rand; !" and, on being answered in the ne
alive, he went out with me 10 Mr.. ! ate
bookstore to get copy. On the way
- introduced me to DR.. BenboH, to who
he made known our errand. DIR.
!, pointing to my companion, said: .'Ys
= viii find him in IT His name i sIol
z BRrles0a.''
! This was my inircpuciioa to til
:, loud voieed young man. whose re-
y name is John B. Gretter He is at pr
ent United States deputy marshall, II
editor of the North Stale. He was 70
years in the rebel army, and q Enemh
IS OF the klu-klux; but is now doing a 4
" bic work in seathing with pen Of
re- the barbarous penal system of the Q
be slave states.
to Almost every one of the bright sprii