Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1886-09-09

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and mountain peaks which inclosed
the valley. There was q wall of clear
white stone inclosing the yard of the
school-house, with gate and long line
OF hitch racks for the horses to be
hitched. for the school-house wss used
Tor all great occasions or church pur-
poses. lf
In this valley there came about the
year 1922 a man calling himself Peter
stewart Ney. He was tall. muscular
man with black eyes and hair streaked
with gray, and possessed fine military
bearing, He spoke French well, and
English brokenly yet distinctly and
was skilled in the use of the sword and
all war-like weapons. To those resid-
ing in the valley now who remember
him, he was declared to be an extra
ordinary man. He was man of such
wonderful magnetism as to inspire the
love, fear and admiration of all who
came in contact with him. just when
or how he came to the village of
Mocksville no one can exactly deter
mine. An old lady well gifted in ro-
mances and versed in history at once
declared him to be some king who had
been forced to abdicate his throne, and
had come to the valley in search
OF place of safety. The story at
the time doubtless gained
some credence, for the tall dark
Frenchman was very reticent as to his
past history. To all inquiries as to
who he was, he answered he was Peter
S. Ney, a Frenchman. He did not re-
main at Mocksville long. but giving
evidence of sufficient education to en-.
able him to open and carry on a school
for boys, he was soon engaged in the
school-house in the valley, which we
have mention. His ability as teacher
was never equaled in those parts, and
he commanded the respect and gained
the love of his pupils to an eminent de-
gree.
Monsieur Ney, as he insisted on be-
ing called by every one, did not linger
about Mocksville or any of the towns
beyond the mountains. He preferred
the quiet home of farmer Houston, and
for many years lived there as one of
the inmates. The active imaginations
of the inhabitants of the valley were at
once set to work to conjecture rather
than ferret out the mystery of the
school-master. The old crone of the
roadside hut was more certain than
ever that her theory was true in regard
to his being an escaped monarch. The
school-master was silent to all queries
as to his past history; he simply re-
sponded that he was from France and
had given his correct name. His lug
gage, which by some strange unac-
countable means had been transported
to Mocksville, had at the time excited
much attention. 1t consisted of two
large hair trunks, and some said
they contained internal machines
with which the entire valley
could be destroyed, others that
they had books of forbidden
lore on the black art. The trunks dis
appeared into the home of Mr.. Hous-
ton, and comment on them soon after
ceased The tall dark Frenchman was
sometimes talkative and even gay, but
his usual disposition was grave and 81
lent.
Occasionally when he went to Mocks-
vile, which was seldom, he drank too
much, and his tongue was let loose. 1t
was then he narrated stories of the
grand army, the march from Moscow,
and Napoleon's gallantry and skill,
which drew crows of wondering VII
layers about him. He spoke in such
heightened colors of the imperial city
of Moscow in flames and gave such
vivid scenes of suffering and daring
of the army that those about him were
constrained to say: "Who are your"
"Only the schoolmaster in the val
ley" was his answer, and then, as if
fearing that he had told too much, he
curbed his tongue and soon after, stole
away to the quiet farmhouse. As soon
as the effects of the liquor had passed
away he would deny all that he had
said, and curse himself for babbling,
drunken fool. When he had been about
four years in the valley he CHANGED one
fourth of July to 60 to Mocksville,
where the people of the valley were
having a grand old-fashioned barbecue
and celebration. There was an old
ffer who had been with Jackson at
New Orleans, and three or four drum
mers, led by veteran of the revolu-
ton bearing the stars and stripes, and
followed by company Of citizens mus
tering with ill-assorted uniform and
rusty old firelocks.
The mysterious school-master had
drank somewhat deeply, and ridiculously
unmilitary like as the ranks appeared,
the shrill sounds of the fife and heavy
roll of the drum seemed to set his
blood on fire. Mounting . horse
which was fastened in front At a store
he galloped to the head of the column
and waving his hat in the air, shouted
in voice which rang for miles like
powerful trumpet:
"ViUe la France! Column right
wheel into liner
Every one was overwhelmed with
establishment, and the company gath
cred to muster" came to dead halt.
The music ceased and the mysterious
school-master, seeming to recover him
self, rode the horse back to the hitch
rack and dismounted, looking very
silly for having betrayed his emotions
and perhaps his secret. This strange
conduct on his part, started afresh the
rumors and queries as to who he was.
Again he was assailed by thousand
questions, but to all he made no re-
sponse. Soon after evading the crowd
be hurried home to the house of Mr..
Houstons.
The next day he was at the school,
house which we have mentioned as
standing at one side of the valley with
in the edge of the wood The interior
of the building presents a scene COM
mon to every country school-house. A
shattered window pane is pasted over
with leaf from an old copy-book.
The floor is dusty and Uttered with
scraps of paper. There are two LONG