The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1886-08-20
PETER STEWART NEY.
The Story of a Mysterious School
master.
[Original.1

[Originall
In the bosom of the mountainous re-
gions of North Carolina is valley,
noted for fertility of its soil and the in
dustry and intelligence of its inhabi-
tants. 1t is almost completely isolated
from the rest of the world even at this
late day of civilization, for being lap
of land wedged in among the hills and
high lands, it is not as accessible as the
country on the great Western prairies.
No railway, that modern motor of civ
ilization, has yet dared enter it's sacred
precincts, and one would think it
would degenerate into an idle, thrift
less community, content to simply exc
out miserable existence; but he who
forms such an opinion is mistaken. In
no part of North Carolina are the peo-
pie more Intelligent, industrious, pros
porous or happy than in the valley,
while being isolated as it was in for
mer days from civilization, slavery,
which dwarfed the intellect and man
hood of so many good men of the
South, was not known there. Once or
twice week In the good old days long
gone by the stage-coach with the mail
made its regular trips to the neat
though somewhat drowsy little village
at the head of the valley For long
years peaceful quiet reigned in this
isolated region shut in by surrounding
mountain peaks from the whole world.
A small stream clear as crystal glides
through it with just murmur enough
to lull one TO repose, and the white,
blue and red pebbles can be seen shin
ing clear and evanescent from the bot
tom. The brook trout and silver sides
sport in the sparkling waters, and many
n boys heart has been made glad
rs he brings one of the fnny
tribe ilouncing upon the clean white
sands beside him. Through the for
ests which surround the cultivated
fields only the occasional whistle of a
quail or the tapping of a woodpecker
seems to ever break the tranquil 81
lence. Far removed from the noisy
streets and busy scenes of hot, dusty
cities, it seems to be a haven of rest for
the weary. An occasional hunter
passes solemnly and silently through
the dark cool wood, his feet rustling
the dry leaves which litter the ground,
or pausing beside some moss-covered
trunk of fallen monarch of the forest,
gazes up into the outrageous foliage
about him in search of the saucy nim-
BILE squirrel hiding from his view. Oc-
casionally the report of gun followed
by angry echoes rings throughout the
forest and is borne to that little spot of
civilization.
From the hstless repose of the place
one would expect to find race of un-
couth, careless class of human beings
merely content to live. But when once
the belt of civilization is reached you
find neat well-kept fences, snowy farm
cottages with lawns of close cropped
green sward, made brilliant with
mounds of many-hued flowers and
ornamental trees. The external as
well us internal appearances of these
homes indicate the thrift, neatness and
comfort Of people of taste. Still
drowSy dreamy influence seems to hang
over the land and pervade the air. The
inhabitants of the valley have the lido
syncrasies peculiar TO themselves.
With all their thrift and intelligence
and independence they are strongly
imaginative, credulous of the super
natural, and strongly inclined to
belief in spooks, COLLINS and witches.
Some seem to think that the place is
visited by the ghosts of distinguished
Indian chiefs who once inhabited the
valley and came back at regular inter-
walls to hold powwows at their own
tombs. 1t is certain that these good
people seem under some spell caus-
ing them to walk in continual rev.
erie. They hold to all kinds of strange
beliefs, see strange sights, and hear
strange sounds in the air. There is
hardly spot which is not haunted,
and twilight superStitions are preva-
lent every where, stars shoot and me-
teors glare oftener and certainly with
more significance in the valley than
elsewhere, and sprites and spirits seem
here to hold their nightly gambols.
1t is in this peaceable spot that Gus
toms and manners seem fixed. With
all Its thrift and beauty the isolated
spot has not kept pace with the busy
world without. If the people have
grown in intelligence and thrift it is a
growth peculiar to the Immediate To-
cality. The great torrent OF migra-
tion and Improvement which is max
ing such incessant changes in other
parts of this restless country sweeps by
this spot unobserved. The foreign
customs which become intermingled
with our own in the influx of civiliza-
ton have not disturbed this quiet pool,
which has grown clearer and brighter
by revolving around upon itself while
torrents and tides went Kissing and
rolling by. 1t scarcely heard the thun-
ders of civil war, and the cloud of de-
struction never dimmed its serene sky.
BY far the most important building
in the valley was the school-house. L
stood about a mile from the village
upon slight elevation in the edge of
the wood facing to the east. TO the
west the land gradually sloped away
into deep hollows, and shattered hills
which gradually grew deeper and
higher, until they became the gorges
and mountain peaks which inclosed
the valley. There was wall of clear
white stone inclosing the yard of the
School-housc, with q gate and long line
of bitch racks for the horses to be
hitched. for the school-house was used
for all great occasions or church pur-
poses.
In this valley there came about the
FeH 1922 q man calling himself Peter