Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1894-12-19
December 10, 1894
JOHN BROWNS COUNTRY.
1t appears 85 Years after The Raid.

is II appears 35 Years after The Raid.
To The Edito, ofhe Springfield luass.) Republican,:
To the thoughtful traveller, meditating
here at Harper's Ferry, in early Septem'
ber 1894, there still remain many features
of interest, forever to be associated with
John Brown and his deeds. When you
stand on the high land back of the village,
you may see the road down which he
marched his faithful band from the Ken
nedy farm, on that rainy Sunday night Of
October, 1859; while the Loudoun and
Maryland Hights still watch, from either
side of the Potomac, over the spot where
thearmt ry engine-house, John Browns
For" t"-once Od,-before it went TO the
Worlds Fair at Chicago. More than
one old resident Of the village yet lives
and loves to tell how, as he came down
from the hill on some ordinary errand,
that Monday morning he found the street
picketed by armed men; and was turned
back, under curt, menacing orders, from
the spot where the hostages, Allstadt,
Washington and the others, were impris
oned But the great civil war did much,
by the interposition of more exciting and
tragical scenes, to blur the memory of
John Browns &c hours at "the Ferry ;"
and to such as do not recognize the world
wide moral consequence of the drama en-
acted then, there is now but little to call
attention to Browns exploit, or arouse
more than momentary interest. The
engine-house, into which he was driven,
soon after noon Monday, October II, was
removed two years ago, and the spot
where it stood is covered to the depth of
five or six feet by the broken stone of the
approach to the new Baltimore and Ohio
railroad track. The building has been
reconstructed on Wabash avenue, Chica-
go,-but its bell is said to hang from the
wall in front Of the Grand Army hall in
Marlboro, Mass.
The man at "the Ferry" who could
perhaps, under skillful cross-questions, re-
call more personal "reminiscences of the
raid than any other is Joseph Barry
once a schoolmaster, lately in the service
of the national government, but now dis
charged, and soon to begin again at pri-
vate school in the village. Apparently
the key to unlock his lips is the coin with
which you purchase two pamphlets that
he wrote long since, on the subject, and of
which the local price is high. Or, if any
reader wants for child "a good private
school," taught by one who was once an
instructor in the colored school on the
hill, bat where his child will not have to
mix with those of a darker hue,-("Not
that should obiect,-but it would not
do, you know y may safely recommend
Mr.. Barry, who began his term, no doubt,
on September 10.
Passing on, now, from the Ferry 10
Charles Town, where John Brown was
tried and executed, you have a pretty
straight turnpike road, with only two
gates, over three steep hills,-in the val
lev between two of which lies Halltown,
midway between the two villages, and
four miles from either. There is no con-
siderable public way opening into this
turnpike from Harpers Ferry to Charles
Town at intervals Of half mile or so,
you pass red gate in the lines of Vir
ginia fence on either side, through which
a cart path leads to a house and barn,
from a quarter to half mile away in the
farm lands. Great ields of southern
corn" immense stacks Of threshed wheat
straw, and mounds of upland hay line
the road on both sides were it not for
the scared surface of the field, parched by
the long droutb, the general appearance
Is that of thrifty and profitable farming.
But if one looked straight ahead in the
road not turning his gaze either to the
right or left, he never could believe him
self to be in New England. Half the
people he meets will be on horseback, and
quite two.thirds will make some attempt
, at courteous salutations, whites as we'll as
blacks. Then, at some gateways the tray
eler sees a tandem two-wheeled vehicle
approaching, aud will soon make out that