Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1904-08-17
CHAPTER Y.
GREENVALE.

1t was brook, or rather three
brooks, that gave birth to Greenyale.
One, the largest, known as the Mizzy
(originally Misery stream), came from.
no one knew where, up between two
ranges of mountains and out of a five
mile-long morass. rightly called
Misery swamp. For many miles the
MizZy twisted and turned between
high wooded banks, diving under
overhanginS and moSS-covered rock
walls, down through deep intervales
canopied with thick hemlock and fir
keeping always in shadow, as if
ashamed OF its origin, till at last it
leaped into freedom and sunlight over
low ledge at the head of an oval val
ley Here it was joined by two smaller
streams, one called Fall Brook. laugh
ing down narrow gorge in the noun
tain, active, pure. and fearless, as be-
comes well-ordered brook; the other
known as the Ok Bow, and of SINH
lar tenor. coming from the opposite
range OF low mountains. between which
lies the valley now partially occupied
by Greenvale
Al the head OF this, ever so many
years ago, an enterprising pioneer
named Asa Curtis, built a sawmiIl.
taking his power through a flume out
OF the ready -at-hand falls OF the Mizzy.
and floating his logs down that stream
at spring-freshet time Gradually
others joined him, until a half-dozen
houses were grouped near the junction
OF the three streams, and the spot be-
came known as The Forks. Then
others came. clearing up the fertile
valley below and erecting houses.
Grist-mill and dam were built iust
above the mouth of Fall Brook. and
following these natural adjuncts of
civilization came small log school
mouse. and later n little church in the
valley below. semi-weekly stage
line was established to- larger viii
lagc 20 miles further down the Mizzy.
and where il joined a river. which
service was finally increased to a daily
one y tavern with capacious open
fireplace In its office and bar-room
combined, was built: one, two. and
Hnally three stores were started. and
In place of The Forks" the village
name was changed to GreenvaIe
In the meantime the Revolution had
been fought, the village cemetery had
grown to ample proportions. Asa Cur
us mad passed on, his son lothian. in
herlting the saw and grist mill had
become old. and as gray as the flour
that daily settled upon him. until he
100 was laid away in the quiet part of
the village. willing the two mills his
lands, and ever so many acres of for
est. together with the capacious house
ne had built at the head OF the valley
TO his two sons, David and AMI. with
the queerest kind of a provision
There was to be no division. bur the
property must be shared in common.
neither could sell foot of land while
'he Other lived, and the survivor
should inherit all Both were TO oc-
cupy the dwelling. taking care of their
mother while she lived. David tho
elder. was to- manage the saw and
AmIi the grist mill. AS might be ex-
pecteu. tying two men together i'm such
manner was sure to produce discord
and IT did. Then TO make an unhaopv
situation worse, the two brothers were
Numerically opposite I'm temper and
disposition. David was close-hsted 10
the verge Of meanness. narrow
minded, cOnceited. self-willed and
bigoted in his religious opinions.
while Amzi-free- hearted. kindly ma
tured, easy-going. knew not the value
or money nor cared--a dreamer who
loved nature. and was totally indiffer-
ent to the rigid Calvinism that constI-
tuted Greenvale's religion. He would
rather raise flowers than corn. 20 fish
ing than work. and liked to spend his
Sundays in the woods better than in
church. In duo course he married
though his brother never did and
after q year built a small house near
the sawmill, and. with his young wife
left the paternal abode BY this tine
feud had started between the two
brothers, so bitter that they were not
on speaking terms Then a child-a
girl-was born 20 AMI. A fresbet
destroyed the dam above his mill. and
David refused TO rebuild it. though
begged to do so by the neighbors who
knew the situation AMI got into
debt and discouraged and then TO
crown troubles. his wife sickened and
died He grew more morose and
respondent, was often absent i'm the
woods all day, until one June morning
the lit'.e girl. Angelina. woke I'D To
ind herself alone in the house.