Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1914-06-17

~S3Wl III the picturesque noun
EA-0 tains at and around
Highlands, North Caro-
lima. The father of one Of my boy
hood and :oiiegc chums rented Il
small cottage in Horse Cove. two
miles below Highlands, and, with his
family and several relatives and
friends, | among the number, spcut
the summer there. In the crowd
there were four other boys, all about
my age.
Soon after we reached the cottlge
we became acquainted with two typ
zeal mountain boys, John and Jack
Smith. They were twins. and had
been living in this Cove ever since
the time Of their birth, about eigh-
teen years before. They we're we'll
acquainted with all the mountains.
streams, trails, etc, in that part Of
the mountains, aid were also well
Informed as to all the ghost stories
mysteries, legends of the different
hollowS and mountains. One Of their
TX W Nv NlSNI Id IL HDNtNi
mountain climber had climebd about
$50 feet down an almost ~pe:Dendic-
ular cliff of solid stone, and had
carved his name on the side of the
cliff. Our story is not intended to
discuss this feat. However, we want
to mention the fact that in the place
described in this tale there is what
appears to be a name carved on the
rock IN the side Of the mountain.
On the second night after our ar
rival, in telling us of the many in
tereSting places we should visit. the
boys mentioned Kalalania as being
the highest dwelling house this side
of the Rocky Mountains, and as a
point from which the most beautiful
view in North Carolina could be OBJ
tanned. Seeing that we were inter-
ested in the place, thev went on to
tell us a tale Of mystery which had
gained a good deal of credence in
the last few years. According to
the story, Kalalanta was the prop
crty of a rich widow who lived in
one of our great Northern cities.
For several years she WAS accuStom-
ed to spending the GUNNER here. On
these visits she was accompanied by
her son, who was about ten years
Old, and her daughter, who was two
years his senior. There was no mys-
terry connected with the place at the
time Of these visits.
One winter while they were at
their Northern home. the daughter
contracted a dreadful disease. The
widow carried her to the great doc
tors and surgeons Of the world, but
they were all puzzled, and none of
them could relieve her. The disease
caused the girl to have violent spells
in which she was endowed with al
most s"uperhuman strength. She
would lose her mind in the fits, and
at times would not even recognize
her mother. Everybody soon began
to fear her. Her mother was frantic,
and did moi know what to do. One
day she thought Of this beautiful
mountain home and decided to
brave the winter weather and carry
her children to this home. She
reached the home in safety, but soon
vas stricken with the dreaded pneu-
monia, and after a short illness she
died, leaving her daughter to the
care Of her young son who was only
twelve years of age
This death seemed to make the
daughter worse. Her fits began to
seize her O%ftener. The mountain
GERS, who as 4 rule are very super
stitiouS, soon began to believe that
she was possessed Of an evil spirit,
such as those spoken Of in the time
OF Christ. This belief was greatly
strengthened when one night the lit
tie bow disappeared, and was eve
heard of again. Some thought the
evil spirit in the girl had seized him
and hurled him into the region Of
darkness. They began to shun the
girl, and % they would not go
near her home at all. Soon her
supply Of food began to give out.
She became hungry, and was almost
starved. Still none of the hard
hearted mountaineers would help
her. At night she could be heard to
scream and cry in a most fearful
manner. 1t was terrible to hear.
One night she began screaming, but
suddenly stopped. She was not
heard again that night, nor for seve-
raj nights following. Finally, two