Lyceum.

              LYCEU
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\ Sinfr'icCopy lOc
PrHl.lSHKD MOXXriLV BY
TTiliTian R. Gain^es^,
I'Kdl'KIKTlJK AM) EDITOR.
Office 73 Xorth ^lain St., .\.s!ifvil!c. X. C
L H8CKIPT80X:
One Year, in Advance $1.00
Sintjle C<,)uy 10 Cts.
Entered at the Postuffice at Asheville,
X, C, as second-class mail matter.
Mk. President—Ladies a x d
OHNTi.KMEN OF T[IK Lyc'eum: That
"goveninients derive their just
]»ower from the consent of the
governed*^ ha« become a self evi-dent
truth in thii^ countr}^, and
should have the sanction of all
Repablics which desire to protect
the rights and secure the liberties
of their citizens, or jn'etend to
have the good of the mass of peo-ple
in view.
With us the vote is the only
mode of exj^ressing this consent,
by making known through the
ballot box the wants, wishes and
grievances of the governed. But
certain classes have always been
denied the right to exercise the
elective franchise, on account of
want of mental capacity, moral
fitness, or liberty of action—in-fants,
idiots and lunatics for lack
of intelligence and reason ; felons,
Ijecause they have disobeyed the
laws, and incurred as a penalty
the forfeiture of the right they
might otherwise have enjoyed
;
and women ''from mixed motives"
but mainly, because in the rela-tion
of marriage they were sup-posed
to be under subje(;tion to
their husbands, and presumed to
act under their intluence.
When our pioneer fathers,
driven to rebellion by tyranny
and oppression, threw off the bur-densome
British yoke, sacrificed
the lives of their noblest sons,
and purchased America liberty
with their own blood, they estab-lished
a Republic whose sovereign
power should forever be vested
in its people. Hut in constniing
the national constitution this fun-damental
principle of our govern-ment
has been violated, by vest-ing
the sovereignty of the State
in the men, and not the jjeopie,
since the commentators on this
subject say that the sovereignty
is vested only in those persons
who are permitted to vote. Neith-er
the Declaration of Independ-ence
nor the Oonstituion contains
even an implication that women
should not be enfranchised. The
Fifteenth i^mendment. Section 1,
enacts that "The right of citizens
of the United States to vote shall
not be denied or abridged by the
United States or by any States on
account of race, color, or previous a later d-n-ision in discnssiiifr the
condition of servitude." No sex right of uos;roes to vote, tliey af-is
mentioned. Neither men nor firm that '"In all '.-ases wliere the
women, males nor females are re- former siave holdin*!; states had
ferred to. The right was vested not removed from their consti ta-in
the people as a whole, not in tions the words "•white men'" as a
men only. All persons derive qualification foi' voting, this pro
their right to vote from this cianse vision did, in elfect, confer on
of the constitution, and in it alone him the riglit to vote, because be-exists
the title to the franchise, ing paramount to the State law,
and it is applicable to women as and a part of the State law, it an-well
as men, because they belong nuled tiie discriminating word
to the people of the United vStates. white, and thus left him in the
Women constitute almost if not enjoyment of the same right as
quite one half of the people of the white persons. And such would
United States, and still they are be the efi'ect of any future consti-deprived
of this, their inalienable, tional provision of a state which
natural right. They are not only should give the right of voting ex-people
of the great Union, but it clusively to wiiite people, wheth-is
now settled beyound a doubt er tiiey be men or women." The
that they are citizens also, and Supreme Court futher decided in
citizen-ship always carries with the Minor case, that "If the right
it the right to vote. The Four- of suffrage is oiie of the necessary
teenth Amendment says that "All privileges of a citizen of the Unit-persons
born or naturalized in ed States, then the Constitution
the United States, and subject to and laws of Missouri confining it
the jurisdiction thereof, are citi- to men, are in violation of the
zens of the United Sates and of Constitution of the United States
the State wherein they reside, as amended, and consequently
No State shall make or enforce void."
any law which shall abridge the The doctrine that married wo-privileges
or immunities of citi- men are under the control of their
zens of the United States ; nor husbands and their legal existence
shall any State deprive any per- suspended during converture has
son of life, liberty or property, worked great injustice to them
witiiout due process of law, nor for centuries. The old English
deny to any person within its common law advocated this legal
jurisdiction *the equal protection fiction so strongly that it depriv-of
the law," and the Supreme ed the wife of her right to any
Court of the United States in the personal property, gave the hus-case
of Minor vs. Happersett, 16th band the power to correct her
Wallace, in commenting on this moderately, that is with a stick
Amendment say that women are no larger than the judge's thumb,
citizens beyond question, and in and delivered the custody of her
p< rswu into 'hi-; haiuU, Men be- ol' tho weaker sex, and the nar-ing
ihe only law-makers have row sphere to wiiich they are con-made
the laws to suit themselves fined ha? been moulded for them
and invented certain hctions like by th^ superior pliysical strength
the a'i)ove for the purpose of car- of their fathers, husbands and
ry inu out their own selfish desii'es. sons.
Tia'oughout ail ages and in all Ihit this id(.a of the inferiority
countries, whether surrounded by of women, which has so long been
the superstitions of ignorance, entertained and flourished, is fast
eltrvated by the enlightening in- iosiugground among liberal niind-tiuences
of civilization or refined ed men, and they hnd that, al-by
the teachings of Christianity, though dilTerently constituted
men have compelled women to and weaker physically, the other
occup}' a subordinate^ position, sex possess liner moral qualites,
and kept them in a state of sub- are endowed with keener instincts
jection. and they owe their pres- and have greater intuitive pow-ent
advancement to their own en- ers than men, an?! that if these
deavours and the chivair}^ and gifts are enlarged and expanded
courresy of English and Ameri- by proper education, their owners
can gentlemen. may become superior in a great
The V70inen of the German Em- many respects to men. One of
pire are still kept in a state of the most enthusiastic of her sex
almost absolute slavery. They has already been courageous
are treated with less respect and enough to assert that "Woman is
kindness than their peddlers who superior to man, and the reason
escape to this country, and it is why he denies her the suffrage is
not unusual to see a dog and a that she would reform him with
woman drawing the same cart it, and man does not wdsh to be
through the streets of their crowd- reformed.-' The acknowedged
ed cities. What a stain upon the inferiority of women in the past
character of that Empire. But has greatly, retarded their pro-in
China, India and Africa, where gress, which has been slow but
the light of the Gospel is just be- steedy, and they enjoy greater
ginning to shine, the condition of privileges to-day than any of
women is even worse than that their sisters of former times,
of their sisters in Germany. Life They do the same work as men,
with them is a burden, and exist- study the same professions and
ence intolerable. become efficient in almost every
How cowardly to take advant- department of business. Indi-age
of weakness, and crush it to ana's shrewdest lawyers are fe-earth.
Is there any manhood or male barristers, and New York's
bravery in that? The brute force most skilful nurses and physi-of
men has subdued the gentle cians are to be found among wo-influence
and confiding nature men. The schools of every State
4
in the I'liion are orowed with coiiilucted tliciiiselves in ev-'-n-
Youn^ lady teachers, and tliey respect with a-; mvirh ract j'vlii;-
seem to take great pride in real- nient, and ^.-ood sense us nien.
izing that they can earn their own Tsvo years after, he repeated toat
living, and be indpendent. Not- the system of impartial -uiiva-e
witlistanding all this they are was an ufKinalilied success, ilis
denied the right to vote or to successo-s. Governors Thayi'-^r,
take any part in managing the lloyt. Hale, and Warren, have
affairs of government. Itisargu- all borne witness to the sanie ef-ed
by .some that if women con- feet, and M. 0. Brow^n. United
tinue to earn their own liveli- State? Attorney for the Territory,
hoods, and do the work of men, says tliat ""woman suffrage in
they will become anti-feminine, Wyoming iiasaccomplisiied !iiuch
and lose all their true womanhood, good, and has harmed no one."
but this has already proved to be Certainly no one will deny that
otherwise, and women lawyers taxation witliout representation
and doctors retain just as much is unjust and should not be c-on-modesty
as their sisters at home, tenauced by any government, but
If engaging in all these dilTereut our Legislature has declared i!i;it
occupations does not take awa}^ it is just and equitable by inipos-modesty
and womanhood, is it ing upon unrepresented women
reasonable to supjiose that voting equal taxes with men. The poor
would have a contrary etlfect. widow has her small home sold
Francis Minor, who wrote a very from over her head by the tax
interesting article on ''Woman's coilector, because she fails to pay
Political Status," among other her taxes, but must remain silent
things says that "-Wherever wo- —taxation without representa-man
suffrage has been tried, it tion. Is there the least phase of
has proved a success. The testi- juf^tice in such a law^ Tiie argu-mony
from English sources is meiit that because women t'annot
abundant, that since the complete take up arms in defense of their
enfranchisement of women in the country, and light side by sii.le
Isle of Man, the condition of pub- with their husbands and sons for
lie affairs there has improved
;
its j)rotection they should not
and this fact is used as an argu- vote, is too iiimsy and absurd to
nient that parlimentary suffrage be entertained for one moment
should be extended to women in by intelligent men. The statis-
England also. In the Territory tics of the late w^ar show that the
of Wj^oming women have enjoyed great majority of lawyers, minis-full
suffrage since 1869, a period ters and physicians who were ex-of
twenty-one years. Governor amined for military service were
Campbell, who was in office in found to be disqualified on ac-
1869, in his message two years count of physical disability, while
ater, said that the women had only a small proportion of farm-
er< iuid mechanics; were released
from service on that account.
Bur when the cloud of war had
pas«ed over, and the sunshinf^ of
peace again shone forth, not a
sinirle professional man was dis-franchised.
The blind and lame
men of our country never bore
arms, but they have invariably
A'oted. It has been said by some
one that "the ballot is both sword
and shield." If women are too
weak to endure the fatigue of war
and the excitementof battle, they
do not require sinew and mus(de
to vote. The most delicate and
refined lady has strengtli enough
in her slender hand tocaf^t a vote
for temperance and good govern-ment.
There is an idea among men
that if women were vested with
the power to vote, most of them
would never take advantage of
their privileges, and that only
the degraded cla'=s of vvomen
would go to the poles.
It was stated on the Senate
tloor not long since that more pe-titions
had been sent to Congress
in favor of woman suH'rage than
all otlier subjects combined. Is
it not reasonai)le to suppose tliat
these petitioners would vote, if
they had the opportunity?
Woman suffrage was not start-ed
by a set of fantics and senti-mentalists,
but orginated among
sober minded men and women,
who saw the necessity of such a
movement. It was advocated by
Abraham Lincoln, Henry W.
Longfellow, Chief Justice Chase,
Herbert Spencer, Dr. 'J'almage,
and Gladstone, Senators Hoar
and Blair believe in it. Such
women as Harriet Beacher Stowe,
Louisa M. Alcotand Frances E.
Willard have been leaders in the
cau^e. We, these great men and
noble women ever accused of be-ing
fanatics? Are Hoar and
Blair sentimentalists ? They have
encouraged woman sufirage be-cause
they knew it would be the
great purifier of the fraud stained,
corrupt ballot box, and because
they felt that it would raise the
moral standard of tlieir govern-ment.
They believed in it be-cause
they were confident it would
crush out the irreat enetny of the
human race—the licjuor traffic,
and rescue tlieir sons from a
d r u n ka rd' s gr a ve
.
There is already an abundance
of evidence which goes to ijrove
that if woman suffrage prevailed
in all the states good results
would inevitably follow, as the
states which have already adopt-ed
it has been greatly improved
in their local laws. In whatever
sphere women have been placed
they have alway- l)een on the side
of right, and denounced wrong.
They rule by persuasion ; men by
force. In view of all these facts,
ought not women to vote? They
have been true and loyal to men ;
now let the men be fair towards
them. In sickness and distress
they are ever present to lessen
the sufferer's pjiin and lend their
sympathies.
O, woman, lovely woman, na-ture
formed thi7>e to temper man :
we had been brutes without
thee." H. P.. Stkvkns,
6
:^ii<-s» iiuii it>* AfiMOfiiitioiisi. imperishable mica provide the
There is something in the mod- key to the mysteries of all this
eru parlor stove that sets the im- use and splendor,
agination aglow even as the stove Mica is a substance extensively
itself is aglow ; for, through its diffused through the primary for-many
translucent apertures, we mation throughout the world. It
see the hery life within, tiie ruddy is the associate and component
coals and the flaming gases, part of the granites ; it is found
and the infinitude of forms diffused in comminuted particles
with which the taiicj invests the through the sands and clays ; but,
phantasmagoria of changeful pic- in its valuable economic form, is
tures ; and we gaze with restful found in six sided irregular tlat
quiet into the Hame, and see, as crystals, more or less massive, and
well as feel, with double sense of in more or less continuous and
bodily comfort and pleasures of well defined veins, running
imagination. The ancient stoves through a coarse granite in which
give out equal degree of heat; feldspar predominates, that miu-but
in sullen selnsjiness they hide eral being often decomposed, pre-within
themselves the source of senting itself as the kaolin of
warmth; it is negative satisfac- commerce and the arts.
tion to cower aroand the dull. Mica is in composition a silic-opaqufc,
unshapely iron box with- ate of alumina with a silicate of
outa glimpseinto theciieer within, potash, soda, lithia, and oxides of
ITow ciianged m fonri, how iron and manganese. It is, when
changed in beauty, how changed split into sheets, which can be
in comfort, the parlor or the otiice done iniinitesmally, and to mcred-stove
of the present day 1 Modern ible tenuity, colorless and per-taste
and skill have mastered the fectly transparent, though escep-the
rigid iron to control it to any tions exist in amber and ruby col-shape
taste or uses might demand ; ors. Being found m many parts
and in no use have art and taste of the world, and known from the
had greater mastery than in the earliest period of civilization, it
formation of the stove Archi- early suggested itself as a con-tecture
constructs its miracles in venient vehicle tor the transmis-miniature
; and temples and cas sion of light into dwellings, far
ties, illuminated with a thousand antedating the use of glass, and
cheerful lights, as real castle and was employed by the Eoinans for
temple never were, make every this use. In modern times it has
fireside familiar with ideals of the so applied in Mexico, Peru and
beautiful and the grand. Siberia, in which countries crys-
One of the simplest of mineral tals of the largest size abound,
substances is employed to make plates having been obtained near-
;all these marvels effective ; and ly three feet in diameter. Its
ihe thin plates of transparent and largest present use is in its appli-
•cation to stove lights, and, to a A fanciful writer, discribing a
more limited extent, for the fur- mica mine, and evidently basing
nace windows of glass manufac- his description upon the brilliancy
tories, for lamp chimneys, and of the article when prepared for
also for lanterns aboard ships of use, regales his readers with the
war, resisting the concussion of splendors of the subterranean gal-liring
which often shatters glass leries, reflecting back in multi-lamps
to atoms. It finds use also plied splendor the flash of the
in microscopes. torches, and rivalling the radiant
The principal present source of glories of the cave of Aladdin,
supply are Canada, the Black Nothing could be farther from the
Hills, the mountains of Western truth ; for, like all subterranean
North Carolina, and of late, the works, the shafts and tunnels are
foot hills of the Himalayas in Brit- dark and damp, and dripping with
ish Indian territory. In Western slime and muddy water ; and the
North Carolina it is extensively^ grimy crystals are only detected
worked in the counties of Mitch- by the experienced eye, compact-ell
and Yancey, where are the ed m its surrounding matrix. It
largest and most productive mines, is only when the crystal is opened
It is also obtained in large qnan- that its brilliancy is seen and its
ties in the counties of Macon and beauty revealed. And there are
Jackson, and also to some (^xtent few things on earth, that, for a
in other counties on both sides of few fleeting moments, are half so
the Blue Ridge, but i? nowhere beautiful. The crystal thus open-remuneratively
worked except in ed is a revelation of a far av.'ay
the counties first named. These past era when unsullied purity
furnish the chief supplies to the was the law of nature, and when
manufactures of the United States it was locked up and stored away
or have done so until recently, in the fast keeping of the rocks,
when British India conies in as a to preserve for after ages the
competitor with the advantage of memory of primeval innocence,
lower prices, tho effect of cheap Wlien first opened, a delicate
labor, and absence of duty. moisture suffuses the exquisitely
In the mountains of North Car- pure and smooth surface. iVs
olina, the marketable mica is ob- evaporation takes place, and the
tained from the great ledges of a moistu're escapes in almost imper-very
coarse granite which ciiarac- ceptible vapor, there is a beanti-
"terizes the mountain plateau. The ful play of irridescent colors,
mines are in true veins, and the rising and falling in the seeming
-crystals suc<'eed each other in ir- struggle to retain its primal
regular continuity and great vari- beauty, until at length the grosser
ation in size and value, to great element prevails, the moisture is
extent and depth, necessitating dried out, the impalpable and im-much
work by shaft and tunnel, perceptible particles in . the air
8
settle upon the surface, tarnish
ite pure lustre, and leave it, still
bright and beautiful, but only a
faint likeness of its once surpass-ing
loveliness, the only word that
expresses its record of the ideal
of purity.
There is an interest in the op-erations
of mica working-in
North Carolina far beyond the
questions of utility and profit. It
is associated with that mysterious
race which once peopled the North
American continent, and which
disappeared from the face of the
earth, leaving no trace or record
of their being excex)t their mounds,
their earth-works, and their mica
digging. And to these last I will
presently refer.
It is only within the past twen-ty-
five years that the mining for
mica in Western North Carolina
became an established pursuit.
Previous to that time, mica, so
abundant in the mountains, and
known to every miner, had no
known commercial value, and no
economic uses applicable to the
needs of the country. It was met
with everywhere, on the surface,
or in exploration for other miner-als
or metals, but neglected for
its assumed worthlessness. In
the belt now proved to embrace
the most prolific and valuable
mica mines were found raan}^ an-cient
pits of considerable diame-ter,
from fifty to ninety feet,
and a mass oF debris around
these mounds, of great original
depth, now nearly filled with
earth converted into soil similar
to that on the general surface,
covered with trees equal in siz^
to the giants of the surrounding
forest; evidently, therefore, of
great age. But the opinion
of the people of the country
relative to the origin of
these pits was founded upon the
prevalent vague traditions of the
wanderings of de Soto and his
men through the mountain? of
North Carolina, in search of gold.
History made it certain that, after
that explorer left Florida, he pen-etrated
deep into the interior of
the continent, led on by the stories
of the Indians as to the existence
of gold and silver in abundance
among the mountains ; and the
long period that elapsed before
he, with the remnant of his band,
reached the Mississippi, strength-ens
the belief that he did wander
as far north as the mountains of
North Carolina ; and this belief
gains strength by the discovery,
in old abandoned mines in Cher-okee,
the most soutliwestern
county of the State, of iron tools
and fragments of the mining
equipments of a European people.
These work^ far antedate Ameri-can
settlements in that section
;
and are yet so recent as to con-nect
the material and forms of
the recovered reli'^s with exciting
civilization.
The old "mine holes'' as they
are popularly know in Mitchell
county, where they most abound,
remained undisturbed and unin-vestigated
until the year 18(58.
They were thought to be old Span-ish
silver mines; yet no one had
ever had the enterprise to follow
the i^ath the presumed treasure
searchers had opened. In that
year Prof. W, C. Kerr, then State
Geologist, was invited to visi • and
report upon them. He examined
a series of large open pits extend-ing
continuously up the slope of
a mountain ridge, a dozen or more
in number, each from forty to
lift,Y feet wide and from fifty,
seventy-live to one hundred feet
long. The excavated earth was
piled around the margin of the
pits, and was changed by lapse of
time into rich soil bearing heavj'-
forest trees, three or more feet in
diameter, oaks and chestnuts;
and with these were associated
the fallen and decayed trunks of
a former growth. Frof. Kerr,
after thorough investigation, dig-ging
down to the very bottom of
these pits, reported that '"there
was no appearance of a mineral
vein, and no clue to the objects of
the works, except to obtain the
large plates of mica or crystals of
kyariite, both of which abound in
the coarse granite rock.''
in 1S»I7, and early in 1868, Gen.
Thomas L. (Jlingman, examined
numerous excavations in the
counties east of the Blue Ridge,
Cleveland, Rutherford and Burke,
and in Mitchell, Yancey and Bun-combe
on the west side. The
most extensive of these were on
the lands of William Silver, in
Mitchell county. The manner in
which the work heen done in these
excavations resembled, as Gener-al
Olingman says, that sometimes
practiced by the Mexicans;
and it seemed possible that a
party of Spaniards, perhaps some
of de Soto's expedition, might
have extended their rambles in
search of gold thus far into Isorth
Carolina, and cansed this excava-tion
to be made. Gen. Clingman
caused an assay to be made of the
fragments of ore found near the
pits, which was pronounced by
miners t© be silver ore. In assay
proved a value of only three dol-lars
to the ton, a grade too low to
be worth working. Further ex-cavations,
conducted by General
Clingman, carried on by shafts
and tunnels beneath the old
works, disclosed the presence of
large blocks of mica, and of good
quality and in great abundance.
He therefore concluded from this
evidence before him that "a for-mer
race of Indians—possibly the
Mound Builders, who used copper
tools—made these excavations for
the purpose of procuring the
mica."
The visions of wealth which had
long flitted through the indolent
brains of those who were familiar
with these ancient pits, but with-out
enterprise to investigate for
themselves, were thus rudely and
effectually dispelled. As mica at
that time had no marketable val
ue, the real character ol' the min-eral
contents of the pits was re-ceived
with contemptuous indif-ference.
A few years later, when
uses were found for mica, and de-mand
became active, the pits ex-amined
by Prof. Kerr and (xen.
C'lingman, became famous as the
"Sink Hole Mines," the aboriginal
workings being much extended,.
10
and proving prolific in a product large tracts of land in this section.
of very superior quality. now covered with trees, were open
When the time came in which mountain prairies, remaining so
mica found its uses and a profita- until the disappearance of the
ble market, then active search was Indians and the cessation of their
widely prosecuted ; and then it annual practice of burning the
came to pass that the superior grass to prepare for a fresh crop
value of the prehistoric workings for the support of the wild game,
were made apparent. They prov- It is not also certain that un-ed
also to cover a wide range, ex- failing certainty attended the
tending from Mitchell and Yan- search of these ancient explorers.
cey, the counties in which they I have personally examined many
iirst attracted notice, to the coun- hundreds of prospecting pits in
ties of .Jackson and Macon, to- the county of Mitchell, opening
ward the west, a distance of more many to find that work in them
than one hundred miles. In no had been abandoned owing to the
single instance have these w^orks presence of rock impenetrable to
failed to be profitable ; while, on the tools used. But the object of
the other hand, nearly all the the excavation was always indica-newly
opened mines have proved ted by the heaps of debris, trim-of
short lived prosperity. Great mings of dressed mica, which
stress has been laid upon the sa- seemed always to have been found,
gacity of these early miners in so though farther work was suspend-surely
detecting their certain ed for the cause mentioned,
sources of success. An explana- In the pits that were succe^s-ticn
may be found for the appar- fully and extensively worked,
ently unerring accuracy in the much labor and skill appt-ar to
assumption, a very probable one, have been bestowed. When more
that at the remote period at which than one pit, or there was a suc-these
pits were opened no forest cession of them, they were con-covered
the ground, decomposition nected by tunnels. These have
of the rocks not having gone far been followed by the present
enough tofurnisJi soil for the nur- miners to a distance of a hundred
tureof trees, no creation of humas feet or more, and they are re-from
fallen leaves and decaying markable for their contracted di-vegftation,
and a consequent ex- mensions, being seldom as high as
posure of geologic conditions, four feet, and considerably less
The mountains were long in ex- in width, indicating a people of
istence before they became forest small stature. No hum.an remains
covered : and their nakedness have ever been found in these
probably extended down to a tunnels or elsewhere in their vi-comparatively
late period. It is cinity. A few wooden tools, which
within living memory, that, since crumbled into dust when exposed
the beginning of this century, to the outer air, and an occasion-
11
al stor^ pick, are the only person- southwestern parts of North Car-al
relics found that can be associ- olma ; for in the valleys of Pigeon
ated, that passed away long ages liiver, the Little Tennessee and
ago. Valley Kiver, there were numer-
The discovery of raica, cut into oiis raounds, some still in good
ornamental shapes, in tlie tumuli preservati'^n, and some of them
of the vanished race known as rich in those remains which prove
the Mound Builders, whose works the identity of their <'onstructors
occupy so conspicuous a space with the widely diffused Mound
among the antiquities of the Builders. Only in one instance
northwestern States, seems to es- have I found an exception to the
tablish the identity of the inhab- general rule of the absence of tix-itants
of the plains along the Ohio ed population in the true mica
and Mississippi rivers, with the mining regions. Near Burnsville,
miners of North Carolina. The Yancey county, on the crest of a
coincidents seem to prove the ex- low ridge is an outcrop of bould-istence
of a wide-spread empire ers of very hard porphory tic rock,
at peace within all its borders, a succession of them, from ten to
with a civilization peculiar to twelve feet apart. The surface
itself, and with its own ideal of of these boulders is somewhat
luxury and personal adornment, rounded, and th^y ri^^e to the
Colonies of miijers would appear height of from four to five feet,
to have been planted among the On one of them, and only one, are
mountains to procure that wliich deeply engraved tlie foot-prints of
was prized by king, or noble, or several animals and birds, even
wealthy citizen, diifusing them,- now so distinct that those of the
selves as tiiey i'oiuid reward for larger animals are readily distin-their
search, and working Indus- guished. The track of the elk,
triously and peacefully without and the deer, of the bear, and the
fear of hostile interruption ; for wolf, thougii weather-worn, are
the one people occupied the fair- perfectly distinct. Those of the
est portion of the North American turkey, the raccoon, and of other
contin' ',1, and a strong govern- small aninifii- and birds, are legi-ment
constrained them all to or- ble to the eye of the hunter, but
der, or a pacilic temper soothed are eaten away by the tooth of
tiiem all to harmony, time. The earliest traditions of
In the most extensively worked the white settlers, reaching back
districts in the mica regions, there about one hundred years, repre-remain
no evidences that an_y sent the rock existing at that
other than a mining population period as it now is. Standing as
occupied them. Among them it does thus significantly marked
there are no earthworks, no among other rocks of precisely
m unds, and no relics such as are similar kind, but undistinguished
found in the west, or even in the by inscription, it seems fair to at-
12
tach to this one a religious char- controlling;; empire is a strong one,,
acter, and regard it as a sacred and strengthened by the remain-stone
inscribed with the totems ing evidences of a ruling similar-ol'
the tribal divisions of the peo- ity everywhere in its dominions.
pie who were detailed to work The mica works m North Caroli-the
mines, and who might gather na, in execution, though for a dif-round
it at stated times to cele- ferent object, are like those in
brate religious rites. The sue- Michigan ; the mounds in North
ceeding race of Indians proved Carolina, less in size, are identi-themselves
incom])etent to exe- cal with those in Ohio ; the fortifi-cute
such work as this : it ante- cations in Georgia, in general
dated the coming of the white features, are similar to those in
man, and therefore, must be Illinois. Everywhere was a strong
coeval with the race who worked family likeness. It was a mighty
the mica mines. people, highly cultivated to its
Mica is associated closely with ideal of civilization. Peace for a
the customs of the vanished long period was evidently the
Mound Builders ; and its presence governing principle, and its con-in
their mounds and burial places, tinuance gave opportunity for the
and the existence of the ancient undisturlied prosecution of indus-works
in North Carolina, prove trial,possibly commercial, pursuits
the wide range of their control, throughout the whole of their do-and
the communit.y of their inter- main. Long peace gave them
ests. How long since they disap- time and opportunity for the con-peared
from their tield of being is struction of the numerous mounds
beyond the recall of history or tra- which served for temples, sacriti-dition.
Of record there is none cial altars or the sepulture
except as inscribed on the surface of the distinguished dead, works
of the eartn, m their mounds and requiring the labor of vast bodies
earthworks, and the unintelligible of men, and the use of absolute-images
and ornaments found power to command and control
tlierin ; or as engraven in the them. These were the work^ of
bowels of the earth in their search peace. But it was not always
for mica in North Carolina, or for peace ; for the mighty military
copper in the northern peninsula works in Ohio, in Illinois, a:ong
of Michigan. Without doubt the the lakes, and elsewhere, point
same people, with the same object out a time of trouble, whether
of serving a great central power, anterior to that peaceful era which
executed the same works ; the permitted them distant explora-same
people filled the vast area tions for mica and copper, or
embraced between these widely which is more probable, thrown
separated points of mining Indus- up in the latter stages of their
try. The presumption of the ex- nationality, when their enemies
istenc-e of one vast, united, and pressed upon them, and when the
18
liii;;l st.ru2:,alo for existence took indicate, a nation, in the fulness
pirtce, ending in expulsion or ex- of their power, occupying the
termination. upper valleys of the Tennessee
Their existence of which they river as far west as Muscle 8hoals,
have left indisputable evidence and thence eastward into all the
iu mine and mound, can hardly muunlain iiighiands of the Caroli-be
called a chapter in the world's nas ami. (Jeoriiia. This is one of
history. It is unwritten, and in- the many of the powerful nations
capable of being written. But to or tribes that possessed the terri-the
American, their mysterious tory east of the Mississippi river,
being must always have intense those at the south, m addition to
interest. For the indelible though the Uherokees, being the Ureeks,
vati'ue footprints left by the van- Ohoctaws and Chickasaws, all of
i^hed race tell him that what is them now i-emoved, with tlie ex-called
the Xew World, had, long ception of the fragment of the
before his day. long before Ool- Cherokees remainiuii in Western
umbus !iad dreamed of unknown North Carolina, to their reserva-continents,
long before the daring tions beyond the Mississippi. i3e-
?vorthmen had touched upon the tween tlie'^e existing races and
verdant (H>asts of \'inelaad, been those prehistoric people termed
the seat of empire, been the hive the Mound Builder.-, remains of
of a teeming population, been tlie works exist among us in the form
home of a peculiar, thorigh eth- of mound and mining operations,
cient form of civilization. Long ethnologists, like Major Powell,
before the Northmen, this empire incline to rhe belief in identity of
had fallen to pieces, the abundant race. It is dillicult to maintain
population had been extermina- or deny such proijosition.
ted ; and ages afterwards that civ- The trace of the Mound Build-ilization
had been succeeded by ers is totally lost, except as found
the savagery of a fierce, blood- in tiie works referred to. the
thirsty and irreclaimable race modern or surviving Indians have
whose rapid extinction, vrhen no traditions whatever on the
brought in contact with the forces subject. KnovvTedge of the pre-of
modern civilization prove historic races is as much lost to
clearly their want of identity and them as to us. If any inference
connection with the race of the can be draw^n from the habits of
Mound Builders, of the mica the races known as Indians as ex-mines
of the mountains of North istmg at the time of the discovery
Carolina. of America down to the period of
Within sixty miles of this spot their almost total disappearance
is a large remnant of one of the from among us, it would be safe
great existing aboriginal tribes, to conclude that they were totally
They are the Cherokees, "the well distinct, and that there never was
beloved" as the name is said to a peaceful association between
14
tiifin. Th ' Imliun \va^ predatory they were, though of vast diiiicn
and war]ii\e in hahil. en gained in sions, and spread o\-er wide ex-continuous
ip.tertnba] or distant tent of territory, the population
wars, su insisting ijy the chase, dis- must Jiave been a dense one; to
duining agriculrural and pastoral liave become such, it must have
life, clearing away no forests, ex- been in peaceful and uncontested
cept such space as was needed for occu]»ation of its lands; and to
their villages, and the little patch- support such population its pur-es
for their corn, beans, and suits must have been larirefy ag-pumpkins,
competeijt oiily to iiie riculturai; and to have executed
simplest forms of manuiVictures. works so similar in design and
and making and using the rudest object, found in the wide area
of rools. Such a people required from the great lakes to the sliores
for their subsistence vast areas of of the Gulf of Mexico, and among
territory ; for only in such could the mountains of North Carolina,
the supply of game long re- it must have been under the
sist the continued encroachments dominion of one sovereign lord or
upon it. The population must chief v/ith full knowledge or bis
therefore have been widely scat- power, and full sense of his se-tered,
and necessarilj" relatively curity ; and also perfect control
small. Bancroft, after the most over the organization and distri-careful
estimates, conidudes that bution of his forces and supplies,
its total strength on this side of These works were mostly of a
the Mississippi did not exceed peaceful character, mounds or
180,000. temples, for sacrifice or worship,
We may infer, on the contrary, and mica pits for procuring a ma-from
the traces of Mound Build- teriai for commercial purposes or
ers that remain to us that they applicable to the uses of luxury,
were a people peaceful in temper, Some of those works on the Ohio
settled in habit, industrious, fixed and Mississippi were of a mili-in
locality, somewhat skilled in tary character, possibly erected
manufactures, given to agricul- in the later days of this prehis-tural
pursuits, not civilized ac- toric empire, when dangers long
cording to our ideals, but with in- unknown began to press upon a
digenous institutions that raised peaceful people. Who these peo-them
far above the condition of pie were there is not the faintest
savagery, with native original ground for conjecture. They
forms of religion, and governed by were most certainly distinct from,
laws and customs that secured and predecessors of, the existing
order, peace and patient submis- races of Indians, whom ethnolog-sion
to a settled government of a ists generally concur in deriving
form perhaps absolute and of from the Mongolian tribes of
wide sway. To execute their im- Northeastern Asia. When or
mense works, rude iu structure as w^here they reached the American
15
contirieut is beyond tlie lueans of upon a peopli' unable to resis*^
ascertaining;. With the charac- them, and sweepint: them away
teristic tendency of the Northern from rhe face of the earth with-
Asia-ic races to migrate and ex- out catcliinir a ray of that Jiiihtof
terminate all weaker races that civilization which seemed to have
lie in their patli of movement, it been beaming so genially upon
is very probable that at length those now vanished, perhaj)? or-they
fell upon the races of the iginal, occupants of the North
Mound Builders, become ener- American continent.
vated by long ages of unwarlike — -«i—<»»—
existence, and extirpated them. iS«-»»»5«i«ceBBre!^ or t«? Yeai-?* Ago.
Evidently the two races were Wonderful changes have been
distinct. The Mound Builders wrought in this mountain coantry
had i-ome form of order, govern- in 40 years. Some of them—most
ment and civilization. The pres- of them for the better—po.=;sibIy
ent race of Indians had nothing some for the worse—40 years ago
tiiat can be called such. And they '"Charleston'' and '• Augusta'- were
neither adopted, nor inherited, if onr depots, think of it, 30 to CO
identity be asserted, anything days in going and returning from
from the pre-existing occupants "depot!" Our people then thought
of the lands the}'- seized. Civiliza- little or nothing of hitching uij
tion. even in its ruder forms, four or six mules, once or twice a
does not readily perish ; it does year, and starting to "market" as
not wholly part with all the ac- 'twas called, with 40 or 50 huii-quisitions
it has made. Belapse dred pounds of bacon and lard,
from such a state into perfect bar- liour and corn meal, dried fruit,
barism can never be complete.Even apples and chestnuts—they would
in the deepest degradation into go to one or the other of these
which any civilized races of which depots and in exchange w^ould
history is cognizant have fallen, bring back a barrel or tw^o of mo-there
are always found traces of lasses and sugar, a keg or so of
its original higher estate. Abso- rice, a few^ sacks of salt and cof-lute
savagery can only be reached fee, a little iron, a hundred or two
by complete separation from civ- pounds of nails and a box or so
ilized man ; and when savage dry goods ; but the roads then
races overcome those who are were charming. I can remember
civilized, they cannot escape the when the road from Asheville to
ameliorating influences of the Warm Springs, every foot of it,
vanquished people unless relent- was better than any half-mile of
less ferocity dictate total extirpa- Asheville streets. "Old Col. Cun-tion.
This, I conclude, was the ningham" with "mule and cart"
course pursued by the invading and two or three hands traversed
Mongolian, now our present it from beginning to end of year,
American Indian, swooping down removing every loose stone and
10
smoolhiiiu: up every place. All Kvery house, almost alonii; tisis
travel then was by private con- road was a hotel, and uios,t of
veyanee or stage. there beioii' sev- them well kept, commencing, one
eral fonr-horse coaches running four miles from town, a not her
out from Asheville daily. Tiiis 5, another 71, an ther 10, anotlier
mode of travel, liked i:)y l)Ut few, loip, another Iti, then 18, 21, 22,
always had a charm for me. \A^hen 28, 8;->, •>!, Ml, -M> aixi 47. Many of
a boy the highest of my ambition them have entirely gone, and
was to V)e a ''stage-driver.*' and I actually the iii'ound upon ^vhil:h
have never entirely out-grown it! someof tiiemstood has disappear-
There i< something exhilerating ed. The road, witii a few pointc,
in sitting behind a good ''four-in- excepted, is but a wreck of it-s
hand'' team found in no other former self. It was once the great
mode of traveling. connecting link between Ken-
Notwithstanding this seeming tu(»ky, Tennessee, vSouth Carolina
lack of progress, this being be- and Georgia, and the travel over
hind the times, there were sec- it was immense. All the iiorses,
tions of this country very far mules, cattle, sheep and hogs were
ahead of what they are ro-d.ay. driven over this route from the
Take the territory along this same hrst mentioned States to the lat-road
from "Asheville to Warm ter, and tlie quantities of each
Springs,'' for example, the lands and al.l used then was very much
were in a high state of cultivation, greater than now. in October,
exceedingly high, a great deal of November and ])e*'ember, there
it, ae one would infer in passing was almost a continuous string of
along ihe foot of many steep hills hogs from Taint itock to Asheville,
and looking up to top, see'uingly 1 have known 10 to 12 droves^,
almo-d perpendi('ular ; and yet 1 containing from ;^00 to one or two
have ploughed over some of the thousand stop over night and feed
worst of them many a day, and at one of these stands or hotels.
was often indignant at the stir- Eacii drove was lotted to itself
prise expressed, and sarcastic re- and corned by the wagon-load,
marks made by the passer-by. the w^agon being driven through
One would ask if we done our each lot with 10 or a dozen men
planting with ''shot-guns !" an scattering the corn right, left and
other, when were we going to rear, the load emptied and the
move, he saw we had our lands ground litterally covered. The
rolled up ready for a start ! The drivers of these hogs were fur-
"Kentucky horse drovers" would mshed large rooms, with immense
say the water of the "French log-heap fire places and a blanket
Broad" w^as so worn out, by or two each, that they furnished
splashing and dashing over, and themselves. They would form a
against the rocks that it was ac- circle upon the bare floor, their
tually not fit for a horse to drink, feet to the fire, and thus pass the
17
niirlit ; that they slept, 1 need not being necessary to save the meati
tell you. After driving 20 to 50 when they were slaughtered and
hogs Iroin daylight to dark they converted into bacon and lard,
could eat without coaxing and which was later hauled to Augus-sleep
without rocking. The trav- ta and Charleston, as mentioned
el o\ er this thorough-fare was the in hrst part of arti(de.
life of tae country. ^Jorn then This 'Tiog-killing'' was a big
was the staple production; the time, "'a-wa-fore-tiay'"' (as the ne-culture
of tobacco was n.ot thought groes. who were tiie principal par-of.
These hotel-men,many of tliem. ticipants, would say) 20 to 30
kept little stores, bartered or sold hands would build immense log-eveything
on a credit, in the fall heap hres, with lirst a layer of
they would advertise tiiat on cer- wood and then a layer of stone,
t">in days they would receive corn this continued until satisfactory
in payment of "store accounts." dimensions were reached, the fire
and then the farmers would be- applied and kept burning until
stir themselves ; they would com- the stones reached a red heat. In
mence delivernig frequently by the meantime a platforjn had
daylight and continue it until been madeout of puncheons, slabs
midnight. 1 have seen these corn or heavy plank, at the end of
wagons strung out for a mile and which and very near the lire a
as thick as they could be wedged, large hogshead (or scalding tub)
they were more anxious to pay hlledwith waterwasplaced. Then
accounts then than now ; but it the hot stones were transferred to
was pay or no credit next year, the water until proper tempera-
Each merchant liad his trade, and ture was reached for scalding, and
there was no getting in debt to a certain number of hogs having
one then skip to anotlier. The been shot and ''stuck,'' (bled by
prices allowed for corn was al- sticking long knives in throat)
most invariably 50 cents per two stout men jjlunge each hog
bushel, the hotel-men furnishing into the hot water and twist and
it to drovers at about 75 cents turnhirnaboutuntilthehairwould
and charge them 20 to 25 cents slip, when he is drawn out and
per diet (as 'twas called) mean- turned over to other hands, who
ing that much per meal for their with knives, etc., removed all the
drivers, taking the whole in lame hair, then taken and hung by
hogs at so much per pound or a hind legs, head down, on a long
due bill from the manager to be horizontal pole, washed and
paid as they returned home after scraped down, opened and en-having
made sale of stock, rarely trals removed, then after cooling,
ever any cash paid. These lame cut to pieces, hams, shoulders and
hogs taken on bills, were kept middlings, and salted down, the
until suitable time for killing, fat having been taken from all
governed by weather, a cold spell parts was stewed out into lard
18
How well 1 renicnibef tlie enjoy- enough to stund alone were su^-
nient I had on these occasions. ]iended on nails nenv tiie
in broiling upon the hot stones, writer. Tliese school werv^ pai<l
the "iiieltR,"" making a delicacy for from a pnl)]ir fund—rlie
that I think v/ould be relished teacher boardiuii- with the scholars
even now, and in blowing-up and —the common plan was for all to
bursting the '•bladders.'' fre<iuent- study aloud—and universally so
ly saving up a lot of them for when getting the "'spelling lesson"
''Christmas guns.'''' As I grew —this was the concluding exer-older
I added to these sports, that cises and exciting part of inside
of shooting the hogs. programme; tvv^o of the good
How different in this '"long ago" spellers of the school were ap-was
educational matters—no Kin- pointed by the tea(dier as captains,
dergarten. Graded or Normal they made selections for their re-
Schools—in lieu of all was the spective sides in the spelling
old-field school, only one or two match—deciding which should
frequently in a county, and they have first choice—some times by
only in session outside of ""crop "wet or dry," whicli was tested by
tiine^'^ and then attended by little spitting upon a chip and tossing
and big, old and young, some- it up—the captain tossing, saying,
times as many as a hundred, all "wet or dry," the other saying
jamed in one room—a log cabin, which, and if lucky in guessing
fire place in each end—puncheon which side would turn up, he had
floor, slab benches, and no win- choice, if not the tosser had it.
dows, except a part of a log cut Another plan \vas "cross or pile."
out here and there. The "Pede- when a knife was nsed in same
gogue" in charge (and no matter way, the side of handle with or-how
large the school), but one, nament being cross. Some of these
prided himself upon his knowl- "old Pedagogues" were very rid g-edge
of and efficiency in teaching ed in discipline—almost tyrants
the three "R's," (Reading, Riting —a day without several flogings
and Rithmetic), and npon his was unusual. They sometimes
ability to use effectively "the resorted to queer plans to catch
rod," a good suj^ly being always up with mischievous scholars;
kept in stock. We must know, one I distinctly remember (not
too, how to make a quill pen from necessary to say why I so distinct-the
wing feather of goose or tur- ly remember it), was to pnt the
key, steel and gold pens not hav- school on its behaviour and to
ing come into general use. The leave the building—cut round to
ink used was made from "ink- some crack or opening and watch
balls"—sometimes from polkber- inside movements—this watching
ries, and was kept in little slim generally resulted in something,
vials partly filled with cotton—^ The outside sports made bearable
these vials not having base all inside oppression. "Base,"
19
'''C'aY.r''''*Bu]l IVtv' TiTid -"•jMiirfei's" fV>w- others, \vlio bonsted of their
W'Tc the leadiui: a\m[ .popr.lar ''fast teams," would drive i'rom
gM^iiiOs, and vrere en.te-retl into Asjieville to Warm Springs for
with a zest and tin e>iJthnsi;v-m dinner. 1 do not reu.ember much
urikuown in these tijsies. 'I'he of the bnsiness of Ashevilh' 4<>
seasalionai occurranct- of a ses- years ago. 1 suppose 1 had been
sioii was. however, t!i<* chase given in the tov.'n about once ; but IcCo
some party, who in passing, would or three things seemed to have
hollow ''srhool butter"—said par- impressed me, one, ''Mrs. CocJiea's
ty always took the precaution to candy shop," and the Sheriff,
be at a safe distance, and to have from the steps of a little court
a iiood start, and stood not upon house situated about where the
the order of going, but went for "electric tower" stands on the
all that was in him ; for to be ta- square, on the top of a steep red
ken was to be roughly handled— clay hill extending to the branches
soused in some creek, pond or on either side, crying, "John King-mnd
hole. The pursu'n's were caid I John Kingcaid ! ! John
eager and determined, sometimes Kingcaid!!! Come into court as
following for miles and miles, and you are bound to do this day, or
had but small fear of being pun- forfeit your sul)p'ena." That
ished for neglect of studies; on rang in my ears for ten years, and
the contrary, the offence was of I can almost hear it to-day. Later
so high an order (and I never un- I became a citizen of Asheville,
derstood just why), that some- when she had gotten up a boom,
times the teacher would join in and boasted of live or six stores,
the race. all carrying general stocks, no
Well, what of "Asheville" in special lines. The town was then
these long-past years? It was owned pretty much by a few in-about
like Leister or Marshall— dividuals, Pattons, Smith, Wood-a
very small village, on the "turn- fin; and a man to have opened
pike," midway between the two up a "Keal Estate Ofhce," would
Greenvilles, The two "hotels," have been adjudged a lunatic and
Eagle and Buck, even many years sent to an asylum, had there been
later, not doing near the buisness one to send him to.
of many of the "country inns" I commenced my business ca-heretofore
mentioned—any one reer where now stands the "Eirst
stopping at either of them longer National Bank," my employers
than dinner or for the night, was being, Bacus J. Smith, Robert B.
not thought of ; the few "summer Vance and Adolphus E. Baird.
visitors," who would sometimes They were to pay me $75 for the
make a short stop in passing year and board ; but in the big-through
to "Deavers Springs," ness of their hearts (and they
(now Carrier's), or to "Warm were everyone men of big hearts)
Springs." Wade Hampton and a they paid me considerably more*
20
^Vi!h nie were, .lames V. S.iwyev
and Maj. J\obt. L. Coleman.
( 'a the Dlckerson corner was
Alonfreville I^attou's store, clerks,
Layfayette Brevard and Will
Roberts. At the Bon Marche,
was Rankin (t Pulliam's, presided
over by Hr^rry Deaver Mnd Ani-brose
Gaines. At the Bearden ^k
Rankin stand, was James W. Pat-ton,
who also owned and ran the
Eaiile Hotel, just opposite. The
salesmen here w^ere James M.
Blair and >Sam Kerr. Where the
"iSational Bank stands was Hugh
.Johnson'^ estal^lishment.in charge
of E. Sluder. Fenniman's, was
ov\']ied ijy James Smith, also
owner ;uid proprietor of Buck
Hotel, just opposite, the store in
charge of his sons, Jesse an>l John
and John U. Roberts. i'revty
much all trade was for produce
or upon a twelve months credit,
but few cash transactions.
The most singular thing to look
back to was that the grand scen-ery
and the wonderful climate
was never alluded to, and seem-ingly
not thought of; and yet jt
was here (the scenery) in all its
primitive boldness and pristine
beauty. The climate piled up
mountain high, nowhere equaled,
•certainly nowhere surpassed.
Respectfully,
James M. Ray.
Col. L. M, Hatch has been re-cjuested
to deliver an address be-fore
the Lyceum Society, on the
Poets of South Carolina. The
address will appear in the Janu-ary
issue of the Lyceum.
litsasi.
[Copy Riiiiu Reserved by the Avillior.]
Of Western X'jrtli Carolina.
My native land I sin;;;
From Maine to Cnlilornia,
(31il let lier |jrai>ep rinLT-Iji
ylor'ous soiin let her l)e pi'ai5v.'(i.
Because of scenes so grand
—
Because her rocks and hills \'. ere
raised
By the Ahnighty hand.
Ten thousand pens now write iier
naine
All over Land and sea;
And thousands more wilUlo the same,
Ere time shall cease to he.
I love her towering mountains—
Her hills and vales so sure
—
I lo\e her gurgling" fountains
Of waters, cool and pure.
Her healing springs invite the \'\'eak
To drink and be restored
—
From almost every mountain peak
Clear, healing streams are poured.
Her hills are full of precious gem,-.
Of every grade and hue,
To hll the royal diadems
Of kings and queens most true.
Not oi\\\ is sht rich in mines,
P>ut in licr forests, too
—
Whe.e poniiroLis oaks and stately
]jines
Arc growr; tor man to hew.
Ten thousand streams flow tl;rcugh
her hills,
Ot waters deep and pure,
To turu for man his various mills,
And make his fortune sure.
Her pasture lands are rich indeed.
On which iine cattle grow;
Her farms produce the finest seed
For man to reap and mow.
Her luctous fruits and sparkling wines
The world will seldom beat;
Within her bounds the stranger finds
Sweet rest from cold or heat.
21
I know not where I'll sro to tiTid
A better land than ours
—
We've fruits of almost every kind;
The land is strewn with flowers.
I wish ni}' pen was made of ;^old
To write m3' country's name
—
Because the half can ne'er be told
' >f beauty, wealth and fame.
I'd love to dwell forever here,
Amid these nunmtains high,
And breathe this glorious a tmosjjhere.
And know that God is nigh.
But God forbids that man shall live
Be\-ond the allotted time
—
So I must yield to Him who'll give
Sweet rest beyond this clime.
Fk.\nk Poindextek.
Waynesville, N. C.
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In all the southern states there
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than Spartanburg, S C.
'.^ach was founded about one hun-dred
years ago. Roth grew into
respectable towns of about 8,000
people before the war. The boom
struck Spartanburg first, begin-ning
about 1876, and reached
Asheville a few years later. That
\vhich so solidly built up Spartan-burg
was her fine schools, the
erection of great cotton factories,
an.d the building of new railroads.
The erection of great hotels and
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and the completion of the Wes-tern
N.O. and Asheville and Spar-tanburg
railroads put Asheville on
the high tide of progress. The
advancement of both towns has
^Deen solid and bids fair to become
very comprehensive. Asheville
real estate has already advanced
in price far ahead of Spartanburg
real estate simply because that
kind of property in Spartanburg
has not until recently been offer-ed
to the people outside of that
city. We are confident that,
while property in that city will
demand strongprices in the future,
yet bargains were made in Spar-tanburg
dirt which will yield large
profits. It will not be two years
until such lots as were bought at
the recent sale, will brins: to the
purchasers at least three hundred
per cent, on prices paid. We
w^ould advise all who wish such
profits or to own and improve lots
in Asiieville's sister city, to keep
their eyes on Spartanburg.
The beautiful and flourshing
city of vSpartanburg had her first
auction of town lots on September
2-1,1890. People have long known
that sometime'^ it occurs that an
old maid turns young and sets
out anew and catches more beaux
than any young girl. Spartan-burg
u as 80 years a dignified, pop-ular,
winning maiden, never seem-ing
to grow older, always fair and
lovely. Mr. Solid Progress has
for years past been paying his ad-dresses
to her. But within the
last few weeks Mr. Land Boom
passed this way and fell deeply
in Jove with the city of the Spar-tans.
The little lady has deport-ed
hereself with all her charms,
and her praise is on every tongue.
To change the metaphor to facts
and figure", the land sale was a
beautiful success. The land com-pany
were pleased. On Wednes-day,
Sept. 24, over thirty lots were
sold at prices low enough to invite
and encourage bidders, and iiigh
enough to yield the company a
handvSome profit.
The Spartanburg Land Com-pany
are here to stay. It is com-posed
of Joseph Walker, J. B.
Cleveland, Arch B. Calvert, AV.
K. Burnett, W. A. Law, and T. H.
23
I'anuoii. Each of these uames
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of about 12,000 inhabitants, situ-ated
about 2,250 feet above sea
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Spartanburg is a progressive,
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churches, three banks with $300,-
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deposits, has money in hand
to build electric railway system
fourteen miles long, and company
organized for $100,000 hotel.
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24
The Sable Yl av.
by a confederate soldier,
[continued from no. 6.] ,
XIII.
Xo sooner had the impassioned words
Of the martyred Lincohi died away,
Than I saw standing about where he stood.
Another strange form, unlike all the rest.
In face like a different race of men,
Yet the spirit of a man immortal.
This eager soul next broke the sad silence,
With eloquent words, peculiar to his race:
"I am the soul of an old Virginia slave.
My parents lived and died in bondage,
As did all my children, in after days.
]My children's children are now with the free.
Long ago death set me tree from bondage.
Long I have watched, from the spirit land,
The bond and the free, the good and the evil.
Of botli rcices, and their conditions.
Long I endured the sighs and the sorrows
Of my race, in the toils and the tears
Of black slavery, m^-self in bondage.
I have studied the ways of man and God,
As glorified souls alone cjin see them.
Men have pronounced slavery a black curse
And wrong to the poor chatteled black men;
Thus expending their pity and passicju,
To avenge these wrongs on their own brothers,
In Sable War, to free us from bondage.
Oh! how little do the wisest of men,
In mortal flesh, know of just Providence!
All races of men, the bond and the free.
Are guided andguarded by Jehovah.
Black slaver3' has blessed iny lowly race.
Lifting us up from savage ignorance,
Through bondage, to freedom's inheritance,
Equal with mortals of the ruling race.
Whose religion and language, we have learnt;
Whose inventions, and civilization,
And government, my once ignored tribes,
Now learned, free £ind exalted, enjo3'.
In the land of the brave, home of the free.
All these boons, my dusky race obtained.
By bondange and training under kind masters
Of Anglo-Saxon race, in Sunny South.
Toiling, sighing and longing ror freedom.
My imtutored race served their superiors
For long \-ears, in the school of black bondage;
We were paid by Providence in rich coins
Of liberty, and knowledge, and manhood.
25
My race neither slew nor were slain in war
To gain these blessinjjjs so dear to mortals.
God ,^ave us bondage and sweet liberty.
But black slavery, alas! was a wrong
And a curse to the cause ol" liberty,
It blasted earth's model of government,
Dividing the house of freemen and brothers;
Wrongnd the whites, rending their hearts and homes
By raging revenge and burning hot wrath,
AVhich covered the plains of Columbia
With the slain sons of the white ruling race.
In bloody war, with direful frenzy fought.
Human blood and tears flowing as a flood
From brave Caucasian hearts, brothers
Pierced in Sable War against black slavery.
Now in my vision, a new scene appear'd,
Which filled my soul with wonder and delight;
Till m\- dying day shall I see no more
A sight so radient of shining souls;
A vast throng moved slowly towards the frotit,
Where sat the placid goddess of liberty;
And then I saw a majestic si^rit.
Clothed like a hero, perfect human form.
Brave, but innocent brow, so genth- pure
That an infant would be lulled to sleep
By the rolling of his benevolent eyes;
A mien so courageous as to disarm
A tyrant exulting in victory.
By the sweetness of a soldier's look.
I thought I knew this mighty human soul.
It was, indeed, the great immortal Lee.
Standing close b}* him were Stonewall Jackson
And Stewart, A. Sydney Johnson and Polk,
And scores of the daring sons of the South
"Who led in sable war; and m^^'iads
Of tlie rank and file, nameless though they were.
Stood thick and eager in the shining throng.
Who fought and fell, dying in sable war.
Under great Lee and his brave captains
—
All watching for the moving of his lips.
All waiting for the music of his voice.
Heard oft in tented fields; the lather's voice.
Cheering the humblest of his soldier boys.
Heard oft before on battle fields of hlnod;
The chieftain's voice, inspiring to deeds of death.
In that sable war, heard last and loudest
(>n the fated field of Appomattox.
All were waiting, and I alone ^veeping;
For I am sure 1 saw my soldier brothers,
In the spiritual throng, who followed Lee,
And fell in that sabel war .
26
The "oddess
Then rose, and with divine compassion said:
"Tlie spirit of the beloved!—Lee will speak."
Responding most gently, the great hero said:
"Immortal spirits of Columbian fame,
Great souls of our fathers—faithful heroes,
August is this assenibh" the occasion
Isgrfind; the subjects full of heavy truths.
To know which, and to proclaim to living men,
The cause of the great sable war, we fought,
Has brought these mighty spirits in council,
Here in this sacred Olympian mount.
I was born and reared on Virginia's soil;
Drank from Monticello's pure fountain.
The waters of Jeffensonian freedom;
And ate the vital brejid of independence.
Golden grain that grew on the verdant fields
Of Mount Vernon, sacred soil, made rich
By the sweat and toil of great Washington.
1 learned to love and serve a sovereign State,
The soil that gave me birth, my mother land.
1 learned to love my nation, made ver3' dear
As the work of my patriot father's.
I served mj' nation long, fought in her wars,
Carrying her victorious flags
Westward, spreading the nation's boundaries
Bevond the golden hills and silver plains.
Along the ocean shores of California.
Ves, I love my nation as my own life,
But loved Virginia as m^- own mother.
Alas! the long impending conflict came.
Black slavery burst the nation in two,
As an earthquake splits a solid mountain.
Heaped across the opening chasm deep.
To catch and save m^- falling mother State,
Black slaverA' drew that historic line,
.\nd built that long black wall across the land;
It dug the tunnels, filled with blackest death.
Which Ijurst asunder our great republic.
And filled the hollow earth with hosts of slain,
111 the sai:>le war for black slavery waged
—
That sad sable war that sank the Southern
Cause, and hurled to Hades, my firy hosts
—
Myriads of the bravest men of earth;
But the day is past and the cause is lost.
Death has released me from the bloody earth,
To join these brave souls in the spirit land.
Virginia still lives, the republic stands.
But black slavery went down in the deep
r)cean, made Vilack and gor}- by sa'nlc war."
Tlien. in my drefun, I saw no sorrowful
Spirit, in all that throng of immortals,
While great Lee sjjoke nor when he closed his S])eech.
[Concluded in next number.]