Whenever he cast his eyes in their direction, there they stood firm and immovable.
His pure and lofty soul had an affinity for all things grand and he was always happy, even from childhood, when he could sit undisturbed and gaze at the mountains, huge and lofty, rising in such unconquerable grandeur, upward toward the sky.

Belton chose the mountain as the emblem of his life and he besought God to make him such in the moral world.
At length he tore himself loose from the scenes of his childhood, and embracing his fond mother, left Winchester to begin life in the city of Richmond, the capital of the old Confederacy.

Through the influence of Mr.King, his benefactor, he secured a position as a teacher in one of the colored schools of that city.
The principal of the school to which Belton was assigned was white, but all the rest of the teachers were young colored women.

On the morning of his arrival at the school building Belton was taken in charge by the principal, and by him was carried around to be introduced to the various teachers.

Before he reaches a certain room, let us give you a slight introduction to the occupant thereof.
Antoinette Nermal was famed throughout the city for her beauty, intelligence and virtue.