The North-Carolinian. [volume] (Fayetteville [N.C.]) 1839-1861, 1858-10-16
NORTH CAR0LINTAN.
Ed AYETTETILLE, N. c..
From the Macon TelegraDb.
A Statesman's Home

AS the traveller passes over the Georgia
Rail Road from Atlanta to Augusta, he will
observe on The summit ola ridge on the out
skirts Of the village OF Charlottesville. two
story wooden house we'll shaded by a grove Of
venerable oaks. and with lawn in front gently
sloping to the south, planted with no great re-
gard to order in shrubbery and fruit trees
Inc mouse is without any pretension to mod
ern architectural style-but is built after the
fashion and in conformity with the. .plans of the
country residences Ct wealthy Georgia Plant-
ers thirty yeurs ago =
This modest mansion, with its novel and at
| tractIVe surroundings, is the domicil of gen
teman who has "ccupied no small share of
public attention for the last fifteen years. He
| is known 10 his immediate circle of friends as
'Aleck"-to his neigbbors and acq,iaintances
OF fa'Iaferro county as esquire Stephens
and to the Republic at large as 'Stephens of
Georgia" The name of Alexander Ste
phens, is household word in the Eighth Con
gressional District
Mr. Stephens began to practice law in Craw-
fordsv'le about the year 1884, and boarded in
the family Of the estimable gentlemen who re-
sided in, and owned the house to which we have
referred Above At his death, Mr. Stephens
was left his Executor and at the sale Of the
real Estate, became the purchaser of the honse
and twenty acres of land adjonng-and has
resided there since that time when not an at
fendaht on public duties at Washington Un-
til recently no material changes were made in
the house, and even to the front view it
stands as originally bn!t-two stories-porch
with plain colunrs-eight rooms passage in
the middle, &c. Recently, two rooms intended
for library and bed chamber, and a small! and
airy passage have been added to the house
North OF the mansion and on the slope of
hill is the Garden, Orchard and Vineyard. asd
if a visitor in the month of August should tar
ry a day in the quiet village near by and should
crafty pa, donable curiosity by looking over
nj. E,1 o1o
variety of fruits-peaches, pears, apples, staw-
berries grapes, &c. While strolling over the
Garden if the visitor will cast his eye North
Eastward, he will see the smoke curling from
the chmneys of farm house about two mil es
distant and on the highest point of land in the
circuit of his vision.
This is the treasured spot above all others to
Mr. Stephens 1t is his family homestead the
place where his grandfather settled shortly
after the Revolnten-the place where his fa-
! the! lived and died. and the place npon which
the Statesman was born. A ride of half hour
over a broken but beautiful country will bring
You to the farm, and on the right of the road
| and but short distance from the farm build
ings, on the top of Hill. is the spot where his
| father lived. The buildings have all been re-
moved, and there are no ira to the eye of
stranger left to mark the spot, but they are
indelib!y impressed upon the memory of Mr.
Stephens-Just under that clump of trees is
the spring still flowing pure and free, from
which he drank, near by is the grove Of wide
spreading oaks under whose refreshing and
friendly shade he was accustomed to pIav-and
| all around are the hills over which he Chamber.
ed when boy. All these mementoes of youth
are treasured recoIIections with a man whose
name is famous for elnquence. learning aud pa
| triOtism. from the Arostook to the Rio Grande
And 1t is refreshing to observe the influences of
home and hearth and youthful associations
| nron SO exalted IA nature and such lofty in
| teilect-to see great man with such affections
glowing, spreading and kndling with tremu-
lous feeling over the recolections of early home
and hoyhood, in thisautitarian practical. un-
| romantic age, makes one feel and know that
| the "great events with which old story ringsv
are not all vain and hollow Reader, pardon
he episode. The farm, at the death of the
| father of Mr. Stephens, sold and went into
possession of stran! .ers to the blood but as
| soon as the yonng lawyer secured the means he
rc-purchased the old homestead. The lands have
been in cultivation for more than half century,
but by iudicious system of manuring, ditchirg
| and drainage, many fields which were turned
oHt exhausted and worthless, have been re-
claimed. aud under the improved methods of
cultivation, yielded return for labor almost
equal to virgin soil. About four miles west of
Cra W fordsvile and in full view Of the Rail
Road may be seen the vineyard of Mr. AK. who
has been so successful i'll making wine from our
native grape.
Inc experiments OF MF "A WIN the grape
conclusively demonstrate that Middle Georgia,
in climate and soil, is peculiarly adapted to
the cultivation of the vine and that vineyards
may he made source Of revenue to the Geor-
gia Planter. Acting upon this idea, MIR Ste
phens has made auspicious beginning-hs
vines at mis- home and farm place thrifty
aud promising, and if the are propitious
next year, shall not be surprised to see and
hear frequent mention made by connoisenrs Of
the marvellous flavor and fruity virtues of Ste
phens' Catawba of the vintage of '59. So mote
it be.
We understand that Mr. AK, has a large
supply of superior wines for sale. The dry
Catuwha of the vintage Of $50 being the best
This last having passed muster in Washington
and Savannah places. where to use the lam
gnace of friend about another NATTER there
are many good judges.
The chief charm however, of the old house
and its appurtenances agreeable they are. is
in the host. Let stranger visit this hospita-
BILE home-see the devotion Of his servants
the love and affection of his friends-his simple,
unaffected and charming manners-lsten to
his words of wisdom his instructive conversa-
tion-his agreeable "reminiscences Of past times
and the great men who figured on the stage of
action when he first entered the political arena
let him learn from his neighbors, as he surely