New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-03-24
mind The visitor that be lie net In the agricultural re-
gicns Of Pepnsyfvanis- .,o o,a

covered bridge of SOpes River and come IN sight OF
the block house where jackson and Cohce kePs
store and contracted for the building OF eoiI srec
pile without iphabitapt y, TO ruin runs,ns h.
ter of house in large field Near by is inta5
tom, where John Donelson encamPeat a., 1 crmber.
corn and lost bis crop by an overflow % hr.ss and
land: where too General jackson ran nis 40 oSnn
strobe IRENE ndous TO the rescue OF f@E'N
aiding knee-deep in dnIef. ,h,,sand acres
Som ve reach the Hermitage farm, u VI ,neaa ,hs
in extent; four hundred cleared anu uv less 40 than
rest forest-ihick lofty, lux9ranti only le'' man.
,bs forssts Of Western New York or ONO. NO mai
son vet In sight, however. WHAT 10 tns m.nu'e cur
fec Of brick TOO email for ecqSoi ho.S w Shnrcb
ia,e 1or lodqei That is the f1eeoylensn Cnuieh
JsoL son built for the solaoe OF his we,
coon af,er she Joined the Churehi ana soiace n9eeo
4 Was TO the good lady, and to her religious TRENDS IN
the uephborho0d. IL STANDS quite hohe in i"ho, Vu'
~ SIGHT of the Hermitage
Now we leave the turnpike and turn INTO private
road straight, narrow quarter OF nile long, 'he
land ON both sides dead level. We come 70 low
iron gate in white wooden frame, which admits us 10
an avenue of yourg eedars, ending in grove through
which guitar-shaped lawn is visible. But still no
bonte Not till the carriage begins TO wind about the
lawn within very few wards Of the front door, does
TIE mansion disclose itself 10 view-so level Is the
land so dense the surrounding evergreen fohage we
aeht at length, the stone steps OF the piazza ana
the Hermitage is before rs.
1t isnot very spacious building, and very far indeed
from being an elegant one. two-story brick house.
with double piazza both in front and In the rear the
piazza wooden and painted white, supported Dy tnck
grooved pillars of the same material and color The
Aoers Of the lower piazza Of stone, and each END
terminates in wing of the house. Just behind the edi-
fee is large garden, with pebbIed paths, and beds
bordered with bricks. The rooms are lofty, rather
small, and plainly furnished. The parlors are hung
with portraits of the General and his friends, Coffee,
Bronaueh, GadsdeD Eaton, and others. There is
portrait of Mrs. jackson in while satin, topaz eweiy,
low neck and short sleeves fat forty, but not fair In
the hall are busts of Edward Livingston, Mr. Cas- and
| Levi Woodbury..
One would have expected to find the stables of such
lover Of horses extensive and commodous; but they
are neither One building of unhewn logs, with stalls
shelter Of the huge family COACH all the outbud.
| iDes that now remain. The negro cabins, some OF
logs and few of brick, scattered about the farm,
instead CT forming compact little street. as Is often
| the case en- large plantations.
General Jackson az we have mentioned before, was
vipilant and successful farmer. His tastes and hsb-
its were simple and farmer Ike as are those OF South
erners generally. The visitor is constantly reminded,
in the Southern States that he s in region where the
ruling interest is agriculture, where the elite OF the
people farmers Cotton the staple product is also
the staple topic, and all life has the farmhouse flavor
/ and tone. certain primitive simplicity perVades
into the pat Travel twenty -four hours into the South
ern States and then get ten miles away from the rail-
road, and you have arrived at Sixy-Years-Ago. You
are handling the implements, you are enjoying the
usaees you are contemplating the cast of character
you are eating the vianfs you are sitting In the hre
places You are snHfng the candles, Of the year 79O
Often. too. Will have the heartfelt sitSlacLOu OF
observipg particularly in North Carolina and Tennes
see that along with the primitive manners and Gus
toms Of another age have been preserved The primitive
health, feelings, and virrues-a certain hearty, hon,
est homey dignity of character which we have heard
great-sndfathers possessed. Every thing is done
slewly at the South, ard people have time to live, to
| grow fat and TO grow old Even Gen. Jackson mar
ye0usly active man for the South, never early
| riser when at hsme. He eat down to breakfast be-
tween eight and nine; and, after dinner, be and his
wife took leisurey and dgnihed pull at their reed
| pipes.
Can we recall the group that used 10 gather round
that fIesde and listen TO Aunt RachaePs stories after
dinner There sits the General in his rocking-chair
TRANQUILITY smoking, TRANQUILITY listening, occasionally
laughing at his wie's quaint narratives, and some
times when the tale threatens to be too long, taking
it out of her mouth and giving it summary graceful
inish. The 1.-TWO Andrews have outgrown the pos
sibihty of sharing the Generals chair. Andrew, the
adopted is stout boy Of eleven, as much ndnlged as
ever. Al drew jackson DOnelson has graduated with
honor at West Point a9dis now fine young officer Of
General in one Of his letters of 1891, sis young but
trust you will find him modest and unassuming pos
seeDg good education as any OF his age ID Anne
Tica of good moral habits, and entirely clear OF all the
designations too common to the youth of the modern
| day"
! Beside the young gentlemen, there was always a
young niece two Of Mrs jackson living at the Her
nitsge. They could easily please the General with
their music ,; Two Songs especially always s delighted
Wallace bed." When ladies asked him to write some
thing in their buns he was likely TO write When
can read my title clear as anything else.
The spare rooms of the Hermitage were not often
uDoccuped. General Coffee occasionally TO visit
his old commander. Major Eaton Of the Senate was
frequently there, portiy man. devoted to General
jackson, whose life he had just written. Major Eaton
and Major Lewis were brothers In law, both having
married wards of General jackson. The General
therefore, looked upon them both almost as sons-in
| law, as we'll as tried friends and comrades. Dr.
BrOnaugh the Generals military surgeon highspir
tied Nrginian, scker for the code Of honor heartily
believing in the pistol the great social regulator
and always prompt TO act In accordance with that faith
was frequent visitor Colonel Robert Butler some
what naughty soldier of the old school, Captain Call
also devotee of the pistol, Captain Gadsden Colonel
Hayne brother Of the Senator replied 10 by Webster,
Judge Overflow General Carroll, General Sam Hons
ton Captain John Donelson and his cons, always
welcome. The clerical friends of Mrs. Jackson were
entertained at the Hermitage with peculiar warmth
of hospitality Indeed clergymen of all denominations
were welcomed there at all times and treated with the
most marked distinction. Mr.. Earl, artist often
missioned TO paint General JacksoDs portrait, became
at length member of his household; and having
ployed the last twelve years of his life in continually
painting the Generals portrait died at the Hermitage
and was buried in the garden beside the Generals own
tomb. /" In memory Of r. Z. w. Earl, Artist, Friend
and Companion of General jackson, who died at the
Hermitage, 10th Sept, 1887" is the inscription bis
tombstone.
After the war of 1912 General jackson was never
seen at the cockpit, and seldom the ground,
though his love of horses love that never grew
cold
lie was no great reader of books. His library at the
Hermitage consists chiefly Of presentation copies and
the biblical commentaries 30 eagerly read by the Gen
eral at a later day. He wss always q devourer of
newspapers, however, and was particularly fond of
hearing eloquent speech read aloud in the family
circle In earlier years he bad been warm admirer