Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1873-03-27
COLUMBIA. S. c.

An iIlimitable field Tor a raj
road depot, with a floor OF mu
and heaven for canopy; a broa
street running out from this de
pot intersected by other broa,
broad streets, at right angles
houses of wood peeping out iron
innumerable trees and mats oI
shubbery; fences of wood and
ron; pavements of sand ant
bli1k; three acre fields for building
lots; streets wide enough for Ken
lucky turnpikes, with rows oi
shade trees upon each side; ruined
walls and blackened chimneys
scattered about; q grave yarC
here and there, with old churches
in the center; modern cottages
and old fashioned two stories
novels and mansions; new hous
es and ancient ones-such is Co
lumbia, the capital of the Palmet
TO State. Old citizens will tel
you that it is not now what il
was, that the semblance is hert
but the soul has passed away
They win tell you of the frsI
I.families-the royal Southern fam
ilies-who have been broken in
purse and spirit, and no longer
make this fair city their home
They will tell you of the grand
! times before the war, when this
was the winter Headquarters Of
the slaveholding aristocraey,TS hose
lives from day to day wire cease
less round of pleasure. They
will speak of the rich equipsages
that dashed through the streets
Iof the magnificent balls, of the
twilight firtations under the
grand trees that skirt the ave.
nues; of the duels among the
young bloods; Of the beauty of
the reigning bellies; of the high
financial standing of the old plan,
ters; of the luxury they lived in;
of the splendor of their entertain.
ments; of the elegance of their
outfit, and of the high favored
social life of those times. All
this will they tell you if you will
but listen. Perhaps as your mind
runs back you will ask something
of the famous first families. You
inquire for the Hamptons, and the
answer will be "Gone. :" The Pres.
tons? Gone. The Middletons?-
Gone. The Pinckneys? Gone.
All gone.
But is not 30 much with the
past as the present we have to do,
and we will leave the old fami,
lies and see what the new ones are
about.
LAST DAY OF -IIE LEGISLATURE.
This being the last day of the
Legislature, went up to the Cap.
itol Immediately after arriving.
have been in the State several
times, but never when the law
makers were in session, and as they
are famous the country over fol
color and number Of other things,
| made haste to 60 among them
The Capitol building is a model
lof durability and stupidity. II
was well under the process OF
construction when the war paral-
yzed all industry, and since it has
been worked upon in a jerkety,
Indifferent way, wooden gable ends
put in and black and tan roof
put on. 1t has walls of granite
that will last a thousand years
and time. serving roof that leaks
already. Within, the observer il
still further impressed with the
mixture of granite massiveness
and temporary patchwork.
At the entrance, peanut and
pie peddlers obstructed the way
and inside, they disputed posses
session of the field with Washing
tons monument. Gathered a
bout in groupsin the corners anG
dark recesses were the legislator
earnestly discussing great public
questions that they are supposed
TO know something about. II
the dim light | could hardly dis
tinguish white from black, pi,
peddlers from legislators, lobbyist
from boot-blacks. 1t was only b,
the clamor that / knew them
the exchange of constitutional OBJ
servations and peanuts for tel
cent, a quart. The rotunda oI