Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-05-26
IN THE BLUE GRASS REGION.
Kentueky's Historic Dead-The Home
Of Clay and the ThOroughbreds-A
Chat with John Harper-Raee- Day
scenes-Riue Grass G.rIs.

| Kentueky's Historic Dead-The Home
OF Clay and the ThOroughbreds-A
Chat With John HarPer-Race- Day
scenes-Riue Grass GIRLS.
Correspondence of the Union and American.
"Now Soils sultry beams
A scourging whip seems
Lashlng us toward the shade,
Where the bug and knat and worm
Voracious run and fly and squirm
And keep one constantly afraid"
Song Of the SiGh-erd.
PARIS, May PA unctiously recalled
these poetic lines as l ascendedlthe hill to
the cemetery at Frankfort, KY. The day
was hot and l was in ardent sympathy per-
force, as i worked my way up the rugged
path-a toiler of the seize, toiled TO
see the last earthly resting place of Daniel
Boone. The place of burial is well chosen
giving as it does a superb view of the capt.
tai of the State, founded by the dauntless
pioneer. The monument is fittingly solid
and plain, with bas-reliefs .ss1.presentine the
youth and ma.%..llOod Of Boone, and hand
u land conflict with an Indiana struggle
typical of frontier life, an unaldeJk lone
ly struggle with the wiids OF nature. Ane
bas-relief shows boones wife at her cabin
door milking COW. Her life was quite as
full of real heroism as his, and well she
merits remembrance with him. A walk
through the cemetery revealed number OF
monuments, erected by the State to her no
BILE dead, among them a grand monument
of white marble, some go feet high, with
base and capital in proportion, deliberately
and aristieally finished. This bears the
names Of the Kentucky officers who feel, IN
the various wars of the Republic prior to
the civil war. These tokens Of remem-
brance by Kentucky of her no
BILE boys is an incentive to heroism ever
before the living-a temptation to be brave
and true. That is an admirable pride the
mother takes in making honorable mention
OF her deserving sons, and the ambition she
inculcates in the living to emulate the no
Bile actions of brothers gone, is justifiable.
This is the maternal care that made Vir>
ginia the mother of Presidents.
Thus ruminated as approached Lex
ington, the home of Harry of the West-I
arrived in Lexington on the 18th inst, The
races were in progress, but you have al
ready heard of them pretty fully by tele-
graph. Still, some or our Nashville horse
men whos were present-knowing ones
might give you note on the uncertainties
attending pool investments. The principal
object of interest to me at the races was the
owner of Longfellow. Both man andhors
have earned a national reputation for hon
esty and pluck and the qualities that win
long races. ssWhere is John Harper" l
asked. SHE'S apnpd in some quiet place."
was the answer, "the old mans mighty
feeble.n Finally discovered pale, whit
haired old man, of mighty limb, deep-set
eyes and firm mouth, in the plain, working
attire of the farmer, broad-brimmed SLOUGH
hat, Kentucky jeans and brogans, and i
knew it was he whom sought. TIE "Old
Man." as ne is tenderly and respectfully
called by turfmen, looks as one nearly done
with work, and patiently waiting for bed
time and rest.
Lexington is immortalized as the home
of Clay, and the pilgrim to the shrine of
the great departed is pleased 10 find a fit
ting monument erected to him. Upon a
massive base, grand column towering
away above every object near, and bearing
on its exalted capital a statue Of the man
who originated many of the fundamental
elements of our national succeSs-one to
whom belongs, more than any other, the
title of Originator in our galaxy of states
men. The patriotic pilgrim will be fur
Their pleased to see that the grand old es-
tate of this honored son of the republic is
now the site of one of the finest and largest
institutions of learning in the UniOn-the
Kentucky University, with its 600 students
"a university that has for its central idea
developing the young men of the South
into refined and liberal, practical dRd'uSe-
tul, citizens.
The vicinity ofthe Phoenix Hotel, Lex
ington, presents a character scene at the
close of race day. The omnibuses and
hacks come rattling up to the front,
crowded with dust-begrimed sporting peO-
pie, who. alighting, are greeted by a small
array ofyoung Ethiopians-pure to mixed
in picturesque costume of rags, with small
brooms aud boot-blacking paraphernalia-
Each arrival is signalized by a chorus Of
ssBrush, boss2 Shine, boss?"
Most of the dusty indiSiduals look tired;
many have "Lost7 written 90 sullen OF
downcast faces; few jubilant and compla-
cent ones say sWon" in every feature. As
the crowd increases Babel of calculations,
discussions on 'horse," and indistinct NUT
terings, arise. The bar is besieged by the
winning to celebrate and the losing to
drown, while from obscure corners you
hear discOnsolate ordinations, Broker
"BustedI' etc.
In my last account of my driftings told
of a musical venture, but Lexington jour
nalist, poet and lawyer, whom l NAV call
Smith, has a superior experience. His Or
phean exercises were on the violin; time,
midnight; result, a deserted neighborhoOd,
house bombarded with rocks and riddled
with bullets by an indignant and disguised
pOpulace. Smith writes for the Gu. AZ
ter Lexington, my next hOSpitiUm was in
Paris, Bourbon county,. The unassuming
deniZens did not recognize my pronuncia-
ton, Pa-ree, which learned from the Nash
vile young man who went abroad last
summer.
This beautiful little city is in the blue
grass region, in a blue blood county, and
produces large quantities of blue blazes,
yclept old Bourbon. But by odds the finest
| production Of this famous section is the
| blue grass Girl. On horseback blue
grass thorou2hbred-she is life rhapsodiZed
and wonderfully taking. like this blue
grass region--dOn't blame the owners there
of for being proud. It's mighty pleasant
to look over the broad savannahs of velvety
green, rich brown bands and squares of plow-
ed land, and clean, noble timber. If some
highly respectable and wealthy citizen will
present me with about 500 acres, improved
and stocked as the best farms are, and in
clude in the little donation one of the fair
daughters to queen it over the establish
ment, will retire from the lucrative and
dignifed position of correspondent to the
UNION AND AMERICAN, and make other
minor sacrifices. l leave this proposition
open. RAMBLER.