Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1875-08-29
HALF A CENTURY AGO.
ATrin 10 NasbviIIe I'M Is3O.

a AElD 10 MtalNAAAG A6tus
In April, 1880, my father said, edward
don't you want TO go to Nashville"
"Yes, answered ], in rsptUres.
The next day we took the stage, for those
were the days Of stages and dirt roads.
There was lot turnpike in the State of
Tennessee, and a railroad had not been
heard of. We came slashing through mud
and over the hills and liown the ridge, at
that day the dread Of the teamster who
hauled the merchandise from Louisville for
Nasl vile through in six-hOrse wagons in
the season when boats could not reach the
latter city. Il was a four-horse coach till
We reached Walkers, now the residence, l
believe, Of our John Taylor, Esq, who
sometimes is heard to whisper about the
Court house. g At Walkers, about eight
miles from Nashville, we changed stages,
swapping our fOur-hOrse for q sort Of Jer-
sey wagon Git would be called now, as the
state of the roads from that stand TO
Nashville, would not admit Of larger or
heavier conveyance. The stage road came
there by HaysbrO, at which place / had
my first view of the Cumberland River.
What view for me it was. The road was
muddy (tf ats what We called it then, hC a Y
is the word now and we we're in the night
making the old bridge, the entrance to
which on the other side. Of the river was
up what would now be Considered a steep
grade, and crossing on that Old-time struc-
ture, we assembled the hill by the side Of
where the Publishing House now stands,
and run up 10 the old City Hotel Shortly
afterwards burned). Il was night, and all l
took il Of the situation was in a candy
shop, where Bolivar II. Cooke x Co. now
dress men folks, and an old stage driver
named High Denny who knew me treated
me to striped candy, a bran new
article Of commerce to me, and
exceedingly acceptable, for which he
paid six and quarter cents, or as we then
called it, four pence ha'penny. There were
no dimes or five cent pieces in those days;
81, 123, p, 81, 80, etc, were the frac-
tlonal parts of the dollar in those days, or
as the Old people Of that period sometimes
counted 4 peDce-9 pencil and 3 pence
i and PENCE and pence-3 shil-
lings-3 and "a and 6, etc.
Next morning aroused my father be-
fore light. We were in the third story and
we started for terra frma, and wound
round to me interWinable labrynths. When
we struck bottom it was broad day light,
and we diyed out for the market-hOuse,
that old institution that was also afterwards
burned. What l saw there that was new
and strange, is beyond expression. The
descriptive talent Of the ludicrOus could not
convey a Just conception Of that market
house. l literally gOrged my eyesight and
nearly gazed myself blind at the worlds
wonders to me there exhibited. We met
an old neighbor Of ours who had moved to
Nashville aud went home to breakfast with
him, when another wonder awaited me
a yankee clOck-the bran newest thing to
me, had ever seen. They had just been
introduced into this State, and there was
such striking contrast between il and my
fathers old teIl-fOOs ticker, that liked to
have injured my eyesight again before l
was satisfied. After breakfast We came
back to the Square and amused myself
reading the signs over The doors and most
especially do l remember the old lion and
mortar which then stood at
Calhoun's corner and was the
emblem or insignia Of the late DR.. Thomas
Wells. His, at that time, was the only
drugstore in Nashville. In those days the
hotels Eve called them taveTDs in the cOun-
try) had their stables each, and guests that
put up (they call il "stOp" now at the
motel had tneu lOTSeS taken 70 the stable
belonging TO it. Very few came from a
distance but what came horseback. Some
few had carriages or gigs Ebuggies were
and many on horseback. A
visit to the stable was another sight had
TO see along with my old stage driver
Denny, who in showing me around brought
mealmost in contact with what seemed 10 be
no mOreth mere box, abOuta foot square,
ia the Office, as it would now be called.
My old friend was q humorous man and
amused me with the relation of the sights |
1 could see if l had time, which was all |
brought to stand-stiil by a little Niger |
jumping out of the box and banging away |
On a bell, and never ceasing till he had |
pounded nine, the time of day. That |
Yankee clock wasn't a circumstance to |
what was produced on my Imagination by |
hat little Niger. Il was a minute after
be had got back into his box and locked /
himself up before could speak. Since
hat time l have always had a streak of
Titchcraft or superstition in me, and
'eadily receive any faith rendered me that
cannot see through. L. T. NJ.