Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1877-02-09
Southern Planters Homes.

eral " shiftlessness" which must be seen tc
be thoroughly appreciated. And in making
this statement do not refer to the poor OF
middle-class people, who live for the most
part in large log houses roughly put together
and generally known as ''double-enders,
but to the extensive planters, men who cul-
tivate from 500 to 1000 acres of land, who
employ score or more of hands, and who
are regarded by their friends and neishbors
as prosperous and well-to-do.
Some time ago, travelling through the cot
ton States, and being thoroughly impressed
with the mistaken notions to which l have
referred, was very anxious to see one of
"the rich homes of the South, abou. which
people at the North hear SO much, and was
very much disappointed at being unable to
find them. One day, in Macon, Ga, lspoke
to prominent gentleman of that place up
on the subject, and asked him if he could not
show me one OF the "old plantation house,"
that had been so much written and talked
about.
Certainly" was the reply, 81 will take
you to Col. BIS place tomorrow" Ac-
cordingly, the next morning set out for
the home Of the Colonel. On the way my
conductor told me that it was one of the fin
est places in the State, in short, and to use
his own words, that sit was regular mag
nifcent dwelling, sir
after half an hours ride over rough road i,
which was lined on either side by broken
down fences and an occasional "double-en-
der," from the wide, open doors OF which
sallow-faced and care-worn-looking women
stared out in a lazy and listless kind Of way
that was exceedingly depressing, We turned
out of the highway into what appeared to be
private road This, was informed, led to
1.-THE place" of the Colonel 1t certainly did
not argue well for that gentleman's thrift or
management. The great wooden gait,
which at one time guarded it from the ip-
trusiOn ofthe chance passer-by, hung from
its rusty hinges broken and rotting, the fen
ces were in about the same condition, and
the road itself was dilapidated and uncared
for.
As VIC proceeded, all NY former visions of
the splenior of the place began to fade. In
stead Of the groves of Towering trees which
had expected, found an immense tract of
land covered with patches of corn irregularly
aud badly planted, and dotted here and there
with blackened weather-beaten stumps Of
trees. There were no blossoming shrubs, no
tempting fruit, no smooth and well-kept
lawns, no singing birds, no flowing rivulets,
in signs either of care, attention or taste.
The corn fields were succeeded by a couple
of hundred acres of cotton land, then in turn
came dark and dismal swamp covered with
ragged aud stunted trees. Alter passing
through this we came in sight of 1.-THE home. "
1t was indeed an imposing old structure,
but like its surroundings, looked weather
beaten and neglected. Situated on slight
eminence, it was entirely unprotected or
shaded by shrubbery. There was not tree
within hundred yards. and the sun beat
down upon it with hot and angry glare that
was anything but pleasant. The house was
two stories high, built of wood, painted
brown in somn places, and in others was not
painted at all. Apparently, additions had
been made to it from time to time they had
been built without any regard to the original
structure, and the whole pile presented an
appearance Of almost grotesgue originality.
IL was built after no form, shape or pattern,
but was thrown together, so to speak, with
out any regard to architecuel style OF rule.
On all sides it was surrounded by a broad
piazza. or gallery las it is called in the South.
and from almost every nook and corner there
opened windows which had been built with
out any reference either to each other or to
the general effect.
At the house-door, which stood wide open,
as Southern doors always dds peculiari-
ty Of the species-we were met bya half
dozen foI-hounds, tall, guant and hungry,
hr q Of VOC vCat. tatlad ahlckpps
by three or four funny little black babies,
who rolled around in the dust, costumed
about as they were when they made their en-
tree into the world, and by one white-h haired
old negro dressed in torn shirt and trous-
ers, and carrying in his hand bunch of
dwaried and stringy turnirs which he had
Just pulled from an adjoining field. This
old fellow; who at once put to flight all my
authorizations of trained servants, &C.. told
me that "de Konel am down in the cotton, y
but that he would return to the house fright
smart"
While waiting for his appearance | had
an opportunity to lock carefully about the
house and its immediate surroundings, for
we were not invited to enter. This more
deliberate survey not only confirmed but in
where squalor neg glect and carelessnes prevail
ed every. The dogs roamed about and through
the house quite as freely as the pigs are said
to do through the houses Of old Kerry, and
in numerous places upon the porch and door
steps the chickens had left evidences Oftheir
presence. 1t vas plain that the Colonel's
female relations were either very careless OF
very lazy, for the yard and house gave none
of those tokens of a woman's presence which
Meinrich Heine calls "the little things that
| 90 to make home" There was no grass
to be seen anywhere, there was not creep
ing plant about the place, and few flower:
that had been planted in small inclosure,
which, in such a climate, was simply an ap-
ology for garden, were dropping, weed
tangled, and elected.
While was occupied in making these OBJ
seryations Col. B+rode up to the door on
a fine, spirited; and apparently very yalua
bic horse, which sadly needed the attention
of groom. He was handsome man, il
the prime of life, was dressed lightly in ,
full suit Of gray flannel, wore broad-brim
med felt hat and no shirt collar was accom-
panied by half dozen hunting dogs, ant
rode his horse like a Hungarian Rutmasfr
Dismounting, this Characteristic Southern
gentleman warmly greeted his friend, ant
then invited US into his house. As he did 81
he begged us to excuse the absence of hi
wife, who, he said, was severely indispOse'
and confined to her own room. And jus
here may remark that the wives, sister
and daughters of Southern planters are yer,
seldom visible to strangers.
Entering the house We were ushered by
ragged black girl into large walnscOte
apartment, which was covered with a chea
carpet of Il bright color, and scantily furnish
ed with heavy old fashioned mahogany chair
a sofa, and great Oaken table that was sug
gestive of some ancient barOnial dining hall
| afterwards saw number of the Othe
rooms in the house They were all in keeI
ing with the one described they were a
bare, uninviting, and not 80 ,ean as the
might have been. There were no curtain
at the windows, no pictures on the wall
and above all, as | have already noted, I
evidence that there was "a woman in II
house"
f With the rough-andready but warn
hearted and opcned-handed hospitality I,
which the people Of the South are Just
, noted, the Colonel invited us TO stay 10 dI
ner. and as we were unable to do so
brought out the inevitable whisky jug al
insisted that we should Join him in glass
"corn." Having done so We drove back
!, Macon.
, Since this first visit to the "home house
, of Georgia planter have been in the re-
dences Of many extensive and well-t0-d
farmers in all the cotton States, and fiji
, that, with very few exceptions, they arc ;
I counterparts Of the one described
, Y. Times.
4 CARRIER PIGEoNs.-The suggestion tn
, ocean steamers be provided with number
carrier pigeons, to be let loose in case Of Al
t accident, or even from time to time, to q
5 news of the voyage, is 50 obvious that it
a wonder that it never occurred in all the
: years in which both ships and. carrie
r pigeons have been in use. In fact it has