The weekly herald. [volume] (Cleveland, Tenn.) 1876-1888, 1879-01-09
Ashland and Henry Clay.

ashland" comprises about three
hundred and thirty acres of bluegrass
land, and is situated about a mile from
the limits of the very peculiar old city
Of Lexington, on a finely macadamized
road leading TO the town of Richmond,
where in 1862, the Federals under Gen.
eral Nelson were defeated by the Con-
federates under General L Kirby Smith.
When Mr.. Clay bought the land, IN
1905, /, cost him $2GlO. For bali GEN.
tury the work of improving this estate
went on under the personal direction
Of Mr. Clay or his thrifty wife, until it
became al, beautiful and varied a picture
OF lawn, field and pasture, bluegrass,
woodland, and ornamental grounds as
the eye need wish to rest upon. The
short carriage road from the main en-
trance to the mansion is through a
curving avenue of tall pines aud broal-
leafed Catalpas. In front of the house
is Il view of the "Woodlands," once the
superb homestead of Mr.. Irwin r son-in-
law of Mr. Clay. Beyond Its magnifi-
cent forest trees are seen the church
spires Of Lexington, and looming up in
the distant cemetery Is the monument
erected by Kentucky to the "Sage of
Ashland" In the rear of the mansion
is lovely lawn carpeted with that rich,
velvety grass, which Kentucky alone
produces. Another refreshing stretch
of forest land, whose noble trees are the
pride of Ashland, closes the view in this
direction. On the left are the stables of
Mansfield, the home of John NJ, only
surviving child OF Henry Clay. John
is getting grizzly now, but his pas
sion for thoroughbreds is still as warm
and as emphatically expressed as of
yore. Every turfman has heard of his
"Daniel Boone" "Kentucky," and
other horses. The view on the right of
Ashland embraces several other stock
farms, upon one of which was bred that
world-renowned king of race horses,
Lexington" Such are the surround
ings of the home of Harry of theWest." {"
Only sheet OF water Is needed TO make
the landscape perfect. The mansion so
long occupied by Mr.. Clay and his fam
lily was, SO to speak, a two.story brick
building with one-story wings, roomy
and comfortable enough, but quite
plain. Its principal interior adorn-
ments were mementoes and testimonials
from his friends and political admirers.
A large oil painting OF Washington and
his family presented by Mr.. johnson Of
North Carolina covered almost one en-
tire side Of the parlor. 1t was while
inspecting this picture that Count Ber-
trand, the devoted attendant of the
prisoner Of st. Helena, drew parallel
between Washington and Napoleon so
favorable to his Imperial master as to
cause Mr.. Clay to exclaim, "Ah, Count
don't forget the morale of our man."
Here, also, was the bust Of Bolivar,
sent to Mr.. Clay in 1927; the freedom of
the city Of New Yo:k; a silver pitcher
from the ladies of Tennessee; a silver
vase three feet high, presented by gold
and silver artisans of New York in ad-
miration Of his protection efforts; and
two oil paintings, drawn by his col
leagues, Messrs. Russell and Adams,
at an art rattle in Client during the ne
gotiations OF closing the war of 1912.
Mr.. Clay generously proposed to win
the paintings from his brother Commits.
sioners at cards. The pictured paste
boards were produced and shufIled, and
In few minutes Mr.. Russell had lost
his prize, and soon after John Quincy,
who had selected the elegant game of
"seven up" had to part with his. In
addition to the articles already named,
Mr.. Clay was presented with n family
carriage, which is still to be seen In
Lexington; a massive gold medal, re-
ceived only few months before his
death; a gold snuff-box, said to have