Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1880-10-08
The Hermitage" at Nashville.

The " Hermitage" building is large
two.story brick edifice, containing sew
enteen rooms of ample dimensions and
numerous Railways. A large two.story
portico on the front entrance is sup
ported by columns extending the full
height OF the house. Library or efice
rooms occupy opposite ends of the
building, on the portico. The house was
built for General Jackson previous to
his return to private life. His friends
superintended the work, and erected q
mansion which they thought best suited
to retired President Of the United
States.
Within the building a large hall,
frescoed with scenes from Telemachus,
extends from the front to the rear door.
Immediately opposite the parlor or re-
ception.room is the chamber in which
General Jackson breathed his last. Its
appearance is but little changed, though
it has been used for years by Colonel
Andrew Jackson as q bedroom. The
furniture is the same as when the Gen
eral died. A massive. old-fashioned
bedstead, bureau, wardrobe and wash
stand, with table, sofa and armchair,
all of mahogany, comprise the furnish
ings. The large wood fireplace is I'M
altered. Two windows, facing the south
on the front portico, give light and ven
tilation, and three doors give entrance,
one of which leads to General Jack
sons private library and Office, who re
all books and papers were kept. The
same portraits adorn the walls as in the
Generals day. One, of his wife, Mrs
Rachel Jackson, hangs over the man
tel-piece, opposite the bed. Beneath
it is q small one of General Jackson
himself.
Located some two hundred yards
from the present building is the log
cabin house in which General Jackson
once lived. Seen as it is now, there APP
pears to be two snall log cabins. When
the General occupied it the smaller
formed the second story of the larger.
For those days it was quite pretentious
and roomy. After the erection of the
new dwelling the upper story was torn
of, and the timbers used in the manu-
facture of q separate cabin.
In the gardens near the dwelling is
the tomb, surrounded by foliage from
weeping willows, magnolia and cedar
trees. 1t is circular in form, the dome,
supported by six columns, rising to a
majestic height. Two steps lead from
the ground to the floor, upon which are
the tablets bearing the inscriptions OF
General Jackson and his wife. Upon
the former is simply " General Andrew
Jackson. Born March 18th, 1867; died
June 9Th, 1886" Upon the other is
the name of his wife, dates Of birth and
death, and long eulogy, extolliug her
many virtues. Around the tomb are
the graves of members of the family
who have died at tine Hermitage-the
grave of his adopted son, Andrew Jack.
son, Jr., that of Mrs. Marian Adams,
sister of his adopted sons wife, and
several others.
The material used in the construction
of the mausoleum is the Tennessee
granite, and, after the years that have
passed over, it still shows no signs oil
decay.
One Of the most cherished relics at
the Hermitage, preserved with sacred
care, is the old carriage, made in 1888
out of timbers of the old ship Consti-
tuition, for the especial use of General
Jackson. The material used in the flu
ishing is of the handsomest brocatelle,
with brocaded velvet bordering. Time
has changed the color, but it still shows
for itself what it once was. Upon the
panels is painted ship in full sail.
The other carriage is one given by
General Jackson to his adopted sons
wife Immediately after the marriage,
and when she begaa her residence at the
White House. ..--
Another relic is the chair OF General
Washington, presented by him to Gen.
eral Jackson. It is cushioned with
leather. which the relic-hunter has
somewhat mutilated by shipping of
pieces here and there. Along with the
chair may be mentioned the magnificent
sword presented by the City of Phila-
delphia to General Jackson. It is q
splendid piece of workmanship, being
ornamented from one end to the other
Of the scahbard with carved figures oil
men in battle, with cannon, guns, etc
On one side is q carved portrait of Gen
eral jackson and the words, "The Hero
of New Orleans" The hilt is q horses
head inlaid with pearl.
CURIOUS CHINESE WAYs.-In the
Chinese superstition, spirit vanishef
on hearing the cock crow, just like the
ghost of Hamlet's father. The thun der
god is believed to kill, being constantly
on the lookout for wicked people, the
goddess of lightning flashing mirror
on whomsoever the god wishes to de-
stroy. # child is dangerously ill,
its mother goes into the field or garden
to call its name, in the hope of bringing
back its wandering spirit. At festivi.
ties, guests may hire substitutes to drink
and get pleasantly tipsy for them.
Beggars go into chop and beat gong
so loudly as to prevent customers from
being heard, or else they swing about d
dead animal tied to the end of O stick
1t is only match of endurance between
them and the shop-keeper, who dare
not use force to eject them for fear OF
the law. The Milky Way is called the
"Silver River" A coffin is known as
"boards of old age" and the shroud as
"clothes of old age" 81 am drawing
near the wood. means shall be near
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