Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1881-01-20
GOLD HICKORY" AT HOME.


GOLD HICKORY AT HOME.
"reminiscences of the Sage of the Hermitage.
The following sketch is from Lippincott's
Magazine for january:
After visit to Nashville one feels a new
interest in the old hero of New Orleans
Here he still seems almost living presence
among the people. They love TO talk of
him to strangers. Now and then note of
discord breaks through the strain of eulogy
One evening, in charming household,
General jackson was "the thought of the
hour, as they say in Boston. Suddenly q
quaint old maiden lady in gray gown and
white kerchief electrified us by saying,
General jackson was scoundrel!"
The chorus from guest and kinsmen:
cousin Nancy! Aunt Nancy! Miss Nancy!"
"Pooh!" she said, undaunted; didn't I
know him? used to feed his game chick
ems. lie always brought them over to our
place to be raised. We lived only four
miles away. Nobody had such luck with
game chickens as my mother. He was only
a bully"
''But wasn't he brave MANI"
"Oh, he would fight if he had to. But
he always kept lot of DULLES around him
to do his fighting"
Miss Nancy had evidently tired of hero
worship, and she was not to be diverted
from her text.
He was very religious-he had his own
chapel on his own estate-and he dearly
loved a race horse, and had his own private
race track. All strangers are taken to see
Clover bottom track; and fortunate are they
if they go with some old veteran stuffed
ol> r
fire and spirit that brings wildly before
you all he relates. One of those to whom
it was q fascination to listen has recently
calls "Old Times in Tennessee" But a
greater treat than reading it is to hear the
author tell how he saw General Jackson
"scare and put to flight twenty thousand
men. 1t was on Clover bottom race course
The narrator, then small boy, was station
ed on cedar fence. The betting was very
fierce. Horses and negroes as well as mon
ey were put up, large pound being filled
with the live stock. Murmers arose that il
was to be a jockey race; that Grey hound
one of the famous racers, had been seer
the night before in a wheat field, and his
rider was to receive $500 to throw him off
In the excitement General jackson appear.
ed, "riding grey horse and carrying long
pistol in each hand. I think they were as
long as my arm. with muzzles that grounC
squirrel could enter. He swore by the
| Eternal he would shoot the first man tina
brought his horse on the track-that the
peoples money should not be stolen in tina
manner. He talked necessarily, while the
spittle rolled from his mouth and fire flash
ed from his eyes. I have seen bears ant
wolves at bay, but he was the most Zero
cious- looking animal I have ever seen
His appearance and manner struck terror
into the hearts of twenty thousand people
If they all felt as did, every one expected
| to be slain
The end of it was that there wal
great rush to the pound to get bacl
the money staked, and the DO.
on the fence was overturned ant
nearly trampled to death. But he still lives
probably the only survivor of that grea
crowd. He gives most vivid idea of "Olt
Hickorys" personality. When Lafayette
visited Nashvillein 1925, and jackson greet
ed him in the Public Square, approaching
his carriage with peacock stride, % the eye
of all were attracted to their own hero rath
er than to their distinguished guest. 4
hundred voices exclaimed, "Just look at Oh
Jackson!' There was something in his face
his martial presence, that enchanted tn
public gaze whenever he appeared.
Of course, amid so much talk of Genera
Jackson, the lady to whom he gave the protec
ton of his name and honor comes in for he
share. Many sly little anecdote about he
has been preserved. One lady tells tina
the last time her mother saw Mrs. Jackso
the latter remarked by way of acoountin
for cold under which she suffered. eth
Gineral kicked the kiver off last night.
One of her old negro women came to her i
a good deal of trouble because she had Jus
been told that the world was round and sh
had always thought it fiat. Never mint
aunty," said kind "Mis' Rachel" don't 20
be disturbed. think it is flat myself hon
ey"-so she often called the General
honey thinks so, too
But her veriest detractors find nothing
say against her looks or character "She we
beastly ignorant" said one fine old gentle
man, "and jackson married her, not fro1
love, but from an impulse Of chivalry,
fling his protection around her; but she we
perfectly beautiful, and as fine and good
woman as ever lived"
But he did not love her. They tell N
that the Hermitage, which stands rattle
oddly just back of an elevation of the grount
instead of on its brow, was so placed be
cause Mrs. jackson, walking one afternoo
with the General, stopped just there an
said it would be the right place for the ne
house, as it was only short distance fro
the spring where they kept the water tt
General struck the ground with his stat
and said there should the foundation
laid. And there they were laid in spite I
expostulation.
The inscription on Mrs. Jackson's tomb
stone was written by kinsman of the Ger
eral, whom he had befriended through di1
fculties that clouded his name. The GEL
eral gave him home at the Hermitage an,
VS. always his patron and protector. tt
epitaph has the stamp of sincerity and ms
be accepted as substantially true:
"Her face was fair. her person pleasing
her temper amiable, her heart kind. 81
delighted in relieving the wants Of her fe
low creatures, and cultivated that divi1
pleasure by the most liberal and unpretent
ing methods. To the poor she was benz
factor; to the rich an example; to the wretcl
ed comfort; to the prosperous an orn'
ment. Her piety went hand in hand wit
her benevolence, and she thanked her Cre'
tor for being permitted to do good. A beir
so gentle and yet SO virtuous, SANDER mig
wound but could not dishonor. Even dealt
when he tore her from the arms of her hui
band, could but transport her to the boso
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