Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1881-01-15
Jackson and his wife.

One of those 10 whom it II q fas-
cination TO listen has recently Civ
en- US a bookful of memories,
which he calls "Old Times In Ten.
nessee.' But a greater treat than
reading 1t is to hear the author
tell how he saw General Jackson
scare and put to flight 10000
men," 1t was on Clover bottom
rate-course. The narrator, then
small boy, was stationed on cedar
fence. The betting was very fierce.
Horses and negroes as Well as
money was put up, large pound
being filled with the live stock.
Murmurs arose that it was to be a
jockey race; that Greyhound"
one OF the famous racers, had been
seen the night before in wheat
field, and his rider was TO receive
$500 to throw him off. In the
height OF the excitement General
Jackson appeared, riding gray
horse and crrrying pistol in each
hand. l think they were as long
as my arm, with muzzles that
ground-squirrel could enter. He
swore by the eternal he would
shoot the first man who brought
his hsrse on the track--that the
peoples money should not be
stolen In this manner. He talked
incessantly, while the spittle roll
ed from his mouth aud fire flashed
from eyes. l have seen bears and
wolves at bay, but he was the
most Notwithstanding animal l
have ever seen. His appearance
and manner struck terror into the
hearts of twenty thousand people.
If they all felt as L did, every one
expected TO be slsin.'
The end of it was that there was
a great rush to the pound to get
back the money staked, and the
boy on the fence was overturned
and nearly trampled to death. But
he still lives, possibly the only
survivor of that great crowd. He
gives the most vivid idea of "Old
Hickory's' personality. When La
tayette visited Nashville in 1924,
and Jackson greeted him In the
public square, approaching the
carriage with peacock Stride"
the eyes of all we're attracted to
their own hero rather than to
their distinguished guest. A hun
dred voices exclaimed, "Just look
at old jackson !" There was some-
thing in his face, his mar ial pres
ence, that enchained the public
gaze whenever he appeared
OF course, amid so much talk of
General Jackson, the lady to whom
he gave the protection of his
name and honor, comes in for her
share. Many sly little anecdote
about her has been preserved. One
lady tells that the last time her
mother saw Mrs. jackson the lat
ter remarked, by way of account
ing for cold under which she
suffered, THE General kicked the
kiver Off last night"
One OF her negro women came
to her in good deal OF trouble
because she mad just been told that
the world was round, and she had
always thought it was fiat. "Nev-
er mind, aunty," said kind "Mis'
Rachel" don't you be disturbed
l think it is fiat myself, and hon
ey'--so she often called the Gen
eral-''honey thinks so too"
But her veriest detractors find
nothing to say against her looks
or character. "She was beastly
ignorant" said one fine old gen
tleman, ''and Jackson married
her, not from love, but from an
impulse of chivalry, to fling his
protection around her; but she
was perfectly beautiful, and as
fine and good woman as ever
lived.
But he did love her. They tell
that the Hermitage, which stands
rather oddly just back of an eleva-
ton of the ground, instead of on
its brow, was so placed because
Mrs. jackson, walking one after
noon with the General. stopped
just there and said il would be the
right place for the new house, as
it was only a short distance from
the spring where they went for
water. The General then struck
the ground with his staff and said
there should the foundation be
laid. And there it was laid, in
"a - -.