Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-02-05


dAndr>w's American Queen.l
1t Is probable. say the curious In such mat
tiers, that we owe the well-kn0wn car lcature OF
" Yankee Doodle"-whiCh looks like nothing
passes for our national prototype all over Europe
and sometimes does duty on our own stage and
on the cover OF an illustrated paper, and In
earicature as the typical Yankee-to the slngu-
thin and angular, and at the "Hermftage,' and
when Off duty. delighted to wear the great
jean trousers all held down by two iong straps
all Of which costume was probably made by
Mrs. Jackson, and which passed from him into
history.
Undoubtedly these sketches came from some
clever Frenchman, made at New orleans. when
In 1915 the conquering hero was entertained in
the city which he had saved "fhe upper part
or the Exchange was arranged for dancing,
says an eyewitness, land the under part for
supper. with flowers colored lamps and trans
parencies for Inscriptions. Before supper
jackson desired TO look at the arrangements,
unaccf mpanied. One OF the transparancies be-
tween the arches bore the Inscription, Jackson
and Ntctory-they are but one The general
looked at 1t, and turned about 20 me- In hall
fellow sort OF way, saying, Why did You not
write. Hickory ana Vlctory-they are but
one After supper we were troubled to g.
conquerer and his spouse" To see these
two tigures-the general long, lean, bag
gard man, with arms like a skeleton, aud
bling opposite each other like half-drunken In
dams, to the wild melody OF Postum up a
Gum Tree, aud endeaVoring to make spring
into the air, was very remarkable, and far
more edifying spectacle Than any European
assembly could have furnished. Mrs. Jackson's
arrival In New Orleans, then the most elegant
city In the Union, was curious episode for the
French and Creole ladies 10 observe. She had
never visited city larger than Nashville be
fore. She confessed to Mrs Livingston that
she knew nothing about tine company or
fine clothes, and She had no resource but to
Guidance n 40
friends Mrs. Livingston undertook to pro-
vide her with clothes and dresses suited to
her appearance III public. The anti Jackson
party published carlcature at the time.
In which the short and stout Mrs jackson
was represented as standing on table While
Mrs. Livingston was employed In laclng her In,
should be, but was not. It was remarkable
that General Jackson, though himself an adept
when he chose In drawing room arts, and at
home In elegant society, was bliLd to the
homely bearing and country manners OF his
vile. He put great honor upon her at New Or
leans In all companies. on all occasions giving
proof 70 the world that this brown wife OF his
was TO him the dearest and most revercd Of
human beings. Had she lived the scandal con-
Dected with the notorious Mrs Eaton would
uot nave occurred to forever cast an evil repu-
latloE on his administration. It was for her
That he built the new ''Hermitagc," near
what is now the beautiful city or Nash
vile; called, before the war, the ',Phila-
superb situation, gently undulating fertile
valley. fifteen or twenty miles across, quite en-
clrcled by hills. Through this valley Winds the
Gun berland river. as broad as the Hudson az
albany. The bluffs are high protection
against the marvellous rise OF the river. Eleven
miles from the city IS the two story brick house,
with double piazza both 10 front and In the
rear the plaza wooden and painted white, sup
ported by thick groOVed pillars or the same ma
terlal and color; the floors OF the lower piazza
or stone, each ending Ia room. southern FASH
iop-nOrc cOmnodious than elegant-known as
residence mo
eccentric OF AmeIicans-Andrew Jackson; for
Mr. Lincoln, who came the nearest TO him. was
lar more like other people. Ia the generals
days the portrait Of Mrs. jackson On 1hte
satln and topaz Iewelry, low neck and short
sleeves; rat. forty. but not fair'1 and Dusts OF
EDWARD Livingston. Cass, and Levi Woodbury.,
ornamented these parlors.
Here die the general offer indiscriminate hos
pltality, and here, after dinner, did both hus-
bandsand wife SIT down aud smoke clay pipe;
life to our northern Ideas OF consistency, that
when they drove out II was In a carriage drawn
oy four handsome iron gray horses, attended
glazed hats and silver beads. When dinner
was served at the "Uerlnitage," all the gentle
men went to the Sdeboard TO take drink
and then 10 the dining room: The tables were
loaded With food, served indscrimnalely: ana
IN all the rooms were two beds for passing
strangers.
Gen. jackson was never handsome, but he
mad TWO bright eyes, and what Parton calls
THAT mysterious omnieotent something which
we call a presence that he could look well In
uniform, ride horse admirably, preside well as
Judge. fight well as general, aud that he had
certain cntvalrous difference for women. We
have read that he also preferred whisky corn
coo pipe. and that he WaGed through many
wees TO the presidency; that we also Know ms
Instincts were better than AIS principles" Ills
ConYenttonal1ty was seInl- aSioual.
let he has stamped his individuality gpon
the American name, aud when ia I>5u the
elegant Prescott visited England ne found q
lady at one OF the grand houses which lac Visited
who asked him IL Boston ladies' smoked pipe
after dinner, and II they lived as Gen. aud Mrs.
Jackson did. aud also at Ainwck castle the
ancient palace or tie Percy he found picrure
OF the general 1t Is strange Crcum5t anca
not speaking much for the reading or Iajell-
9ence OF certain English ladies, thai they have
as olaEk an ignorance now, almost. OF what
america really IS; and that, so late as $50. an
English lady asked her American guest Ii New
YORK did not burn down constantly, IS it was
al built OF wood.
The calm, elegant manners OF the UMPIRE
tending but scholarly Prescott. Motley and
LoWelli the simple, Solderly bearing OF our
last soidkr- president and his wife-Who does
not smoke ptpe.-have Impressed those who
have seen them: and yet the wife OF promi-
nent clergyman In England asked Mr.. Lowell il
he really did not belong TO a small minority OF
his countrymen. You are not like the Gen.
Jackson class. for instance" said she.
And yet It took men OF 1.-The Gen. Jackson
class TO make Us nation.