The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1883-09-18
Written for the FLoRlpIAN
U.fDOna.

of Colonel Murat, in Jefferson county, kl"r'da,
and the only home in America oi the heir1sp
parent to the throne of Naples.
About the year 1880 this nne tr..c 81 land
was purchased by Colonel Murat. ,.h9 sci to
work with great zeal to improve an:I ofc.n:nent
it, and it soon became one of the me- npl.:d pla-
ces in Middle Florida, for the elegatis ans gtacc-
ful hospitality of its genial host and hix lovely
wife. i:
There were no children born to tl,sm .and
he had been raised in the gay Saloons If France
and Italy, Prince OF high culture, and Sn,ablc
disposition and she daughter of tiI,. Glsd DO
mnon" "A child almost in years, tfs,uga sill
widow, daughter of Colonel Byrd Wtks, one
of the oldest and most aristocratlc ian.,;, in the
State Educated at the famous school III Nnio!k,
of Mrs. Hackley, sister OF Mrs. Jant tat.'l"'ph,
of Florida she was considered one -. tLe beau
ties of Virginia, then remarkable f0, ti:o ,nv Al
ness Of its women, The wisdom OF lis +ttI*sm,n.
and the endurance OF its race horses
The house at" Lpona, word mag. b}' trans
position OF the name Napo,' Na.;.es, aas
large rambling kind Of house, buns ~ Colonel
NJ, without much regard to its archiic: urai pro
P'itl'IiS, Dut OHiJ III dSS''hiiNC Ni''$ N''i*i
of lis eccentric protector; being a b''~c i iwo
Stories the lower floor built we'll cnough 3ul the
second story and attic, fitted up win. uuIsrrpGs
small compartments like the berth- il; a ~ai:l, in
order to entertain the greatest numo>r:vi quests
Perhaps few almost forgotten an.c,irt@s. by
most his of friends may be told here. s. ore y 10
his friend and medical adviser :lpr .napy
years.
Colonel NJ. once became involved. in :, ditfi-
Guilty with Colonel Macomb, Il bro,hrr'o! Nao~-
General Macomb, L. S. T., which rc<air's IN
challenge and ii duel, which took p;a.c pn lie
open margin of Lake Lafayette Mart ,sas rs
brave man as his father, the Klng =. Naples,
the invncibc Count MuIat He took III, place
with perfect SANG -ilod cigar between as ipe
and smile on his face Admitting i:ls ,gg :nsl
that he was III error, he promised rut e trt, :ut
only 1" draw that OF his opponent, l,,:a sranc
flourish " Of his pistol which he d,t VI ,totnb
firing when his hand was elevated >lis' II .,o+
of his fingers. In instant, sma;'in,; lrpai 'h.
wound. he lowered his pistol. took seIlt. \.
aim and fired, his ball passing 50 near { ,io,l u
as to leave mark around part OF his bot..
Riding out one day he bcc.,m" prpr.Nrd
about the road, and spying some ncgrnts a @oln
in field, with IL white-rnan overseeing ilirtt be
began to call in loud voice-hurralI Aljl;a.,
to attract their attention. and failing ',>l" >, he
pulled down the fence and rode in a pt: -ios ~
TO the person, Mr.. Pope Hunter, eN, islnliiaE ii
his broken English--by Gar, Sir Mb :. lut VII
no answer me when call b. ctl.4; AID }lr
H., did not know what you mearl y eu4r
hurr.,b y and
then is the right word, asked the Coiu;ci?, Il
suppose yon may have intended to say Heb T
All . that is the VOID wanted said III. Coi,su.l
=" but | could not get it,"
Colonel and Mrs. Murat kept an open AL scty
gay house, at their home, Lipona, beil:. ii tl.s
midst of neighborhool noted for l. lIsp:
taty and refinement 1t comprised 81 d ;le.i
as General Gadsden, Colonel Robert and tol<'uel
John Gamble, Mcssrs Nutall, Nass. .Hoi,nt>,
Braden, Ward, DC, the real - blue blood Of. Tx
Florida aristocracy. 1t acquired at shat .iile
the soubriquet of the Old Dominion the ciai-.
number of its settlers being from Virgins. foal
lustrate the style of the time there VS. ul.c Il
large party given by one the leaders Of The Ton
the elite of Tallahassee being pre>cu, wAcp ilt
first evenings entertainment consisted ri lllys |
and charades, the next day being devt,Fl tn ex~
cursons around the country, with ii pS:-niv ii
Lake Katharine, beautiful sheet of water in die
vicinity, with ball at night The nexl Jay liz
guests all proposed to return to Tallahas,ic 1lid !
their various homes, the gentlemen arising esriY |
for that purpose but 10 the genial h.st lad.
had every stable empted, and every lo.sc H>,s
removed to Il farm four or five miles ANA: ile-
tcrmined 10 have another day and nighl ul lni;i4l
and revelry Mrs. Murat was not in anv sense 81
the word worldly woman, but was dcvptea 10
the innocent past-timc OF dancing, all !l,a
brothers, sisters, father and mother wer, H..
deed, il was sneeringly asserted by so1uc, tna'
the brains OF the family lay in theii feet
They were all splendid dancers. Colouei VI. al
nired his young wiies dancing, and was -lway$
willing to indulge her i'll it. Alter tl:eir lnal
'iage they made bridal tour to ST. Augustine.
where she persuaded her husband Ia pure iaSc al
/ high price, famous colorcd volinsl lalned
slingo, who they carried around with ti.tIu
wherever they went, and could thu, get NJ an
mpromptu dance at short notice. .i;lci :hs i
leath OF his mistress Mingo Abandoned H. r,e
alton, and
The harp that TaiaS balls
The soul Of music she'd
Now hangs a. mute Oh Tara walls -
As If that soul We're dead n
Peace 10 your ashes, old friend Ming, Il v,l
re dead, and comfort and enjoyment )" y.a,f,lr 4
lining days, if you are sili up,n earn; Tor 4
cter hand than yours never drew 4 l:M, u, :
eel, jig or Spanish dance. ;R