The Arkansaw traveler., 1885-08-29
AT THE HERMITAGE"
Nashville Corr. Inter Ocean ]

Nashville Cotr. Inter Ocean
 A ride of three hours from Nashville found us al the Hermitage. It was tn deed an isolated spot that had given to the country one oi It's two.teTm chiei magistrates. There Is said to be a rail- way passing within four miles ot the estate now, but in JaCkson's day the only means oi success were by hotseo lck from Nashville and by boat up the Cumber. land river to a point three or four miles from the Hermitage, and even then there was no regular landing. There is fence iron, upon any public highway. Look. ing down a dense avenue of aged cy- presses 1 discovered the Jackson rest. dence, A typical southern mansion, cum. brous in appearance. and eharactcrir ed by southern dilapidation, but beve,the- less having rather comfortable aspect In front and behind were half a dozen huge columns, extending frovi the floor of broad recessed piarIa to where the roof crowned the second story. On the right as we looked down toward the house appeared a somewhat neglected garden, which revealed occasional glimpses of some stone and marble monuments at the further end.
 We were promptly discovered by Uncle Alfred, one of the negroes on the estate, who by virtue of his advanced years and intimate relations 10 General Jackson when the latter was alive Is nov detailed to attend to the entertainment ot such pilgrims as may visit the Hermitage. We were in need Of additional cups and saucers, and, as Alfred volunteered to furnish them from his cabin, accom-. panied him to the old slave quarters This opened the way for A conversation, which proved very interesting to me si least.
 "Ho~ old arc you, Uncle Alfred r" l asked.
 "Eighty.ihree years, sah," was the re- spopse. |" was bawn on dis yere place m ISoz. sah."
 "D.d Jackson always live in this house when at homer"
 :" He came to live we're In IS26 soon ez de house was finished. Befor' da, he had lived in yondsh cabin, whaY yo' se- dose two windahs and de outside chim- ney. Yo' know he was bawn down in one ob de Csrolinys. Den he came an lived in dat cabin down thar t,ll iS76. when he moved into d,s yere one, whar he finally died. He was away from home great deal ob de time, and when he was yere allus had . house full ob com pany. His wife only lived ,wo years alter dey got into de new house. It was out ob dat old cabin dat Massa Jackson went when he started io' Mexico in de var ob IGI2.n
 The cabin pointed ou. was q miserable log structure, that looked as If it had been ln the vortex of several cyclones in iis day.
 "Aren't there scme Jackson relics that are exhibited to the curious public here 1'
 "Nothin' wuth seein' sah, now. De swords and pictuzhs and sich is all ai the expersishun to New Awleans yet. Oars nuthin' but the furniture. an spec it's scaseiy wuth while goin' 10 jess to see dat"
 Not blaming the occu2snts of the house for wanting little privacy, ] did not press matters. The present occupants, by the way, are the wife Of General Jsek- sons adopted son, and one of her sons.
 "Did you 6nd General Jackson . kind master inquired.
 "Nebbah vas kindah one, ssh. Some peoples thinks kase he had hot tempah dss he vas hand masssh. Bst dat's all mistake. His slaves was veil treated, an # dey behaved well dey was almost made like membahs of d. family. Massa sckson was posed to slavery. Mon once I've heerd i'm say ss he was ridin' up and down de cottsn 6ei's on hossback, Boys, you'se all gwine to bs free some dsy. It won't be in my time # won't be in my time. But some day you'se gwine to be free, shrah."
 Were you present when Jackson diedf"
 @Oh, yes, sah held his ahm, sah."
 "Ten what you remember about that event"
 "De gen1 died ob pIeurisy. On'y sick three sw f,uI days, 1u; ws knew t was his mo'tai sickness. He was prepared to die, sah. Alius was church membah, an had pra'rs in de family. Yo' know he built dat church yondah. Sware, ssh f-ln 1 .4-