Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-03-13
BEAUTIFUL SOUTHERN SCENERY.
Mr.. Joseph JeHersOn's Home I'm Louis
fana-An Interesting Visit Described.
From the New York Sun.

From the New York SUN
Last autumn n paragraph went the rounds of
| the papers saying that Joe jefferson had given
| up his home in New Jersey and would hence
| forth make his permanent residence at his
| island in Louisiana. To one who knew the
| beauties and charms of the place such a resolu-
| ton was small matter for wonder. In December
/ met him on the Morgan railroad going I'D to
| the island for n season of rest before recon-
| mencing his engagements, and told him of a
| long summer day had spent there, expressing
| surprise that he had been able 10 keep away
| from it so long. "How envy you thatr' he ex-
claimed AZ have never seen my place in sum
mer; but, God willing, it Is a pleasure / shall
| yet enjoy"
One lovely August day we tumbled lot OF
| Shawls, bathing clothes, luncheon hampers and
ourselves into a trap with a couple of umbrel-
las, for the big soft cumuli drifting about in the
blue would certainly give Us sprinkle before
live on the place adjoining Mr.. JeffersOn's were
along, and 10 was under their guidance we were
Van Wrinkle.
| 1t was Evangeline's country we were passing
through, the beautiful Attakapas, a level land
| marked OIL into green parallelograms of waving
sugar cane. The road wound through solemn
| moss-dra2ed forests, amid fertile fields, and
would meet an Olive-faced 'Cadian looping leis-
urely along on his little creole pony, and not
materially different in any respect from the At
takapas herders of Evangeline's day and time.
Then miles of wet brown marsh and suddenly
out OF the plain rose cluster of softly swelling
hills that are "Jefferson's Island" 1t one of
some half dozen like il of a curious formation
totally unlike the surrounding country both in
soil and vegetation. and strongly resembling
that part of the state of Mississippi bordering
on the river. 1t is separated from the alluvial
soil of Louisiana by wide marshes, laced with
little sluggish bayOus, and from the summit of
the hills one can look away to the Gulf of Mex
ico's blue waters in the south.
Skirting the house we drove through n beau
tifui oak forest directly to the lake, which is
| the browning beauty of the place. A mile long
and half that width, it lies in the midst of soft
hills. whose grass-clad sides slope smoothly
down to its edges, where huge live oaks dip
their long gray locks OF Spanish moss into the
water. This end of the lake is thickly set with
lotus plants. The white lotus is native of
louisiana, and it was in full bloom this August
day. A sheet OF splendid white flowers bios
somed amid the emerald cup-like pads, and
the light cool breeze that rippled the lake fiut-
tered their thousand snowy petals.
We read a little and slept a great deal in the
hickering shade, took dash into the lake be-
tore luncheon, bringing back cool, dripping
sheaves of lotus blooms, and then sat and
drank iced caret while the slender sunburned
Avery boys told anecdotes of MI. JEFFERSON: of
his goodness and popularity, of his hospitality
and merry simplicity in his own home and
little play he improvised for his grandchil-
dren in which he, as Mdzeppd, was run away
with by q fierce wooden rocking horse.
The house, a pretty modern structure on the
crest OF a hill, looks forward over wide, clear
prospect, and is Swallowed behind by grove of
huge and ancient oaks. The long, rose
wreathed verandas nearly surround the house,
and there is a big field glass near the front
steps, with which one can sweep the horizon
and see plainly the dwellers on Avery's Island,
which resembles this one, and is set upon q
foundation of pure rock salt, in which is the
famous Avery salt mine
A big square hall forms the entering apart
ment, where lOunging chairs are scattered
about, book cases stand, guns and fishing tackle
hang against the wall, and half q dozen valu-
able paintings get good light. Some of these
are Mr.. JefersOns own work, and if he had not
been so famous as an actor he would have been
known as an artist. Behind, at right angles, is
the oak-paneled dining-roOm, where in winter
In the rude fireplace, faced with blue and white
Scriptural tiles from Holland, great logs burn
on the brass fire dogs. A Mikado room opens
out of this at one end, quantity and fantastic
cally japanese. There are handsome drawing
rooms and sleeping apartments on either side,
and a photograph gallery up stairs, for the JEFF
iersons are also amateur photographers, and Fl x
with their camera the beautiful features oftheir
home and the beautiful features of the two
granddaughters, who look like little Spanish
InfantaS.
Heretofore Mr.. Jefferson has only passed few
weeks of each year here but in the future he
will probably be at home on the island large
part of the whole time he is not acting.