The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1888-06-21
Joe JcffcrSOn'S Home.

Across the marshes ana OGyOuS
eight miles to tho west from Petite
Anse island rises Orange island; fa-
NOUS for its orange plantation, but
called Jefferson island since it became
the property and home OF Joseph JEFF
ferson. Not SO high as Petite Anse,
it is still conspicuous with its crown
OF dark forest. From high point on
Petite Anse, through q lonely vista OF
trees, with Towering cacti in the FORE
ground, Jefferson's house is q white
spot in the landscape. We reached it
by a circnitous drive of IL miles over
the prairie, sometimes in and some.
times out OF water, and continually
diverted from our course by fences. 1t
is a good sign of the thrift of the race,
and ofits independence, that the color.
ed people have taken up or bought lit
tie tracts of 80 or. 40 acres. put up
cabins, and new fences round their
domains regardless of the travelling.
public. We zigzagged all about the
country to get round these little en-
closures. At one place, where the
main road was bad, a thrifty Acadian
had set up q toll of twenty-five cents
for the privilege OF passing through
his premises. The scenery was pas
toral and pleasing. There were fire.
quent round ponds, brilliant with Ill
les and tleurs.de-lis, and hundreds OF
cattle feeding on the prairie or stand
ing in the water, and generally OF a
dun.color, made always an agreeable
picture. The monotony was broken
by lines CT trees, by cape.like
woods stretch hing into the plain,
and the horizon line was
always fine. Great variety of birds
enlivened the landscape, game birds
Astounding. There was the lively
nonpareil, which seems to change it's
color, and is red and green and blue
Il believe of the oriole family-the
papabotte, "a favorite on New Orleans
tables in the autumn, snipe, killdee.
the cheerooke (snipe?) tho meadow
lark, and quantities OF teal duck in
the ponds. These little ponds are
called "bull-holes." The traveller is
told that they are started In this wa
terry soil by the paving OF bulls, and
gradually enlarge as the cattle fire.
quent them. He remembers that he
has seen similar circular ponds in the
North not made by bulls. ~
Mr.. Jefferson's residence-a pretty
rOsevinc-covered cottage-is situated
on the slope of the hill, overlooking a
broad plain and vast stretch of bayou
country. Along one side of his home
enclosure for q mile runs superb
hedge of Chickasaw roses. On the
Stops back Of the house, and almost
embracing it, is O. magnificent grove
OF iveoaks, great gray stems, and the
branches hung with heavy masses of
moss, which swing in the wind like the
pendant boughs Of the willow, and
with something of it's sentimental and
mournful suggestions. The recesses of
this forest are cool and dark, but up
on ascending the hill, suddenly bursts
upon the view under the trees q most
lovely lake OF clear blue water. This
lake which may be mile long and O.
half mile broad, is called Lake Peie-
neur, from it's fanciful resemblance, I
believe to a wool-comber.
The shores are wooden. On the ISL
and side the bank is precipitous; on
the opposite shore amid the trees is a
hunting lodge and believe there are
plantations on the north end, but it
is in aspect altogether solitary and
peaceful. But the island did not want
life. The day was brilliant, with O.
deep blue sky and hieh-sailing heecy
clouds, and IT seemed a sort of animal
holiday; squirrels chartered; cardinal
birds flashed through the green leaves;
there fitted about the red.winged
black bird, bluejays, red. headed wood
peckers, thrushes and occasionally a
rain.cro crossed the scene: high over
head sailed the heavy buzzards, de-
scribins great aerial circles; and off in
the still lake the ugly heads OF the al
ligators toasting in the sun.-Charles
Dudley Warner, "The AcadianLand"
in Harper's Magazine for February.