The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1888-04-11

THE MOST CELEBRATED HOME
nv THE STATE.
How the Homo of t!tc iIomptonS' and
tho Pre- 'tDnS' Escaped the Tort u OF
Shrrmin'S Arny---in!crCStio;t' lscm-
inisccnccS OF I'Ormcr DAYS,

inisccnccS OF Former Days.
There is no house in South Caro-
lima around which cluster moro in
tercSting associations than are con
nectcd with the preston mansion,
situated in Columbia. This place
was II few months ago sold to the
nuns of the UrSulinc Convent. 1t
was built 10y Anslcy Hall, an eng
lishnlan, and WAS subsequently sold
TO Wade Hampton, the grand
father Ex-senator Hampton. itWA.
occupied bS the Hampton family
until 1910, whenAit became the prop
erty Of Gen John $. Preston, broth
or Of. the celebrated statesman.
William G. Preston. That was the
period of South Carolina's power,
when She was ut the Hcmith !, + her
wealth, and no nation cclipsd her in
culture and refinement. This home
Of the PrcstOn's was Il typical
Southern home. 1t was IN iliustra-
ton Of the St1tc's rise and her de-
cline. Fortress like in its stony
strength, it stood amid II forest Of
tropical foliage. Within was all
that was rich and rarc, Paintings
from the brush Of eminent artists
d ,corated The walls, ana Statuary
cleaned in marble whitcncSs from
niche and ulcovu. Gorgeous tapes
tries and rugs of brilliant colors H.
lumincd the SJmUrc oakcn panels
and floors with light and warmth.
This oriental luxury was enhanced
by slaves who moved nOisclcsSlv
about, bearing silver trays of fruit
andfWnc, while others stood like
statutes of ebony, awaiting the call
of their masters.
1t was here that the ruling spir-
it's of the day assembled. Pete
Haync, formed galaxy, from
which flashed in rival splrndor
darts Of wit and wisdom. Stately
women presided over this home
with quccnly grace. This mon
archal regime continued until the
outbreak of the war i'm 1861.
During General Shcrman'S occu-
pancy of Columbia the following
incident occurred:
1t was the morning after the
dreadfal conilagration that left the
city in ruins, that group of hOmc-
less women were assembled in the
graveyard OF st. Peters church,
The sun was rising in FURNISHED
bars OF light over the SmOullcring
city, and in the dawn OF the now
day the scene was weird and pitt
full. This little number who hover
ed together were the nuns Of the
"Ursulinc convent" There they
stood, watching the convent near
in sight. The flames, like scrpcnts
OF fire, crawlcd from tier to ticr of
the smoking walls, until suddenly
heavy arms they buried all that
was most sacred to those Christian
women. The cruciliX, the shrincs
and all else was transformed into
dust and ashes, and there they wait
ed-thesc dcsOlatc sisters. Some
bowed low, until their somhrc wells
trailed in the dank weeds and
grass Of tie grave, while others
stood with Sublime faith illumina-
ting their pale faces. BY chance
General Sherm an and stnT passed
by. Soelng tho dcsolAtc littlc
group, he dislnprntcd, and APP
preaching them, he extended his
hand to Mother Superior, and
cheerfully said: "Sistcr, these arc
the times to practice Christian ror-
titude." The tail figure of Mother
Superior. shroudcd in the ha|Ili
ments Of her church, lowered
grandly, rs sh" calmly replied: -
"You, General have made them So"
For u moment the great soldiers
face flushed, and he was SILENT
"Mad,,nI, am very sorry that your
convent was burned" he said, "but
you shall not remain homeless; So
lect any un0Gcupicd house in the
city, and il shall be yours" Moth
ep Superior asked for tie Preston
house. This request was granted.
The mansion was accordingly oc-
eupied and retained by them until
many months after the close of the
war, when 1t was again taken pos
session Of by the Preston family
1t was then wreck OF It's former
granduer. The gigantic old trees
were envelopcd in vines, and all
the walls were mOuldcring beneath
matted ivy and moss. The tropic-
al eXuberenco of bloom was re-
placed by unkept hedges; water
from broken fountains drippcd on
beds Of wild lilies and reeds Bats
rustledsthfough the dark shadows,
and owls haunted the roofs and
chimneys. The interior of the
home was dismantled Of its former
glory, Paintings and statuary and
all that was rare and beautiful had
slisappered; the fragments Of shat
tered mirrors clung to their tar
nished fFamGsy sculpturcd cornice3
werc broken, and dosolati9n brood
cd everywhere.
But in nothing was the irony of
fato more poignantly Illustrated
than when the courtly Preston was
compelled to sell his home to the
miscpeant Governor OF South Caro-
lima, wlioze administration proved
10 be the most brilliant and corrupt
xtf thn prnehntt CENTURY, There I'm