The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896, 1890-02-13

| that tell Of the torch, dead thirty
years ago. On parterres where once
peacOcks swept in royal beauty. i'll
omencd birds now lope and hover.
Rabbits gamb0l by the lig1t Of the
moon in suparb gardens where once
in splendid fetes the moon itself was
shamed. Swarms OF negroes, seek
ing the coast by instinct, hold al
most undisputed possession. Always
the country homes Of the rich
points of luxury and pleasure-the
busy South has not yet found time
to reclaim aud rehabilitate these
homes.
Royal homes were these old "sea
jslaads"-priucipalities in area, duke
doms in revenue. The main product
was the long staple cotton, which
commanded three times the price OF
ordinary cotton, ard of which they
had q monopoly. Often thousand
slaves were owned by one islander,
and on the mainland, tended his rice
| plantations. Every species of game
thronged the forest Of lhe island. and
the tropical fruits fourished- All
that art and wealth could do to
make these islands enchanting was
done. Guests from both sides Of the
ocean found there hospitality that
the best homes Of England could not
surpass. Pleasure vessels opened
the sea to the planter and his friends,
and bis own Ships carried his cargoes
to and fro. On the mainland was
clustered the oldest and bsst society
Of the Sta'es. In Liberty county
| (Georgia) is the home Of Lyman
Hall, one of tie sigDers of the De
fClaratiOn. 1t is now occupied by an
illiterate negro. a mile away IS the
old Medway church-yard in which
lie buried four Of Georgia's govern
ors. Near that church, that cradle
Of liberty In Georgia, few months
ago, a man claiming to be Christ
harangued thousands Of negroes.
They deserted home, fields, every
thing, and lived with their new Mes,
siah. The most horrible rites and
orgies enSued Negroes Of both
sexes, perfectly naked, & lllOped on
all fours around the false Christ,
grunting like hogs, until they fell
exhausted. When he was arrested
they ran naked in troOp3 for miles,
following the shcritt's buggy. They
then set ap a black Queen of SEeba,
and worshipped her. Despoiled of
their queen, they rallied about a
dusky exhOrter, who claimed to be
King Solomon-the Obstinacy of
their superstition litera lily paralyzing
the industry Of the county. This,
too, a county that for half a century
was the ruling centre of wealth and
intellect IN Georgia.
The exceeding beauty and rich
ness of the islands along the Geo
rgia coasts have attracted Northern
! millionaires. Mr.. Carnegie bought
"Dungeness ;" the old home Of Gen
eral Nathaniel Greene, 1t was here
tnat Eli Whitney, tutor in General
Greene'5 family, invented the cot
ton gin. At the first test Of the gin
the cotton packed on the roller.
Mrs. Nightingale, General Greene S
daughter, observing Whitney's an
noyance when the cotton clOgged the
machine. took her tortoise-shell comb
from her hair, and holding it firmly
against the roller, solved the: pro-
blcm. 1t is st "DungenesS" that
Light Horse Harry Lee, the father
Of General Robert +. Lee, is bzried.
"Duugeness" was famous for its
r0se-gardens, covering acres and
acres. and for the beauty Of its old
mansion. Mr.. Carnegie restored the
gardens, avenues and mansion, and
no prince has a finer estate. Jekylps
Island, near by, has been bought by
club Of Northern men, who have
already spent over halfa million dol
; lars, and have but begun. Jekylr :
is thick with game. Ali manner of
; ducks fill its bogs and ponds. Qoalls
make its thickcts musical. There
are over two hundred deer in oae
drove. VIA turkeys, squirrels and
opposum5 abound English pheasants
were introduced and have multiplied
amazingly, The owners are delight
: ed with Jekylrs, aud intended tc
= make it the rival of Tuxedo.
e a Good ssini TO Farmers.