Telegram-herald., 1891-06-07
NYE AT HOME.

The old man arose 10 speak in the
Inidst OK a stormy howl for the ''ques-
ton" and, it Is said. when an hour or
two only remained Of the session. He
rsInbled on IN AN alIaless sort OF way,
which Is 50 exasperating 10 fright young
cangressrnen whose heads are yet big
wrrh their first unuttered speech Felix
could not talk for sour apples, il was
sand. but as yet he bad not himself made
a speech, and he felt that he could not
lock the voters OF Hickory township and
Sandy Mush in the face IL he yielded to
others and went home without brighten
ing up the pages Of The Congressional
Record. When the forensic sprouts of
ths Sixteenth congress, therefore. came
to him and offered him their bright new
congressional jaekknives If he would
quix. 10 SIMPLY shut bis lips a little
closer and stated. as the gavel fell. that
he was talking only for Buncombe.
Boncombe county has an area of 40
square miles, and 10 bounded ON the east
by the Blue Ridge. It is very mount
ainoas, but fertile. with an all purpose
climate that cannot DO beaten in the
world. Cattle. grain. tobacco and wool
an among the products.
Skyiand is where am at a. this letter
Is being written. IL Is small but grow
ing place. containing thirty seven inhab-
itarts and eight head Of horses. 1t is
quiet here at present, Of course. owing
to shrinkags In values at the large
money centers. but this, ID is thought by
our best minds down At the store, can
not last long.
Nv house is rather heavy set cottage,
and ia made from the trees which grew
where the house now stands. 1t faces
toward little brawhng stream called
Group creek. call my place the Sky
land Thought Works. sm some like
the gentleman in the foreground of the
Almanac let my works snow for them
selves. Skyland has an inexhsustible
water supply. consisting of Group creek
and q couple Of patent wooden pals on
which bonds have been issued bearing a
loss rate Of interest
The works are in charge Of my coach
man. and also control the bonds. AS
the town grows we propose to put in
&nOtfer BUCKET service.
George Vsndsrbilt's extensive new
grounds command fine view of my
place | was over there yesterday TO
SEE how the work was progressing. IL
IA . beautiful site. One can see from
the foundations Of his prospective man
non for miles up the beautiful French
Broad riyer. and the smoky tops of the
soft, blue mountains make magnificent
picture Of gentlsness and repose.
IL Is pleasant sight TO drive over
there on quiet morning. when the
thrush IL singing ia the persimmon
branches and the pawpaw Is soughing
IN the mountain zephyr. 10 see Mr.. Van
dsrbiit, with little leather bootleg bag
OF single nails tied around his waist,
laying shingles on an outbuilding which
be- proposss 10 use as n chicken house, or.
possibly. wearing pair Of lime spst-
tered boots skd finishing out chimney
- ne cherrily calls for More mort He
hkes 10 bs busy. he says. DUTY done
Is the sonrs fireside,~ he remarked to me
yesterday. as he put lot II nice fresh
hniment on his thumb. and showed me
where pretty little pink nail was
sproutlRg over the ruins Of the other
enc.
Mr.. Vanderbilt win have one of the
most extensive and beautiful. if not fAs
most extensive, expensive and beautiful
home IN the world when IL Is completed.
One reason | have not vet finished n
my place - that | want first to $40 whas
Georgs dos. ard thus ges the advantages
Of his experience. lie does not mind
that, he says. HIS house viii be bigger
than Charlie knster's hotel &C Laramie
eity. and viii have hot and eold water
and gas IN every room.
The servants VIII occupy rooms ~
sirely apart from me family. Mr.. Van
derbiIt viii keep help the year round.
He has vt cut bis pieplant already, ard
yesterday ordered span q horssrsdish
ylsnts
A raiirusd running from Biltrnore. on
sha main linz. ~ NJ Vsaderbslts place
h owued py him. and u used ss,feiy 10
r.suv-vsrar hnihing material and ssssr1es
4, the men. II Is called th> Vssa1iert'ait
system. Twenty th0usan1 do2lsrs p~r
r,onth i tl-e sum pasd al psaseas ~ men
working On TIE srsurpis. esssis frafn
slr~e who are builatng. AL zee ny
grounds. exueeisliy % Mosass, Prss-sst'