The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1891-07-16


The old man arose to speak in the
midst of stormy howl for the "ques-
tion," and, it is said, when an hour or
two only remained of the session. He
rambled on in an aimless sort of way,
which is so exasperating to bright young
congressman whose heads are yet big
with their first unuttered speech. Felix
could not talk for sour apples, it was
said, but as yet he had not himself made
speech, and he felt that he could not
look the voters of Hickory township and
Sandy Mush in the face if he yielded to
others and went home without brighten
ing up the pages of The Congressional
Record. When the forensic sprouts of
the Sixteenth congress, therefore, came
to him and offered him their bright new
congressional jackknives if he would
quit he simply shut his lips a little
closer and stated, as the gavel fell, that
he was talking only for Buncombe.
Buncombe county has an area of $50
square miles, and is bounded on the east
by the Blue Ridge. 1t is very mount
ainous, but fertile, with an all purpose
climate that cannot be beaten in the
world, Cattle, grain, tobacco and wool
are among the products
Skyland is where am at as this letter
is being written 1t is a small but grow
ing place, containing thirty-seven inhab-
itants and eight head of horses. 1t is
quiet here at present, Of course, owing
to shrinkage in values at the large
money centers, but this, it is thought by
our best minds down at the store, can
not last long.
My house is rather heavy set cottage,
and is made from the trees which grew
where the house now stands 1t faces
toward little brawling stream called
Group creek. call my place the Sky
land Thought Works. am some like
the gentleman in the foreground of the
almanac let my works show for them
selves. Skyland has an inexhaustible
water supply, consisting of Group creek
and couple of patent wooden pals on
which bonds have been issued bearing Il
low 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
another bucket service.
George Vanderbilt's extensive new
grounds command fine view of my
place was over there yesterday to
see how the work was progressing. II
is beautiful site. One can see from
the foundations Of his prospective man.
sion for miles up the beautiful French
Broad river, and the smoky tops of the
soft, blue mountains make Il magnificent
picture Of gentleness and repose.
1t is a pleasant sight to drive over
there on quiet morning, when the
thrush is singing in the persimmor
branches and the pawpaw is soughinq
in the mountain zephyr, to see Mr.. Van
derbilt, with little leather bootleg bag
of single nails tied around his waist
laying shingles on an outbuilding which
he proposes to use as chicken house, or
possibly, wearing pair of lime spat
tered boots and finishing out q chimney
as he cherrily calls for "More mort" III
likes to be busy, he says. "Duty dom
is the souls fireside," he remarked to m,
yesterday, as he put lot of nice fresl
liniment on his thumb, and showed m,
where pretty little pink nail wa
sprouUlng over the RUNS OF the othe
Dne
Mr. Vanderbilt will have one Of tn
most extensive and beautiful, if not til
most extensive, expensive and beautiful
home in the world when it is completed
One reason have not yet finished II,
my place is that | want first to see wha
George does, and thus get the advantag
of his experience, He does not min,
that, he says. His house will be bigge
than Charlie Kuster's hotel at Larami
city, and will have hot and cold waite
and gas in every room.
The servants will occupy rooms en-
tirely apart from the family Mr. Van
derbilt will keep help the year round
He has set out his pieplant already, an
yesterday ordered span Of horseradis
plants.
A railroad running from Biltmore, o