The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1892-01-02
THE LAST OF HIS LINE.


There are some quaint old houses in
West Washington, as the ancient city
OF Georgetown is now called. and some
queer old characters live in them; the
residue. the relics and the descendants
OF the slave holding aristocracy, who
were kings and queens In society in
the days of President jackson. and
continued to reign till overwhelmed
by the tide of northern people that
came In with the Lincoln administra-
ton and the war.
went the other day with an artist
friend on curious errand, which took
US into one of the quaintest Of these
old mansions, to see one OF the queer
est characters that inhabit them. The
house was mature when the corner
stone OF the capital was laid. and the
man was born soon after. A proud
and aristocatic family. tracing their
| lineage to the time OF the Tudors re-
sided there for a century and a half.
and counted as their guests, under its
and the heroes Of the Revolution.
They were conspicuous in society. in
politics and in commerce for hum
dred years or more. hut are all gone
how-all except one lingering relic
the last leaf OF the tree gray with
cred and sapless.
/ had often seen him in the rotunda
of Wizards hotel and at the Metro
politan. where southern politicians
mostly congregate talking politics,
lamenting the decay of craftsmanship
In this modern age and awaiting an
invitation to join some more prosper
Gus citizen at the bar. His wan face,
furrowed with wrinkles like the veins
upon u leaf. and tanned with tobacco
smoke till it is tho tint OF well-cured
ham, is exaggerated in its thinness by
overhanging. moppy eyebrows OF
coarse hair. and restless little gray
eyes peep out from under them as il
they saw more than their owner would
acknowledge. His grizzly beard is
neatly trimmed but his coat is thread
bare and covered with the results OF
inaccurate expectoration. He has
STOPPING shoulders, bad case Of rheu-
matism. and thirst for drink which
his means will not permit him to
crafty. The loafers around the hotel
know him. make sport Of him and call
him Judge" when they ask him to
.irrigate." Being by no means q bad
talker he is often entertaining and Is
an authority on political events during
the last half century. having had little
else to remember. But there is one
story which his fellow loafers will nc
longer tolerate. When he commences
to tell about a duel he once fought
with an attache OF the French legation
during the administration of John
Quincy Adams all his listeners leave.
/ had no idea where or how he lived.
] had learned in some way that he
was the oldest inhabitant OF Washing
ton. and that he was descendant oil
the +. 4. VS. but there are plenty OF
such characters about the Hobbies oil
the hotels and the corridors Of the
capitol too numerous to attract atten-
ton. and when they pass through the
doors towards the close of the evening
DO one cares enough about them to
ask what sort OF a home they go to OF
In what quarter they live 1t was with
surprise. therefore, that found him
TO be the sole occupant Of an aristo-
cratic old mansion. whose massive
pillars and dilapidation were always
the source Of curiosity.
1t La scarcely true to say that he was
the sole occupant OF the place for af-
ter we had raped with the rusty old
knocker, rheumatic old negro who
looked century old or more. admitted
us to large and dismal hall. damp.
chilly and musty. with no carpet or
the floor. He gave US deferential
greeting. and conducted US to still
more damp and dismal parlor where
an aged negress, in u soiled and tat
tered gown, with brilliant hued tur.
ban upon her head. was trying Il
stimulate a languid fire with an apror
full OF kindling wood. These two ole
servants formerly the slaves Of tn,
family. still remained. sharing tn,
shelter of the mansion with the owner
and the scanty food he bought with Z
few dollars sent him from time t.
time by distant relative. The ole
gentleman still practiced an innocen
deception upon himself and tried t.
| impose it upon his acquaintance. b.
abiding freely 10 Elijah. the aget
negro. as his .'butler" and to tn,
withered crone as my late vito
maid" He grumbled and growlet
when he came into the parlor TO gree
us first because the room was cold
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