The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1892-03-31
THE HERMITAgE.
An Interesting Description of Andrew
Jackson's Old Home.

interesting description of the old Andrew
Jackson homestead from letter OF Miss
Grace Gardner to her parents some time
ago:
"After drive of twelve miles, we en-
tered through the broad gateway leading
into the historic grounds of Andrew
Jackson's old home. The leaves of the
great old beeches, chestnuts and oaks
had spread thick brown carpet over
the large lawn and the vivid green of old
cedars, which thickly border the wide
drive, struck me as pathetic. The fading
foliage and the old scraggy cedars seemed
in perfect keeping with the lonely old
hermitage with its dead associations.
The bowing white headed old negro, the
faithful servant who has never lived any
where but on "dis plantation" all i'm.
pressed me.
"The house has the tall pillars support
ing the wide front porch peculiar to
southern architecture. You enter the
broad hall and through its lengthy vista
one has a glimpse of the garden beyond.
The high coloring of the wall paper on
this hall dazes one on first entering, but
while asking yourself what can this
mean, and thinking what taste, you dis.
cover it all has meaning, for, although
stained and marred by time, scenes from
the "Iliad and Odyssey" can be distinctly
traced. Busts and pictures decorate it
also-one portrait especially attracts at
tention it is large picture of Columbus
painted from life. The parlor is filled
with objects of interest and beauty.
Portraits of Mrs. Jackson and the Gener
al, one engraving taken of the General
standing by one of the grand old trees at
the entrance gate beingvery fine, one of
William III. and many others. The
handsome old furniture comprising
beautiful inlaid tables, an old piano,
cabinets, screens and vases are protected
by strands of wire. Some of the chair
backs are inlaid also. These old pieces
OF elegance look lonely shut off to them
selves. The arms to the chairs seemed
to long to embrace their familiar occu-
pants again. think there is nothing
so eloquent as the silent loneliness of an
old chair. A glass case containing family
Bible, the Generals hymn book, several
pens, whose holders have a history Zone
was cut from the wood of the tree under
which George Washington unsheathed
his sword the first time in defense of his
country, another was used by General
Jackson for vetoing the Bank Billy, his
gold snuff box, cob pipe, pen wipers, one
small box made from the floor of Napol
cons room atSt. Helena and many other
small articles sacred to him during his
life time. The once hospitable dining
room looks cherries and desolate with
nothing but the table and huge empty
side board.
ga long room on the. end of the porch
contains the once handsome but now
wreck of carriage made from the wood
Of the frigate Constitution" and was
presented to Jackson when his term ol
office as President expired. There is g
mantel in this room made of short pieces
of hickory in commemoration of the
battle of New Orleans. A piece OF hick
ory was added to the mantel every Sth
OF January until finished, taking ten
years to complete it. Law books, also
his files of old newspapers with adver
tisements for runaway slaves are here
(this room was originally the dining
halD. The bed room with its table anG
cover, sand sprinkler, large arm chail
where he last sat and wrote, the bed as il
was when he breathed his last inspire
one with awe as we'll as interest. A
short walk into the garden brings you te
the family burying ground beautifully
shaded. I brought piece of pine
(species of hemlock) and branch o
Grape myrtle (the foliage is bright scarle
now) away with me from the quiet spot
Mr.. Earl, the fine artist, is buried here
also; he painted the last portrait O
Jackson, which looks lifelike enough t.
speak to you from its heigth on the wal
as you enter the parlor. A son of the
Generals adopted son lives in the house
and acts as cicerone to visitors. A quain
little church stands on hill not far from
the house, which the old negro informed
me with great pomposity" dc Gene'l bull
his self and wbar he alus communed
madam"
| "After the girls had eaten as many
walnuts, ,beechnuts and chestnuts as they
could and we had enjoyed delightful
dinner Misses Hood and Heron hac
kindly prepared, we left the beautifu
old place with decorated wagon ant
three cheers for our happy day and 'OlC
Hickory"
A "Balm in Gilead" for you by takip,
Simmons Liver Regulator for you
diseased liver.
For nearly forty years Lord Tennysor
has had a pension from the British