Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1893-03-31
AMERICAN LETTERS.
TRIP INTO THE soUTHwEsT-sloHTs
AND SCENES IN TENNESSEE AND BEYOND.

1t has been to-day clear and warm. 1t
was similar yesterday. Every day
before that but one was rainy since
left Raleigh, n. c. left there In the
afternoon, going to Greensboro, N. G..
for the night. Greensboro, on the map
or plan of 1t that hangs in the Green's
boro hotels, is the largest place In the
world. 1t is really quite a prosperous
village, with some of the characteristics
of city. We left it in huge rain storm
that unfortunately staid with us over the
North Carolina mountains by Asheville
to Knoxville in Tennessee. This distance
we made before stopping, leaving Green's
boro at about a. IN. and reaching Knox
vile about Ii p. M.
had travelled most of this route be-
fore, then, too, in rain. We saw no
snow this time. and, indeed, we didn't
see much of anything except clouds, al.
though In crossing the railroad rises over
5000 feet
Knoxville has about q, 900 Inhabitants
1t Is the principal place in Eastern Ten
nessee excepting Chattanooga, which has
about 10000. Nashville, in Middle Ten
nessee, and the capital of the State, has
about $4,000, and Memphis, in the ex-
treme west, about 10000.
The Hattie Hotel at Knoxville offered
fair accommodations, but the weather
was so unpropitious that we saw very
little of Tennessee until we reached
Nashville.
Nashville is quite a fine city. The
wide street upon which stands its large
and fine post-oflice, built by the gov
eminent, is fine boulevard, both
wide and long, though not the principal
business street. Then the State capitol
is well placed upon hill that overooks
the whole business, and is, too, very
creditable building, with some grounds.
and good many handsome dwellings
in Its neighborhood. [ spent part of one
day at the capitol library and parts of
two others in visiting the Belle Meade
thoroughbred stock farm and the fine
farm of Mr.. McGavock, who breeds
Morgans and has number of very ex-
cellent brood mares that he bought in
Eastern Vermont.
My trip to Belle Meade was made with
a gentleman of color. The farm is about
five miles from Nashville, in pleasant
farming country, well supplied with
trees, large and small. 1t consists of
1000 acres and includes large park that
is well stocked with deer. AS we entered
the grounds told the negro not to stop
at the house, but to drive to the barns
where thought might find an overseer
and get him to show me the best horses
| builded better than | knew, for at the
barns found Gen. Jackson, the owner,
who, recognizing my name, gave me so
cordial an invitation to stay with him
over night that | accepted, send
ing the negro driver back. 1t gave
me great opportunity to see what had
been especially anxious to see, some of
the best thoroughbred horse stock in the
world. 1t introduced me, too, to one of
the most delightful homes of America
Gen. Jackson first showed me the year
lings, an excellent lot, that will soon go
into the annual sale, at which, last
year, they brought on an average
$4,000 a head. In these the gentlity
of the blood is noticeable. There
is nothing coarse; and, then, there is a
general resemblance among the stock
similar to that seen in herd of Jerseys
or DevoEs. After seeing the colts we
looked at some of the famous stations
kept on the farm, especially Iroquois and
Luke Blackburn, neither of which, the
general said, could he afford to sell for
100000. OF these, Gen. Jackson seemed
to prefer Iroquois, but Luke Blackburn
was to me the ideal stallion, full of grace,
beauty and snewy strength. 1t seemed
as if | was looking upon Delaney
Wildair, and, indeed, (though | did not
know it them | find in looking up the
pedigree that Luke Blackburn traces to
DeLancey's Wildair by several lines.
Besides his horses, that must number,
with brood mares and colts, at least 250,
. Gen. jackson keeps 50 cows and makes a
large amount of butter that he sells at
high prices. His arrangements for the
cows and for making the butter are most
complete.
1t was nearly dark when we left the
farm for the house. There was a broad
verandah to pass that opened to sit
ting room, where before a bright wood
fire in capacious fireplace the family
group was partly gathered. Among
these were the generals youngest daugh.
. tiers, two very lovely and beautiful girls
| A little later we were called to supper
most bounteOus meal, very handsomely
served.
At Mr.. McGavock's found another ell
] eganU Southern home. Here met Mr.
Tanning, an exceedingly pleasant South
. arn rrantlaman mhosa f,thor ho1 forn,o.