The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1894-09-08
Her splendiA Letter Fpll OF Historic
Ene0 an1 NemiHseceaoes,
All ofv1lch WIN b Fos.A cflGuch
1ReeFest so eAe Reader.

q ~e~~eesS~s 4
through Nashville, seeing very little
Of II and am now domicilsd at the do.
lighted country home Of Mrs. Bette
Martin; the house is q large two story
one, rooms ample and broad, and fur.
nished in handsome rose wood and
mahogany, which, though 80 many
years old, still speak Of it, ancient
grandeur. Handsome portraits Of the
family, exquisitely painted In oil,
adorn the walls. Last week our
family numbered fourteen, with good
cheer and plenty for all.
This is a blue grass country, with
plenty Of fine stock, horses, cows, hogs
and an exceptionally fine country for
raising. chickens, which supply the
Nashville market, and in return bring
many dollars back to the farmers.
The people have long since found oat
there is no money in cotton, and now
raise wheat, rye, corn, clover and all
kinds Of grasses. The land lays level
with a few small hills, which roll
gently, leaving no washes and bitches,
as we have at home. Many beautiful
creeks with lime stone bottom, furnish
water iu abundance for the stock. I
only wish our public roads were as we'll
kept up. They have q mecadamized
pike from Nashville to Lebanon, q
distance of 30 miles, with u toll gate
every five miles. Strangers are made
to nay 10 cts. each way; families living
on the pike pay by the year, o 90 per
yaar., know you have talked and
written good deal lately about urging
our people to make better roads, and
I am sure If they could realize the
great. benefit to be derived from such q
public road, they would not be long In
building one. Within three miles Of US
there is fine black sulphur well-a
little nearer one Of red sulphur.
About three miles toward Lebanon,
are several minera! springs Of q good
deal of notoriety and medicinal virtue.
I have repeatedly had the pleasure Of
visiting each Of them and enjoy both
the ride (for we have fine. horses) and
the water. A few days ago Mrs. Mar.
tin took me on o visit to see relatives
that had never met. We Travelled
distance Of ton miles, and It was with
pride and pleasure looked upon the
lovely country, and knew It to have
been the homes and owned by my fore.
fathers. I saw the place where my
grandfather, John D0nelson and his
twin brothers, Andrew Jackson, (Gen.
Jackson's adopted sony and Thomas
Donelson, THE only living brother)
we're born. II was with interest and 4
feeling Of awe I beheld the spring out
Of which he In his boyhood days had
drank. A cousin, Col. William Douel-
son. at whose hospltable home We spent
the first day and night, has one Of the
orandest old places in Middle Tenn.
Il is q two story brick, and both the
house and grounds speak Of the old
time splendor before the war, with
modern comforts added. On the walls
hung many portraits Of our mutual
ancestors. MY cousin 10 = man Of
about So years, but his hair and whis-
kers are a. white % the driven snow,
which gives him q much older appear
ance. I met his interesting wife and
three Of his children. We found other
relatives there, but the house was roomy
and their hearts were large, and as
every kindness was shown mo, 1t is
needless to say my short stay was one
OF pleasure, and tender association
viththe past. / spent q few hours
most happily with another cousin, Mrs.
Wade. Next / went to see my great
aunt, Mrs. Rachel Laurance, grand
daughter Of Gen. Jackson's, and daugh-
ter Of Andrew jackson, his adopted
son: n d she welcomed me With sincere a.
lection. We stayed one day and night
With her, and on leaving felt grateful
that II had heeu my privilege TO meet
such q noble, refined and sweet ''charac.
ter: and al long as ! live shall ever
cherish the memory Of my visit 70 her.
It was at her house / saw 90 many
relics Of Gen. Jackson's, the Oldest
perhaps being two cut glass celery
stands with the monogram IN. J.'' cut
ii It, which. IN beeu In the family rs
years. ! ~ several pieces Of the oil.
YER service uaed during his (Gen. Jack
son'1) administration Four sof The
pieces were large vegetable dishes of
solid silver. I ~ the pearl ring given
81 Gen. J. "a, 0,h1S Don's wife, by Sarah
.TacksOn. Il ~ cluster Of nearla. ana