Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1895-02-11
A GHOST OF A PLACE.
THE STORY or ASHLEY HALL AND
HosPlTABLE COLONEL BULL.

I4OIE-flF 49, 100000 -
How the Planter Kept His Household
Goods From the Hands of the -TsaIders.-
Pictures of Beautiful suburb That All
visitors to Charleston Admire.
Woodlands thick with underground;
tranquil country stiffness, the stiffness
Of bit Of country comparatively un-
titled and unpastured; roadways lined
with tall and stately trees-such the
scene as the clatter of horses hoofs echo
ing on the hard flooring of the river
bridge dies away into noiseless footballs
and the wheels turn without sound in
the Welding soil of st Andrews The
murinured chorus of countless pines
charms us into forgetfulness of the city's
close proximity across the river Ahead
the way unfolds TO us, broad and smooth,
winding between long battalions of an
oient oaks. muffled up to their chiDs in
gray; on through miles of the century old
trees, their massive trunks bound with
fibrous ecarfs, as if to veil the scars Of
successive seasons, every twig and
branch and spray hung with streaming
moss. Grand old oaks Autumnai
storms and April airs in turns have
tossed and kissed their rugged boughs,
yet the giant trunks stand firm Scarce
a gap in the uniform line shows where
a grenadier has fallen out of ranks, and.
elbow TO elbow, they guard the ancient
highway from encroachment of forest or
field.
Here is an old gateway, the entrance
-. tod
! Ashley Hall. one of the proudest and
most spacious of the ancestral homes in
this parish We pass through the use
less massive portals into the driveway
beyond. In the shaded light the avenue
/ seems dreaming of the past, for these
! great oaks stand guard over the wreck
| Of all they were intended to adorn OF
I the stately home 10 which their beauty
formed fit approach nothing now re-
/ mains but the erumbling marble steps
aud tall spirelike chimneys Little
/ pickaninnies play hide and seek where
! once tho flowers in my lady s garden
grew in trim luxuriance. Only the Ash
| ley is unchanged as it ripples by on its
| way to the sea- its waves as blue and
sparkling as when it bore many boat
ing party from the mansion house
Ashley Hall was the scene of a munih
cent aud lavish hospitality in antebel
/ lum DAYS Its owner possessed immense
plantations ia Mississippi and Louisiana
| IN addition 10 his Carolina estates, and
the great halls and spacious drawing
rooms Of the ST. Andrew s mansion were
frequently thronged with gay COM
| pany of the most distinguished people
of the state The bost was passionately
| fond of the chase and delighted to as
semble about him those who shared in
| his love of sport Deer hunts. partici-
pated in by famous sportsmen from all
over the south, were features of every
season, The same open handed generos-
ity that dictated hospitality so marked
obtained between master and slave, and
| the large retinue of servants at the hall
were q happy. care free set 1t was ira
ditionai that no one was over sent away
empty handed who applied for aid AZ
| the doors of this plantation home
This old hall, in which seven genera
| tions of the same family had dwelt, liy
ing almost ideal lives. met with "a tragic
! fate The organized struggle between
| the north and south was at an end. but
| the raiders were in possession OF this
country They had already sacked and
| DESTROYED every house in the parish,
with a single exception, and that plan
tation was occupied by an enemy more
dreaded even than demoralized soldiers
namely. smallpox That frightened
oven rough handed rapacity away, and
venerable Drayton Hall, today famous
g.. ,3.o.f,,I rrarcorc xuoc
! inviolate The knowledge of the fate
that had overtazen the homes OF his
neighbors, and which he felt that few
hours more would precipitate upon his
| own, determined Colonel Bull. Calling
for kindling wood, surrounded by his
awestriclxen servants, he himself applied
the pine torch to his household gods.
Pictures, plate. antique furniture, val
ued heirlooms-all were sacrificed save
the small number which could be has
tily seoreted by trusted slaves when they
learned of his intention. 1t is related by
an eyewitness that the stalwart planter
wept tears of infinite sorrow as the
sounds of falling brick and crumbling
woodwork smote upon his ears just
back of the house is an ancient monu,
ment erected TO CODltlfeInOfdto Oio VI
Carolina's colonial governors, an ances-
tor of the doughty colonel 1t was on
the base of this shaft that the master OF
the manor sat and watched the destruc-
tion Of his home
We retrace our way along the ranks
of rare old trees. passing through the
ancient gateway. fit subject for poets
theme. into the open road. where we are
greeted by procession OF oaks as sym
nlctrical as those we left behind. Miles
of moss fringed trees. their somber cur
tains swaying far above, and again
dropping 50 as almost to touch the earth
about their feet. continue even to the
cleared strip of land Immediately in
front of the bridge. Opposite lies the
city, her cluster turrets and slender
spires outlined against the evening sky
Asked how we like the oaks, we say
that they are beautiful, but all the
while we are conscious that they have
charm Ct thoirown not to be interpreted
in words. Cor New York Post