Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1896-11-13

be even more acceptable to many when
the underbrush has grown wild and
tangled and weeds desecrate the once
well-kept lawn, but surely an atmos-
phere of sadness surrounds the old
homestead, whose windows were once
brightly lighted and whose portals
were in the past Hospitality opened to
the visitor, but where. now only desc
lation reigns. The homestead, con-
structed on broad lines of liberality,
now appears but great shell, waiting
for the touch of time, and slowly
crumbling away.
Only a care-taker now has charge
Of the old Emmons estate between
Ecorse and Wyandotte, an estate in
which the learned and scholarly judge
once took immoderate pride. 1t had
been his pleasure for years to improve
the grounds, and in this agreeable
task he brought to bear considerable
love for nature and a nice apprecia-
ton for us all that makes country es-
tate most desirable. A visitor to the es-
tate at the present time, after wander
ing through the grounds, would in
stinctively realize that here at one
time had presided someone who, per-
haps, loved not man the less but ma
ture more. The great trees the va
riety of foliage, the willow lane, the
admirably designed lawn, the attrac-
tive hooks and corners and many 9TH
err details reveal the clear insight OF
the designer of such an estate. 1t was
remote in the early days, much more
80 than now, when electric cars spin
by at frequent intervals; the roads
were sometimes almost impossible;
but 1t represented a domain, or farm,
which was more attractive to the
owner than a. city residence and here
he lived after his own fashion for
many a day. Had not old Judge EN-
mons long since passed away, IL
would be of much interest to learn
from him his early experiences in this
comparative wilderness; how ne
gradually converted an ordinary farm
into delightful domain and OF the
life he passed here, surrounded by the
objects which were dearest to him.
The entrance to the old place is at
present discouraging to the VISITOR.
The car stops on the farther side OF
the road, and it is only after wading
nearly ankle. deep through the mud
that one gains the lawn. Even the mo-
torman is surprised when you ask
him to stop at the Emmons house, and
his look says: What on earth do you
want to stop there for? Nobody stops
there" And really 1t is heroic task
to reach the lawn through the mud,
and you do not wonder at his express
sion of countenance. Passing through
the gate-once pretty detail In itself
you notice the line Of huge ever
greens which stand like q row of SEM
tinels all along the road. The hedges,
you furthermore observe, have not
been kept up, and instead OF present.
ing anything like symmetrical APP
pearauce, are mere barrier. The va
rieties Of trees, hickory, maple, ash,
elm. willow and evergreen, not to men
ton many others, would commend
to the observation Of
lover of such sylvan deities-not en-
tirely because Of numbers, but because
Of the manner in which they are laid
out. Here, perhaps, the attention will
be primarily called by an evergreen OF
unusual proportions, entwined by
vine the leaves of which are
lighter than the general color tone OF
the tree. and afford a marked contrast.