The free press. (Poplarville, Miss.) 1890-19??, 1898-02-10
A VISIT TO THE HERMITAGE
OF "OLD HICKORY"
(BY THO G. BILBO.)

GU uOmo ITOm CiOTtuh I'd bpcuu Uuo
evening Of his life among bis neigh.
bors on the banks Of the Cumber-
land. he had already lived, a. it
were, tuo lives. He had first AS
sisted to subdue the western viii
derE eos, and then had taken the
lead In defending 1t. He had first
Won by his diligence and skill q
fair private estate; aud then had
acquired by his valor and conduct
in var national renown and intense
popularity. He might we'll think
that hs had done his part, had
borne his share Of private and pubs
lie burdens, aud might now sit
down under his own vine and fig
tree and rect. This was his sincere
desire and real intention. Because
the Aspect of the world was such
as to promise lasting peace to his
country and he had doubtless, no
Thought but to pass his remaining
days in the pleasant labors of his
farm and tranquil enjoyment of his
homo. But alas! far different
lot awaited him. His life, we may
almost Say, was yet to begin. A
brief interval Of repose between
1919 and 1926, however, was grant.
ed him. 1t was during this period
the Hermitage was built. 1t was
begun in the summer of 1919 when
he retained from the Seminole war.
Would you like to see it, Would
you not like to zee the old planta-
ton, the old house where one Of
the grandest men America has
ever produced, one that his nation
crowned with her brightest laurels,
one whose name has been inscribed
upon the eternal scroll of fame,
spent the greater part of his life :
Then be patient kind reader, and
let me tell you of my visit to this
sacred spot:
Mr.. Hankins, of Alabama, my
roommate, had gone home to spend
the holidays. was alone. l was
bordering the question, Chow
shall l spend the holidays?" On
the last day of the old year '97, l
determined to visit the Hermitage
the folio wing day. l arose early
New Years morning and borrow
ing Mr.. Hsnkins' "whee" (he was
gomez, I mounted it at III Fillmore
st., Nashville, which is eleven
miles and quarter from the Her
mitsge,-NashvllIe, to which Gen.
jackson used in those years to ride
in q carriage drawn by four hand
some iron grey horses. 1t Is sale
that Gen. jackson was the biggest
man that visited Nashville in hit
time.
Pleasant Nashville! Nashville
has grown from the cluster OF los
cabins which Mr.. A. Bail!
found on the banks of the Cumber
land 10 1897 to be one of the mos
vigorous and beautiful cities of tn
South. Truthfully did Mr.. Parton
exclaim on visiting Nashville: "Norti
Carolina is the Massachusetts, o
the South, without Boston
Tennessee is the Pennsylvania o
the South, without q Philadelphia.
As I rode in the slow Chatta-
nooea cars from the southern bOr-
der OF Tennessee towards Its cap
itol l found it difficult to believe a
times that was not travelling II
Pennsylvania. The "lsy" of the
lands, the Alleghanyalike noun.
tains, the clear ripping streams
the long trains of coal-cars, the
hardwood forest, the deep ra,
vines and tunnels, all reminded mt
of the "Key.stOne" state. (1t has
been long, long time since | tray
eled in Pennsylvania, ha! ha!D
Nashville is Tennessees bright
est jewell. The brick pavements
the huge, square old family man.
slons of granite and rock, it's fac'
tories, publishing houses, church
es and colleges, all 60 go to show
that Nashville is no small "burg."
But Pleasant Nashville Its sits
uation Is superb, a gently undul-
ating, fertile valley, fifteen Or twen-
ty miles across, quite inscribed by
hills. Through this panoramic
vale winds the ever winding Gum
berland, a somewhat swiftly how-
ing stream, about a. wide as Pearl
river at Logtown, Mississippi. The
banks are of that abrupt ascent
which suggested the name of bluffs,
high enough to lift the country
above the reach of the marvellous
rises Of the river, but not so high
rs to render it too difficult Of &C.
cess. In the middle of this valley
half mile from the banks OF the
stream, is a high. steep bill, the
summit of which is just large
enough for the purpose, would
have been crowned with castle
il the river had been the Rhine in>
stead Of the Cumberland. Upon