Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1901-05-30

compress was passed before We
reached Clemson, amidst which, like
an old white relic, is Calhoun's home.
Much of this time he was in Washing
ton, Charleston or Columbia.
The architectural quality of two
''porches" gave the impression of addi-
tons to a mere plain house" or coun-
try cottage, with outside chimneys
that were carried up in two diminish
ing fireplaces to a plain shaft, drawn
back from touching the gable. No
dormers were in this blank roof, but
only gable openings. The portico
came almost or quite to the ground,
with a strip of grass lawn before, and
then two or three steps down to
walk, or path. Still farther down
was a modern latticed round summer
house, covering an old stone spring,
which had no overflow.
Despite its eight columns and re-
lieved vertical chimneys, the dwelling
looked low, the skylines outstretching
the columnar intention. II was my
view that at the present day, with
such materials. l could duplicate the
house for $4,000, at the most $500.
What gave it the statesman or pro-
prietary effect were the tall old trees
on the promontory lawn, four or five
branching oaks, rising several times
the height of the house, some old ce-
dars, locusts, frs and pines, a beech
tree near the. spring and close to it an
enormous tree all naked at the top,
but near the ground full of holly, like
evergreen.
In the rear of the house, some so
office with window in the side and
door under wooden classical portico,
the whole, say, IL feet by 16. This
was the solitary mans library and
study l understood that his books
had been transferred to the college.
Relic Room of Calhoun House.
Knocking at the knockerless door
with my llnuckles, it was opened by an
amiable young lady, who said that her
aunt, or mother, Mrs. Calhoun, would
show me the "relic room," and opened
door from a vestibule leading to the
short one-roomed left wing. 1t had a
ceiling of white boards, in strips Of
| five or six inches, a carefully husband
ed carpet on the floor and wooden
black mantel in the end, with a brick
| fireplace for wood fire below.
| Among family and domestic things
on the wall were engravings of Gen
erals Lee and Jackson, and, | think,
Jefferson Davis. The room was very
| tranquil, neat and old timeish, was low
in the ceiling and was perhaps 22x1S
feet. It appeared to be the living or
sitting room; perhaps in sickness or
extreme heat, the chief bedroom.
Soon lady of the quiet period came
in, with curling white hair, a gentle
manner and accommodating-Mrs
Calhoun. She may have been alive
when Calhoun died, nearly at the sea-
son Twas present-indeed, only five
days before the date of his demise,
March 81, 81 years ago. He was also
born in March, 1882, nine months be-
fore his tranquil competitor, President
Van Bruen, and 10 years after William
H. Crawford, who struck Calhoun
down with his one unparalleled arm.
This house at once destroys the idea
that he was a very rich man. He had
so little money of his own that his
brother worked his farm, near Able
lille, to let him go to college. He mar
ried his second cousin, Floride Cal
houn, and she, it is always stated, pos
sessed this Fort Hill place and the
slaves.
Calhoun and his wife led out as So
cial forces at Washington. Part of
the time he lived in the large Linthi-
cum mansion on Georgetown Heights.
and his wife was quoted as a woman
of decision. If Webster, with his
great fees, and Clay, with the manu-
facturers behind him, had to borrow
money, why was Calhoun. who had No
practice and was not very intimate
Ixryi{1 \.