The Marietta journal and courier. (Marietta, Ga.) 1909-1918, 1910-09-09

~ Wives JOu GdAS 10 OQb
Kennesaw avenue to-
ward the historic mountain for which
it is named. 1t is a beautiful street
with tine trees and well-kept grounds,
vines and hedges years of care have
brought to perfection. All of the houses
have the home atmosphere, that OF
places beloved by their owners.
There is one mansion on this avenue
"a magnificent colonial structure
that thrills everyone old enough to
have known and loved "the old South. )"
You will be told it is the residence of
Colonel Moultrie M. Sessions and that
it has been restored to its present mag
nificent beauty after years of life in
GLIDING the vicissitudes Of war times.
The round pillars across the front
and supporting the roof of the porte
cochere at the left side, are twentyfour
feet high and ten and a half feet
around. The pavement under these
supurb columns is of granite from
Stone Mountain. Each slab is perfect
in length and the impression Of beauty,
strength and permanence grows upon
visitor as he approaches the wide stone
steps.
1t stands in a grove of oaks with
tree privet hedges on the sides and
with the old English ivy covering the
foundation stones across the front
This house, as beautiful as Arlington
on the Potomac, was built sixty years
ago, with eighteen acres around it as
setting for it's architectural magnifi-
cence. Since then its carriage drive
has been merged into an avenue and
other houses have grown up in the
neighborhood.
Major Archibald Howell, a wealthy
Georgian, built this home when labor
belonged to him, and materials were
not so expensive as they are now; still
it cost $4,000. The tall oaks were
then ''saplings" the major pruned with
his pocket knife.
He imported two workmen from the
North and haG a machine to make
glazed brick for the walls. The foun-
dation for the basement is of field
stones, but the window stills are
granite and their caps OF white mar
BILE from the quarries at Tate.
There are twelve immense rooms
not including the attic and base
ment A wide hall extends through
to screened veranda across the back,
which has awnings, also, and is at all
times in summer a delightful living
room. 1t has every comfort in swing
ing lounges, rockers and window seats
The house has been entirely covered
with cement plaster over the brick,
painted a rich buff, and the window
shutters are green in the style OF
colonial days. All the woodwork is
white and old ivory. The stairway is
esCecially handsome with old timey
carved panels on the landing that is
entered from the library. The walls
of the drawing room are dark red
with frescoed ceiling and a woodland
scene painted on tapestry over the
mantel. The adjoining dining-room
is in olive-green tints and the furniture
is old mahogany.
Although everything in curtains,
upholstery, rugs and furniture is ele-
CANT and costly, there is a lovely
honey, lived-in air about the entire
house. Nothing appears to be for
beauty alone, like moon in the sky,
but for use and comfort, too, like an
electrolier on the reading-stand.
Major Howell was married twice and
lived forty years in this superb house,
having a large family of children.
Mrs. Howell and several Of their chill
dren live across the way now from
their old home. in a smaller house that
is vet a model of comfort and beauty.
During the war between the states
Major Howell continued his princely
hospitality, entertaining officers OF