The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1911-04-16

pitality and like themselves. exceeding
ly fond Of drinking. Their stops there
would often be prolonged. so that their
hunting for game amounted to very
little while their indulgence in whfs-
key and native wines was carried,
sometimes 10 most alarming extent.
SingularIy to say. however, right in
the midst Of one OF these long contin-
ued jsmborees. poor Foster composed
the song In question, arranged the
melody and actually sang IL TO his BAG
chanalian companions just as it has
been sung ever since by thousands and
thousands OF people.
Learning all these matters OF history,
the writer OF this article and several
friends determined to look up the To-
cality so famous for it's legendary ira
ditions In the realm OF song making!
Accordingly. they took the cars for an
eighty miles ride, and near where the
railroad crosses the Swaunee River
they actually found the far-famed "ol1
house at home" AS you approach the
river the road traverses a country
almost level. but well drained, natural
~, and finely adapted to agricultural
purposes. We passed fields of cotton
and sugarcane, interspersed with woods
Of pine and cedar Leaving the train
at the river we passed along its east
ern bank to the north some distance
and entered a grove of ancient live
oaks. many Of whose huge crooked
branches were adorned. with startling
specimens of Spanish moss hanging in
long festoons and garlands and all
waving in the gentle south wind.
A Scene of DesoIation.
~ I..ET H.
itself. which is Immediately surrounded
by numbers of large chfnaberry trees
resembling giant umbrellas, effectually
shading the house and suggesting
scenes in Oriental pictures. The old
house Is a long, rambling Stacking.
one story affair, having a gallery run
ming all around it and hail. or wide
entry, cut straight through the middle
from north to south. the width of tho
house. This entry is open without out
side doors at either end. Doors from
It communicate inside with the rooms
in use by the household
There was an air of desolation and
decay about the establishment. The
furniture in the few rooms we inspect
ed was of ancient pattern. and the
walls and ceilings were entirely desti-
tute of paint or paper.
We gazed on the scene with feelings
of respect not unmixed with commits
Grafton. There was nobody in charge
but an ancient colored servant woman
who told us that the family was all
out in the field chopin cotton" So
| they were.
OF a verify, the old folks were not
at home and the young folks were not
In. Later on. the heads of the house
hold came in and received US with
passable welcome. They were not de-
scendants OF the original proprietors,
] but were people who had succeeded to
TIE estate; long since it had passed out
of the possession Of the original own
ers. The latter were extensive slave
| holders We were shown the broken
down shanties once occupied by the
negroes. We saw the old wash house
and cook house. or what was left of
them.
In one large room of the old house.
called the Great Room" the present
owner told us, parties and balls were
often held. Whenever marriage oc-
| CURED, among the slaves even. it was
in that room that the darksome nup-
tials were celebrated by permission Of
the master, the latter himself often
| leading the bride to dance to the violin
and the song singing, not of Way
Down Upon the S'wannee Ribber," but
to the tunes of Dandy Jim" and Rose
| of Alabama"
The present proprietor also knew o.
| the story of Steve Fosters visit to the
place, which was before he himself had
taken possession, but he had often been
/ told of the matter. He related to us
| about the big hoe downs" and the