The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-03-16


\ ted the fortunate visitor to The
Plantation" one Of the noblest of north
Alabama country estates and one OF the
best known visit is a privilege not
accorded at random, for while the most
generous of welcomes is extended to the
guest within its doors, that guest rests
easy indeed, for it is fact well known
10 all friends of Mr.. Ashford that until
his presence is earnestly desired he viii
never be bidden. But once having
achieved the invitation. thrice fortunate
is he, for his host brings forward every
inducement of barbecue and boating
party. fishing trip and hunt for proong-
ing his stay.
The Plantation has been Mr.. 7. 7. Ash
ford's personal property for a number
of years, growing steadily with the addi-
tion of a farm here and there, now and
then, until it is now 2000 acres. The house
was his birthplace; like many homes Of
the period in which it was constructed,
it is substantially built and will stand
like rock for many years to come No
nails were used; the hard oak floors would
be the envy of many a fashionable house
keeper; mahogany is lavished in the in
terror decoration.
During the civil war it was used for the
officers quarters of a Union regiment
but they left it unframed.
It has been the scene of many happy
gatherings in the past. Before the mar
riage of Mr.. and Mrs. Ashford's daugh-
ter Etoile-Mrs. Robley Munger-there
were frequent house parties; nowadays
Mr. Ashford uses it chiefly as a hunting
lodge and to entertain fishing parties. A
card received this week gave the quota
of fish caught the day before with Mrs.
Ashford heading the list with "a, and
others following with almost the same
number. The statement was duly signed
and sealed by each fisherman, but fur
ther proof came in shipment of more
than 100 TO be divided between two friends.
To become acquainted with The Plan
tation as it appears today construct
mental picture of typical ante-bellum
building-a structure whose arrangement
is planned for comfort-simple, direct, I'M
assuming, and with no attempt to be any
thing else. nor is it unduly glorified by
any foolishness that detracts or in any
way eIDdlTdSStSs iAihC must 'iOoSSo ~
the period it is upon a rising slope, so
that it overlooks broad sweep of the
land thereabout, and returning home from
any direction the house may be 'espied for
miles
1t is a stately place, even though de-
void of affectation-a white frame build
ing with square corners, enormous rooms,
a broad roof Scattered about over the
lawn are trees, most of them young
shade trees, some of them flow ering
plants that just now are almost ready to
burst into bloom. There are cedars in
which hundreds of bluejays go to sleep
at sundown, and hugging the columns Of
the quaint old colonial porch are honey
sucke and Virginia creeper, in which
others of these bluewinged marauders
hide themselves at nightfall. Bulbs are
scattered over the yard in beds and out,
for some of them have raised their dell
cate little heads persistently every spring
since those magic times before the war;
when they say everything was at its
loveiest in the south. With the first
warm breezes the fragrance of a million
violets is waited from a blue carpet, and
jOVe
and dahlias, candytuft and tuberoses in
season carry one back-back like the
scent of pressed lavender in some quaint
garment, grown saffron colored with the
years.
Within the big house there have been
changes since the early days, though only
superficially, for it's plan remains the
same. Last year Mr.. Harry Mayer COM
bined a hunting and fishing trip with the
more serious business of redecorating the
interior, and enameled woodwork and
freshly papered walls breathe an unex-
pected newness. Fortunately, however,
catching the spirit of the place, the design
and color of the paper on the walls is in
keeping with either the period or planta-
ton conditions. The big, old fashioned
.'parlor" has several of the family por-
traits and a Dumber of relics. Mr.. Ash
fords mother is pictured in huge can
vas as the talented young belle and
beauty that she was. Clad in the pic
turesoue riding garb of that day, and
with her crop held lightly in her fingers,
she sits at her quaint piano as though
pausing a moment after. a stately canter
across the surrounding lowlands. 1t is a
striking example of the portraiture of the
times
Sweet Nancy Nc Allister
Two smaller portraits, hanging at oIo-
posite sides of the mantel, are likenesses
of the grandfather and grandmother of
The plantation host He is a statesman
l;ko parsonage of whom feminine guest,
more candid than thoughtful, said, What
n flinty looking old person your grand
father is. So different from his
sweet little wife, She appears a
Tiny woman, in the portrait, with
slender shoulders and tender mouth,