The Elbert County tribune., 1919-09-12


oughfare. an oblique continuation of
National avenue. was called Amber
son boulevard. and here. at the juno
ture of the new boulevard and the
avenue, Major Anderson reserved
four acres for himself and built his
new house-the ANDERSON mansion. of
course.
This house was the pride of the
town. Faced with stone as far back
as the dinIng-room windows, 1t was
house of arches and turrets and gir-
ding stone porches: II had the first
porte cochere seen in that town.
There was a central front hall" with
great black-walnut stairway, and
open to green glass skylight called
the "dome," three stories above the
ground floor. A ballroom occupied
most Of the third story. and at one
end of 1t was carved walnut gallery
for the musicians. Citizens told stran-
gers that the cost of all this black
walnut and wood carving was sixty
thousand dollars. "Slxty thousand
dollars for the woodwork alonel Yes,
sir, and hardwood floors all over the
housed Turkish rugs and no carpets
ut all. except a Brussels carpet In the
front parlor-I hear they call It the
reception room Hot and cold water
upstairs and down, and stationary
washstands in every bedroom In the
place. Their sideboard's built right
into the house and goes all the way
across one end of the dining room. 1t
Isn't walnut. It's solid mahogany
Not tveneering-solid mahogany Well.
sir. / presume the president of the
United States would be tickled to
swap the White House for the new
Anderson mansion, IL the Major'd
give him the chance-but by the AL
mighty Dollar. you bet your sweet
life the Major wouldn't"
The visitor to the town was certain
to receive further enlightenment, for
there was one form of entertainment
never omitted: he was always patri.
otically taken for "a little drive round
our city," even If his host had to hire
a hack, and the climax of the display
was the ANDERSON mansion. Look
at that greenhouse they've put up
there in the side yard" the escort
would continue. "And look at that
brick stableI Most folks would think
that stable plenty big enough and
good enough to live in; It's got run
ming water and four rooms upstairs
for two hired men and one of ems
family to live in. They keep one hired
man loafln' In the house, and they got
a married hired man out In the stable.
and his wife does the washing. This
town never did see so much style as
Ambersons are putting on these days;
and guess It's going to be expensive.
because a lot Of other folks'll try to
keep up with 'em. The Majors wife
and the daughters been to Europe,
and my wife tells me since they got
back they make tea there every after
noon about FIVE o'clock and drink 1t.
Seems to me 1t would go against
persons stomach. Just before supper
like that. and anyway tea isn't fit for
much-not unless you're sick or some
thing. Looks to me like some people
in this cIty'd be willing to go crazy
IL they thought that would help 'em to
be as high-toned as Ambersons. Old
Aleck Minafer-he's about the closest
old codger we got-he come In my Of
fee the other day, and he pretty near
had stroke tellin' me about his
daughter Fanny. Seems Miss Isabel
Amberson's got some kind of a dog
they call 1t st. Bernard-and Fanny
was bound to have one, too. Well,
old Aleck told her he didn't like dogs
except rat terriers, because a rat ter
rier cleans up the mice, but she kept
on at him, and finally he said all right
she could have one. Then. by George
she says Amberson's bought their
dog, and you don't get one without
paying for it: they cost from fifty to
hundred dollars upi Old Aleck
wanted to know IL ever heard of
anybody's buyin' a dog before, be-
cause, even Newfoundland or a set
ter, you can usually get somebody to
give you one. He says he saw some
sense In payin' a Niger dime, or
even a quarter, to drown a dog for
you, but to pay out fifty dollars and
maybe more-well. sir, he like to
choked himself to death, right there
in my officeI OF course everybody
realizes that Major Anderson is q fine
business man, but what with THROWN
money around for dogs. and every
which and what. some think all this
styles bound to break him up, II his
family don't quItI"
One citizen. having thus dIscoursed
to a visitor, came to a thoughtful
pause. and then added. Does seem
pretty much like squandering, yet
when you see that dog out walking
with this Miss Isabel, he seems worth
the money"
"What's she look like7"
''Well, SIR" said the citizen, shes
not more than just about eighteen or