The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1935-05-06
Federal Hill
Offers Rein
to Memories
Old Kentucky Home Said
to Have Inspired
Stephen Foster.
BY HELM WORDEN
Times special Writer

l. gan Rice took Fannie Hurst
and me 70 Ny Old Kentucky
Home
Cant nc meet Mrs. wigs and
the cabbage patch hrst?" I begged
We can do both" the author OF
Mrs. wigs Of the Cabbage Patch
laughed. Wen 60 see the cabbage
Patch some other time. But want
10 take you all 70 BardstOwn today.
Mrs. Gale young Rico Is neigh
Dor OF ours. She and her husband
live IN a big. friendly house at 1914
81. James-ct. This little court is
one Of the prettiest sections Of
Louisville. right IN the heart OF
town. IS minutes walk from the
Churchill Downs race track and yet
tranquil as a country village. A few
blocks back Of US are factories, the
abroad tracks, and beyond that the
cabbage patch.
A victorian fountain splashes IN
the tiny park in front Of our house.
u is directly opposite the large, red
stone residence Mrs. Wallace Irwin
tTish MacDOnaldJ lived in as girl.
A weeping willow tree grows IN
Mrs. Rico's back yard.
L like 10 sit on my back porch
and write" Mrs. Rice said, so l can
see the willow tree"
The road 70 BardStOwn led through
white clover fields, past early Amer
lean red-brick homes. white frame
farmbouses and quaint villages.
Pink dogwood. apple orchards in
fun bloom and front yards carpeted
with violets made the landscape a
mass Of delicate color.
Federal Hill. the stately brick
mansion which is now known as
NV Old Kentucky Home" crowns
a hill overlooking little BardStown.
Built in 1795
The first wing OF the house was
built in 1895 by Judge John Rowan,
United States Senator from Ken
lucky and famous lawyer of the
early western period. In 1918 Judge
Rowan added the present front of
the house 10 the original portion.
Latticed windows. a picturesque old
doorway and sloping roof give 1t
charm.
Four generations Of ROWans have
lived and died in Federal Hill. It
has never been occupied by any
other family.
I remember Miss Madge. the
last of the ROwans." Alice Hogan
Rice said Il often visited here
when I was a little girl
Our walk through the grounds
and house at Federal Hill was like
living a page out of the past. There
was an erie quality TO the faint
green light that filtered through
the young leaves Of great oak and
MAPLE trees. The smell of ancient
lockwood was in the air. and of
I'M the garden a hooking bird and
a mourning dove were attempting
a duet.
John Rowan was an uncle OF
Stephen C. Foster. II is the &C
cepted tradition that Fosters IA
nous song was founded in the visits
he made to Federal Hill.
"Old Black Joe" "Oh, Susanna"
and MY Old Kentucky Home" are
bur a few inspired by themes the
darkies twanged out on banjos.
Where's Young Joe ?" Mrs. Rice
inquired Of a black boy sitting on
a garden bench and blowing on a
harmonica. Hes Old Black Joe'S
SON Mrs. Rice explained.
Hes been gone two yeahs." the
boy said. He lived hyah. and he
died hyah."
Visit Antique Shop
Now. before we 60 back to Louis
Vile I'd like TO have you see the
Sunken Garden" Mrs. Rico said.
"It'S a little old antique shop in
BardStown that Gale and I always
visit when we drive over. You'll
like the woman who runs It"
The woman who ran it wasn't at
home. but her old husband was. He
pointed out old Confederate mus
kets. uniforms. wax flowers. poke
bonnets and quaint furniture. such
as only Kentucky attics might dis
gorge.
"Oh. here's a first edition OF
Tloyey Mary'!" I exclaimed. picking
I'D an old copy OF Mrs. Rice's sec
ond novel. I'D like 10 buy this
I CANT price anything the hus-
band said. IF 7 learn too much
about the shop. I'll have 10 tend it.
7 told my wife she'd better not leave
me alone this time. No tellin'
what I might do"
And here's an old daguerreo-
type" said 7. my msgpie instincts
coming 10 the surface. How much
is this2"
Lady. 7 don't know what to tell
you" the husband fretted.
Let Miss Worden take them"
Mrs. Rice offered. and then have
your wife phone me the prices"
We al piled into the car and
drove back 70 Louisville. with The
daguerreotype and "Lovey Mary"
: had no sooner entered the house
than the phone rang. NJ dear,
apoloCized Alice Hogan Rice. the
antique woman has Just called up in
great excitement on long distance.
We took the only two things in the
shop that were not for sale. The
daguerreotype is a picture Of her
dead brother. and the copy Of
LOvev Mary belongs 10 a friend in
Georgia. She says she's never going
10 let her husband tend store
again