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slight variation from the days when journeys were
made in the family stage coach and with the retinue
of family servants.
The Children and the Parks.
The city is built upon the same general plan laid
out by Gen. Oglethorpe, for there are, at short in
tervals, picturesque parks almost miniature in size
but lacking nothing in artistic beauty. These parks
are surrounded by the handsomest residences in the
town and are rendered still further attractive by
the lovely southern children who can be said to al
most live within the heavy shades of these delight
ful “bteathing places.” To a northern visitor
these children in the small parks are a most attrac
tive feature, and it is a striking evidence of the
balmy climate that there is scarcely a single day
throughout the year when it is too inclement for
some of the little ones to play out in the parks.
Here can be seen tiny doll furniture carried from
adjacent homes, while the typical old “Mammy”
keeps watch and ward over the small housekeepers
as well as over the dainty infants in the spotless
lace-covered perambulators which are everywhere in
evidence.
One of the chief characteristics of the city is the
number of its typical southern homes. One of the
most prominent and most representative of these is
The Hermitage
the former home of the McAlpin family, which is
one of the “show places” of the town. Situated
about three miles from the city it is reached either
by a beautiful country road or by the river which
flows past its broad front entrance. The approach
to The Hermitage from the road reminds one of the
entrance to the home of Andrew Jackson although
the house itself is not similar. The pathway from
road to residence is marked by hundreds of huge
oak trees from whose out-stretched branches hang
heavy draperies of the grey Spanish moss so famous
in all descriptions of southern scenes. As the resi
dence was*in the early days, more often approach
ed from the river, it fronts in that direction while
the “quarters” border the moss shaded avenue.
These small cabins of crumbling brick were once
the scenes of the busiest life and activity, but now
each stands as silent and deserted as the great house
itself, for the era which created the need for “slave
huts” is past, and to-day the desecrating hand of
commerce is laid even here, for many of these broad
acres are now used for farming purposes, while the
farmer occupies a modern home near at hand.
It is always amusing to watch a party of northern
visitors “looking over” the Hermitage and the
slave quarters. One lady was heard to question the
driver of her equipage on one occasion—“ Tell me,”
she said “which one of those places was the whip
ping post,” pointing to some large stakes driven in
to the ground. The scorn in the old darkey’s eyes
was almost regal as he answered “I neber heerd of
any whipping post and I’se lived here nigh onto
sixty years! ’ ’
It is hoped by many that the old Hermitage may
be partially preserved for it is truly one of the best
examples of the “Old South” in all its splendor of
lavish hospitality and cordial good fellowship.
Savannah, and the War.
Perhaps there is no one city in the country to
day that suffered more cruelly during the war be
tween the states than did Savannah, yet there is
but small trace to-day of any past hardships for the
commercial standing of the city is among the very
best. Her merchants, her professional men, her
artists and literatuers have profited by the past to
the advancement of the present and future. For a
city of its size there are few if any that equal or
excel Savannah in culture, refinement and advanced
civilization.
Public Buildings.
Handsome public buildings are constantly
added to her streets; one of the most ornate Govern
ment buildings in the country is her new Post Of
fice; her Cotton Exchange, Custom House, County
Court House, Churches and Public School buildings
are all modern and artistic structures.
Some few years ago a Carnegie gift to the city
enabled the opening of a fine free library which was
she (Golden Age for July 5, 1966.
the more easily consummated as the Georgia His
torical Society already had a thoroughly equipped
library in a building donated for the purpose by
Mrs. Magaret Telfair Hodgson as a memorial to her
husband William B. Hodgson.
Another member of this family, a sister of Mrs.
llod’son, a Miss Mary Telfair donated to the city
the magnificent home- of the Telfaiis which is used
as an Academy of Art and within its walls are gath
ered some of the rarest paintings, and pieces of
Sculpture as well as some of the most exquisite
curios and brie a brae that the South can claim.
Bonaventure Cemetery.
One of the most famous old cemeteries in the
country is to be seen in Savannah. Bonaventure
has often been described in song and story, and
strange to say it has a somewhat romantic history.
Like Hermitage this was also a famous family seat
being the home of the Tatnall family into whose
possession it came in 17G1 by the marriage of Josiah
Tatnall of Charleston and a Miss Mulryn. It is
claimed that the circuitous paths of the present
cemetery which lie between the old oaks and are
shaded by the old grey moss were originally laid
out to form the letters M. and T. to typify the union
of the two families!
The Monuments.
Savannah has been said to be the “city of monu
ments,” for no other city has more famous names
to commemorate or more famous citizens of whom
to be proud. Jasper, Pulaski, Greene of the past—
brave warriors and true men, faithful in the allegi
ance to their city and their country—Old Tatnall,
with his historic utterance and his life of service for
his country—brave soldiers of war and citizens of
peace, the fair southern city does well to honor
them!
But space forbids more of Savannah in the pres
ent, and of her future we cannot speak, further
than to predict and to desire that it may in every
phase of its development and in the fullest sense
of the word “copy fair” the brilliant record of a
splendid past.
To Sister Mary.
For your unfaltering faith in me
I can but glad and grateful be,
Rejoicing that in your true sight
My motives seem but just and right;
That while I fail, you still believe
1 shall my high ideals achieve.
Though more than all I would be true,
Some doubt my truth, but never you;
And though some love me less when sad
(I think none can be always glad),
You suffer when my lips make known
A sorrow, till it seems your own.
Pear Sister, if I yet achieve
Things beautiful as you believe,
You will have helped me thereunto
By faith uplifting and so true,
That oft I think of it with tears,
And God I thank in heart-felt prayers.
And if I fail (as fail some must,
Though striving truly and with trust) —■
I know to whom my steps will tend—■
To what unfailing, faithful friend;
And you will turn me not away
When for your sympathy I pray.
Margaret A. Richard.
Tn 1871 Presbyterians were warned not to rent
property for saloon purposes, to sign petitions, to
go on bonds, or in other ways to sanction the liquor
traffic; and in 1892 the Assembly declared that “no
political party had a right to expect or ought to re
ceive the vote of Christian people so long as it
stands committed to the license principle, or refuses
to put itself on record against the liquor traffic.”
With never a backward step in all these years, the
deliverance has been re-affirmed and strengthened,
until today the Presbyterian church leads all denom
inations in its work for the temperance reform.
News of General Interest.
Governor John M. Pattison of Ohio died recently
at Millford, Ohio.
The London police estimate that the street beg
gars of that city collect every year $1,560,000.
It is estimated that half a million natives are in
attendance at the school opened in the Philippines
recently.
The Empress Eugenie at one time owned a ward
robe valued at $1,000,000. To-day she spends as
little as possible on herself and dresses invariably
in black.
Prof. Archibald Coolidge of the history depart
ment of Harvard has been selected to represent the
university as the Sorbonne lecturer in Paris for
next year.
Again is the dilghtful exercise of bicycling be
coming popular in England. As evidence of this
during last year more than half a million machines
were sold there and almost fifty thousand were ex
ported.
The latest theory about appendicitis is that ad
vanced by Dr. Alexander Schmidt of Altoona, who
believes it may be caused by the minute metallic
particles that get into tinned food when the elm
opener is applied.
A curious aspect of the recent Zulu troubles in
South Africa is the terror produced by the army
search-lights. The natives are horror struck when
the brilliant light is flashed on distant trails and
this fear gives to the searchlight almost the power
of a weapon of war.
To test a new system for the defense of coasts and
commerce 235 British war ships have been engaged
in great Naval Maneuvers off the coasts of Great
Britain. The fleets carry 63,000 men and form one
of the greatest aggregation of fighting ships ever
assembled for similar purposes.
The season for turtle eggs has arrived in St.
Augustine, and already several large nests have
been gathered from near-by beaches. During the
moonlight nights of May and June each year scores
of nests are found on the north and south beach, and
the practice has already begun this year.
The latest prodigy is an infant painter. Two of
the most striking pictures of this year’s salon are
by an artist who has not yet passed his fifteenth
year. His name is Tade Styke, *and he is the son of
a Polish painter. The boy has been an accepted ex
hibitor at the salon ever since 1903, when he had a
portrait of Tolstoi accepted.
Americans are never backward about extracting
useful information from any source possible. Re
cently a number of United States Army Officers were
detailed to accompany a gigantic circus on its trav
els in order to study the habits of the wild animals
as well as the methods of feeding them. The sys
tem of the great circus management is said to have
greatly .impressed these men who are themselves part
of one of the most perfect systems in the world.
Recently a class of young women in Chicago re
ceived diplomas which will really fit them for a
somewhat strenuous life. That is, the diplomas
state that the recipient is capable of keeping house
successfully on ten dollars a week! The graduating
“essays” consisted of exhibits of meals which were
arranged at minimum costs—that is a breakfast for
four prepared at four cents; a dinner for the same
number consisting of palatable and varied viands
for forty cents, etc.
It is needless to add that each member of this
class was engaged to be married before she left the
training school,