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THE FLOW® COUPON VOLUME XLIII—NUMBER EIGHT. JHlanta, Go., Week Ending Jipril 22, 1905. 50c PER YEAR—SINGLE COPY 5c. i • I This Mississippi Home Reflects in Miniature j ■ Chivalrous <SL Stormy Life of Old (EL New South ^ ^ ^ ! i * »0'«0-«0'CO' «'..»0.«0-«0'*0'«0'«0-«0'«0. A ...e O'£ 0 «0'•0'*0-»0'*'*-»'*-*.^«0'«0'«0'«0- o-*o-«o.«o.«O'o-«o-«O'• O' • O-• o.eO'•0'*0'«O'O'*o- • O' • O O'• O'• O'• O'• o-«090'• O'« o-• Major Valley and His Fox Honnds. Waverly as it is Today in the Twilight of its Fortunes. By L. W. BANKS. H. tten for FAr Sunny South ROSSING tlio .Tombigee river, seven miles north east of Columbus, J'Owndca county. .Mississippi, in a weather-worn flat boat, used for years as a ferry, then following a. narrow graveled road way up the rugged bank until the top iif the bluff is reached, one at a glance gets a fine view of the old Young homestead. The place is known far cast Mississippi as "Waver - ly,” a bcfore-the-war, "I.ibcrly Hall." it is prettily situated, on a comnuutding elevation a few hundred yards west of the river, originally it was in Lowndes county, but is now a part of Clay. The quaint two-story house, vener able with age, with its big observatory boldly towering among the neighboring trees, makes an imposing picture. There one seems to breaths an atmosphere of "other days.” Everything suggests that life in such a home must have been ideal in the ante-bellum era of tbe south. When the visitor looks about the grounds of tbe homestead It is plain that sad changes have taken place. The large flower garden, with its borders of box wood, which in vanished yea\s was kept with taste »tnd skill is now neg lected. Here and there, weeds have usurped beds where bright annuals flowered or odorous perennials bloomed to load the air with fragrance found only in a southern clime. Rut once within the por ta’s, the stranger meets a welcome so gonial and kindly that it will never b® effaced. The real joy and happiness dis pensed there in the entertainment of kith and kin and friends more than fifty years ago is beyond the power of pen or pencil tc> depict. So rarely did the Young family dine alone, it was said the sweet- hearted mistress and warm-hearted mas- ter gave "perpetual house parties."' And tiius it is at Waverly in tliis commercial age. Tlio masters of the manse. Major George Valley Young and Captain Wil liam I-owndes Young, old bachelors ant- bo, the former well turned his three score and ten, and 'the latter a third of a decade on the other side of the grand climacteric—are worthy scions of a good ly stock distinguished for gentle court esy and gracious hospitality in an age famous for the princely customs of so cial life. To tiieir way of thinking there is naught that walks the eartli or swims the waters too good for the whilom guest whether chance or appointment directs his steps to their demesne. DOGS OF ALL SORTS. The wide doors of the .mansion stand ever open. Chairs built for comfort line the long front porch facing south. Fine hunting dogs, of various breeds—hounds for the chase, setters and pointers for the field, when quail are ripe—lazily stetch themselves about the premises. Chickens dart around the hedges of box bordering former flower beds in head long pursuit of the elusive bug. If the stranger chances to meet upon any of the roads leafing to the big house, one of the old negroes and should inquire, ‘Uncle, where’s Waverly?” the aged darkey, with a proud smile and hat in hand, is apt to make reply: "Dis am Waverly, sir, all ’bout duse fields and woods is Waverly, but de town uv Wav erly is ’cross yonder on dat hill, at de big house, whar Marse Billy and Mr. Mage liv’s." The house was built many a long year ago and is a fine portrayal in architec ture of country life as it used to be in {.Mississippi. Passing the wide portico, visitors enter an octagon hall thirty-two feet in diameter. On either side of the hall are winding stairs to the second floor. On this floor the bed rooms, twenty-two by twenty-two feet, open from a balcony hallway from which other winding stairs lead to the commo dious observatory. The stairways and the railings to the stairs and balconies, are of solid walnut handsomely finish ed. From the floor of the lower hall is suspended an elaborate bronze chandelier which, when tbe lights are turned on. brilliantly lllumninatcs the big hall. In tbe hall are two tall pier glasses in heavy gilt frames and on the walls hang oil paintings. To the left is the elegantly furnished parlor, which, despite the wear and tear of time, is strikingly attractive. The rich imported furnishings are mar velously preserved. A dark blue velvet, flower-sprinkled carpet, made to order in Paris, about the middle of the last century, covers the floor, and is yet a thing of beauty. The parlor furniture, also imported with the carpet, comprises many pieces—divans, chairs and ottomans —all of rose-*wood upholstered In blue satin damask, brocaded in pale yellow roses, showing little signs of fading out after half a century’s service. At the high windows are heavy blue satin da mask curtains lined with canary silk, hanging from massive gilt cornices and caught back from over the lace curtains by big silk cords and tassels. Over the imported Italian marble mantel, carved in fruits and garlands of flowers, is a mirrow seventy inches wide, set in a gilt frame reaching to the ceiling. The open ing to the fire place is four feet high with richly chased out glass globes. In the family sitting room or library fs a mahogany book case and writing desk made into the wall. All the window fron- tals are maSsive and over every door In the house is a large transom. Scattered through the rooms are pieces of ma hogany furniture rich in design. The fouuder of Waverly was a man of wealth and culture. Previous to the war it would have been difficult to have found in the south a better equipped es tate. He was an extensive planter and built upon the river bank a large brick ware house, where was stored his own and his neighbors" cotton to await the Champion Joe Camming, a pen Sketch from Life by Prof. E. H. Ostrum. Winning First Eastern All Age, First Con tinental All Age, Second XT. S. Trial All Age Champion Stake. Sold by Mr. W. W. Titos to Ifc. Clarence Muriray the New York Millionaire, for $1,500. .arrival of boats from Mobile. Many •'•’Mis people made the trip oir these steam boats up the river from the aristo cratic Bay city and in return the young folks of W averly. joined by merry par ties at Columbus, made pleasant jour neys to Mobile in the gay winter months. On the hill above the river stands Col onel Young's old office building, where his overseers reported to him on the business of the plantations and to the left of the house was' a low brick build ing, comprising several rooms in which he had his private office and law li brary. The place boasted a large woolen mill, flour, grist and saw mill and a hat fac tory. The first felt saddle blankets made in the United States were manufactured In a Waverly factory. There was a tan yard, where were fashioned all the shoes worn by the negroes and other leather goods needed on the place. At the foot of the hill, south of the home, wajs a batn house. The swimming pool and fish pona were filled from the artesian well a few feet away. The house was lighted by gas generated on the place. Colonel Young appreciated in those early times how dif ficult it was for a house wife to do with- an ice pit twenty feet deep and covered by a roomy latticed house. The ice pit was filled every winter from the frozen ponds and streams on the plantation. An extensive orchard and flower .bordered vegetable garden supplied the table jn season with choice fruits and vegetables. NATIVE OF GEORGIA. The master of Waverly first visited Mississippi when the Indian was monarch of all he surveyed in that region. Ho was attracted to the state by the gov ernment sales of Indian lands and abouc 1835 decided to make an overland trip from Georgia to the nw country. Col umbus lay in his itinerary. The old town was then in her infancy and gave slight evidence that in after years she would win tlhe sobriety "A City of Homes Beautiful.” Crossing the river at the small village he passed a few miles west of it through a thickly settled Indian settlement. The primitive huts were half hidden from view by peach trees in full blossom beneath which were a number of fat ponies and cows. Then and there he was struck With t'he possi bilities of the land, and determined to buy an estate in that vicinity. This 'he did the same year and returned to Geor gia to remove his negroes and stock. Returning to Mississippi with the as sistance of his slaves he opened up his newly acquired lands and built a double log house a® a temporary home for his wife and children. It was not until 1840 that Col. and Mrs. Young selected from their ten thousand acres the site their permanent home—Waverly—in later years was to be classed with the south’s deserv edly famous country places. After the cleared lands had been plant ed in corn and when the first harvest-: ing season time arrived Col. You rug dis covered a remarkable piece of cunning on the part of the lower class of Indian, Wlhen the corn was full in the ear the Indian would catch a firm hold to the outward end and by a dexterous move ment of the wrist insert a sharp blade knife, make a long incision in the shuck, cuf the tender corn cob stem and slip out the ear. He would so cleverly close up the shuck it was beyond detection unless handled. Corn sold at that time for SI.75 and S2.00 per bushel in the sfttuck. The section of land covering the home plantation originally belonged to* the Choctaw Indian and was largely occu pied by the Pichlyns of that tribe. For years after the land had passed from their hands ■ .any of m m loitered in the aijuccnt to rests. -\.j muic patnctii / story has been written than that of the unlettered people's love for the land of their birth and the last resting place of their beloved dead. A grief unspeak able fell upon them when the progress of the pale face robbed "them of their country. Even after General Andrew Jackson’s name had been effectually used -to accomplish a treaty and the Indian finally parted from his lands, lor a paltry sum. they lingered sadly and sorrowfully near their former homes m Mississippi. So at Waverly, the kindly master, who some years after the rati fication treaty came into possession of field and forest over which in years agone they had happily roamed, ho found many of them. After the first few years he had no trouble with them, but gained their affectionate friendship which lasted until the last of tile tribe had disap peared. Among the Indian whose allegiance to the land of bis people which ended only with iiis passing into that "change which never changes” was one Peter Pitchlyn known as one of the {great chiefs of the Choctaw tribe. When death claimed tne red warrior, in an adjoining county, following the custom of his tribe his remains were brought back to Waverly that his last resting place might be in the shadow of his birth place. The fact that the family of Peter Pitchlyn le- turned with his remains in order that he might enter the "happy hunting ground’’ on the border of Waverly’s woodland was proof that his youth was passed there, for it was a tradition that when one of the died from his early home, no matter how far, and was brought back to be burned it proved conclusively that the same vicinity had originally belonged to his family or tribe. AN INDIAN BURIAL. The lamented Judge Gohlson. of Aber deen. chanced to be at Waverly when the followers of -their great chief, wh i knew no fear of death, were about to inter his body. lie gave a touching ac count of the pathetic' and tragic scene he witnessed at t'he grave of the noted brave. His magnificent white horse was brought forth to he buried with him. Already his "tenement of clay” held his gun and other implements of war. Juirte Gohlson pleaded through an interpreter for the life of the splendid steed by telling them that their mighty chief ha 1 passed into the happy hunting grounds where he had found awaiting him a more magnificent horse than the one they desired to bury witli him. Finally they wore persuaded lo listen to him- After they had ceased their weird heart stir ring lamentations they dispersed taking, with them tile white horse. A few years later the descendants of Pitchlyn went to the far west. Yearly •they wrote back to Colonel Young to know if the grace of their ancestor had •been disturbed. He would promptly re ply and tell them it was as they had loft it. When the family departed for the west they bought from Colonel Young a negro named Ray. He left his wife and children to follow tlio Indian into an unknown country. Twice they sent Ray back to Waverly across the country to look after the sacred mound and re port if it had been molested. It has been long years since any in quiries Ueve come from across the father of waters so it is surmised the children of the brave Peter Pitchlyn have joined him in tlio spirit World. From the motind marking his last resting place sturdy oaks have grown and spread protecting; arms to shade his lonely lowly bed from the burning sun. It seems fitting giant oaks should stand sentinel over the last home of a "stoic of the woods” whose unfaltering loyalty to his race and love of country com- n anded the admiration of civilized man and the devotion of his tribe until death set a seal upon his lips. CONTINUED ON LAST PAGE. Major Valley Young and His Niece and Her guests from Columlras, Miss. Misses Anna Banks, Cornelia Hudson and Billips Harris, Mr Frank Philips and Miss Yonge of Columbus, Oa.