When, once more, things were
running smoothly on the plantation, work began with speed on
the new house in Marion which father had stopped building after
mother's death. During that period, we resumed our former custom
of weekend visits to our country home and this gave us much pleasure.
We were always taken back on Monday mornings, for school began
at 8 a.m. and closed at 5 p.m., with two hours for recreation
. . .
The new home in Marion, with
all the outhouses for the servants, was at last ready for occupancy.
The house was commodious with parlor, dining room, six bedrooms,
each with a fireplace, and every convenience known at that time.
Father had a large hall built over the [separate brick] kitchen
and a spacious storeroom. Steps to this hall were built from
the outside to a porch above and the hall was furnished with
chairs, tables, and beds, and many extra mattresses which were
stored away for use during the occasions of summer church revivals,
school concerts and exhibitions, and examinations, when people
came from far and near. At this time, there was not only a large
family of our own, but father, having a cordial, hospitable nature
would never turn anyone away even if he'd been consulted, and
the public seemed to think "Parson George" has established
a wayside inn with a "Welcome to All! without money and
without price," because he had a big house and plenty of
servants.
When we moved in, the furniture
which had been purchased in New Orleans was delayed in its delivery,
and the family had to make use of whatever furniture that was
at hand . . . Our home was located in a beautiful, level grove
of oaks and pines. There were 25 acres. Five-hundred yards in
front of us, with no buildings to obstruct, was the school. To
the rear of our dwelling, the land sloped down to a bold spring
and a running brook which was about four-hundred yards away.
Outward surroundings rapidly improved; the grounds were laid
out in oval, diamond, and star-shaped beds and there were various
kinds of mounds and frames for vines.
A gate near the side entrance
of the house opened into a beautiful grove of oak trees in the
midst of which was the church with its white copula and bell
extending a welcome to all. A large orchard of peaches, apples,
plums, figs, and pears had been planted in the back of the servants'
houses; and to the right of the orchard was the horse-lot, corn-crib,
and stalls. In front of these were the carriage and buggy houses,
in which were kept the saddles for men and women.
Our home was full of merriment
and joy with young people often meeting for a social evening.
My sisters and step-brothers, with piano, violin, and flute,
added by other members of the family, never lacked for entertainment.
It was necessary to keep quite
a coterie of servants. Their individual duties were as follows:
two cooks, Ann and Emoline; dining room maid and helper, Easter
and Rose; seamstress, Harriet; Laundress, Louisa. Mother's maid,
Leta, a girl of 15; Linn, Bud's (Elias, Jr.), and my maid, Rose;
gardener, Carter; and two 15 year old boys, Sam and Lex to keep
fires, attend horses, and do other chores.
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