Majestic oak trees shelter the ruins. The gray moss hanging like ghosts, protecting what remains of a grand old lady. The plantation, Versailles, was once the pride of Louisiana. The owner, long dead, was a wealthy planter. Having traveled extensively through Europe, he brought back plant cuttings for his gardens. In the sad remains are the flowering vines of Vienna. It has been said that at his daughter�s wedding, large spiders were brought from China. to spin giant webs in the trees. Slaves took silver and gold dust and blew it into them. A broken arch stands in the broken walls, revealing a hollow light. Open like the empty maw of time, a land where men once watered the oaks with their blood. By: Kathie Stehr Feb 2002 |
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| Destiny Along the Mississippi |
| an old slave woman's hands |