248 
PARK AND CEMETERY, 
a 
liminary work for his statue of Henry Clay, now in 
the Louisville Court House, served as a model for 
the Italian “stranger,” Caribin Giannini, in work- 
ing up a model 12 feet high, the same size as the 
statue on the monument, but he died before exe- 
cuting the work in stone, and this was done by his 
brother. 
* * * 
Mr. Bell, having been superintendent of the 
cemetery since its inception in 1849, recalls numer- 
ous interesting incidents connected with the life and 
burial of Clay. Just before leaving Lexington for 
his last journey to Washington Henry Clay visited 
the cemetery and gave directions for the removal of 
the remains of his mother, Elizabeth Watkins (for- 
merly Clay), from the farm fifteen miles away, 
where she died, and was buried, to these grounds 
where he himself intended to take his last sleep, and 
the monument that marks her grave bears the fol- 
lowing inscription, written by Clay: “This monu- 
ment, a tribute to her many domestic virtues, has 
been prompted by the filial affection and venera- 
tion of one of her grateful sons. H. CLAY.” 
He also spoke of intending to have moved 
there the dust of a loved daughter, who died aged 
twelve years at Lebanon, O., August 1 1, 1825, 
while en route with the family by stage from Lex- 
ington to Washington. Owing to his own death 
this was not done until a year or two ago. 
* * * 
An incident that I do not recall having seen in 
print is a vivid recollection with Mr. Bell. When 
Clay was returning home after the passage of the 
Missouri Compromise bill his admiring townsmen 
prepared a rousing reception for him. He was ex- 
pected by carriage from Maysville, and to reach 
home had to pass through the town. Arriving after 
dark, he found the city brilliant with bonfires and 
filled with excited crowds of enthusiastic citizens 
and strangers, all of whom were eager to take part 
in the demonstration and listen to the expected 
speech. Clay was led to the upper balcony of the 
old Phcenix Hotel, which still stands, where his ap- 
pearance was greeted with tremendous applause. 
He bowed and said: 
“Ladies and gentlemen, very glad to see you, 
very glad indeed, but there is an old lady who lives 
about a mile down the road that I would rather see 
than any of you. Good night.” 
And the crowd went wild, while Clay hastened 
to be driven out the Richmond Pike to Ashland 
and the “old lady.” 
* * * 
When Clay died in Washington his body was 
put in a casket that was inclosed in a mahogany 
box for the long journey to Kentucky. Among the 
prominent men who accompanied the remains or 
attended the funeral Mr. Bell recalls Stephen A. 
Douglas of Illinois, General Cass cf Michigan, 
Foote of Mississippi and Sam Houston of Texas. 
The remains were consigned to the old receiving 
vault which is built in the side of the deepest and 
steepest “sink” in the cemetery. Comparatively 
few know that shortly afterwards (within a year) 
the body was removed to a small, old, and since 
abandoned neighboring cemetery, where it was 
placed in a vault belonging to a citizen of Lexington. 
When the fact became known it roused so much 
feeling that the body was quietly returned by night to 
its original resting place, there being no one present 
when this was done but Mr. Bell and his workman. 
* * * 
When the body was again disturbed to be de- 
posited in the chamber within the monument the 
casket was taken out of the box and put in the stone 
sarcophagus, and the latter permanently sealed. 
The mahogany box was afterwards cut into souve- 
nirs of various shapes, principally canes and rulers, 
which were eagerly sought by friends and admirers 
of the great Kentuckian. Fanny Copley Seavcy. 
THE PARKS OF OMAHA, NEB. 
The approaching Trans-Mississippi and Inter- 
national Exposition to open June 1 next at Omaha, 
Neb., makes the municipal features of that city of 
especial interest at this time, and among these the 
park system is of particular importance. 
With a population of some 140,000 it possesses 
a park area of 560 acres, and an extensive boule- 
vard system in connection therewith. In detail the 
park system would figure as follows: Hanscom 
Park, 5 7^ acres; Elmwood Park, 2 1 5 acres; Fonte- 
nelle Park, no acres; Miller Park, 80 acres; River- 
view Park, 66 acres; Bemis Park, 10 acres, and sev- 
eral scattering squares and smaller breathing spaces. 
Hanscom Park is located in the southwest part 
of the city, and was donated to the city for park 
purposes by Andrew J. Hanscom and Joseph G. 
McGrath in 1872 upon certain conditions, which 
have been fulfilled. When, in 1889, the Board of 
Park Commissioners was organized, and took over 
the control of the parks, this park was in a very 
crude state, but was covered with a valuable growth 
of young trees. Plans were made for its improve- 
ment, which included two lakes supplied with water 
from the city works. The water flows into the 
upper lake over a cascade. In the winter the lakes 
afford excellent skating, and are much patronized. 
Greenhouses are also located in Hanscom Park, 
which supply the flowering plants for the other 
parks of the system. Among the provisions for the 
public recreation is a large pavilion, used for con- 
cert purposes and light catering. The roads are 
