Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1876-12-13
JET Davis inlrgew York.

Last Saturday evening about five
o'clock, (which is dark ut this sea-
son,.-l entered the restaurant of the
Pennsylvania Railroad at Jersey City,
and asked for bottle of ale. The
pretty, bare-armed ,neat-figured watt
rcss who dispenscs there was rela-
lively indifferent. The cashier seemed
inattentive even to money. The bar
counter journeyman was an absolute
nincompoop in his slowness. l or
dered a box of oysters, and nobody
would get it. BOUNDS !" thought
for nobody says POUNDS except in
print in these unrezounding days-I
slip that pun to give responsibility to
your n-chincllo-"this depot is full
of idiots" Presently they will sell
out their whole working force as a
mere appurtenance to the late cxhi-
bition.
"Sir Laertcs," said the cashier, "they
say that is Jefferson Davis. think il
is fraud"
lie was looking toward the worst
appearing old hummer / have seen
this many day-a queer old thin
chap, wcak-faced, nearly snivcling.as
ifimbecility had struck him amidship
in the very hcft of life. lie was
straight, but not erect, like figure 1,
with no mob. or nose to the top Of it
straight, like stalk Of mullen, not
ike q horse. He wore an old bell
crowned hat,no current here a long,
rcddish-brown Ulster, which looked
like horse blanket for sick, slender
horse, buttoned around him with a
F strap of the same, like an unbuttoned
navel, very untidy; apair of store
brooches, bought, suppose, at Sam.
uel's, on Flint street, where every.
thing will fit that will slip over thu
nose of the proprietors. Under al
was pair of shoes, round-toed, com
mon, worse than cockney.
"That chap" said I. ''He jeff. Da
Wis? Be Just to an enemy. IT'S no
/ the chief"
"WaI," said the cashier, chat
what said. says, He's fraud HI
says he is JEFF. Thort I'd call you
attention to him."
) looked again. The feeble, flaccit
face began to come back to remem
bered type. The voice was all gon
/. that used to command. 1t was an old
/ senile, piping voice of grandaddy il
, the chimney corner. heard it speak
|. but not what it articulated. Then
heard conductor say, leaning bacl
Y on a blue stiff cap, in nonchalan
: lfare-collecting voice
h "They said you was Davis but
thought they was q sellin' me-"
Then heard Massanlely reply:
: "Yes, sir am Mr.. Davis. l hav
: just returned from Liverpool. ] cam
right through. stopping over o part {
the day in New York. You are col
rect, SIR"
/ Merciful--or rather just-God /!
: thought. 1t is that chief magistra'
of slavery. Who can see him witho,
l. pity? Who can see Belisarius poo
y = and not feel It?
-. PAST AND PRESENT.
: went up the James River wit
4. JEFF Davis in 1867, when he was i
Il leased from Fortress Monroe. l sa
o him put on bail in Court, and Hora
q Greeley, signing the bond, receive
} old Davis hand and not very cordia
,e |ly. Then saw Davis in the Spot
.. wood Hotel, kissed and encourage
% by girls and women. The featur
i came back, the corpse took a lit
n. meagre life and expression. Lazar
If came forth.
d eyes, sir" I said, "that is Jefferst
Davis"
"Ill be dashed if don't speak
10 him -
IN II guess he won't object if do"
70 "Would you speak ?"
M "Come on, Jake. We don't care
=. hangw
= They spoke to the poor old rat fro
n every side. He spoke to me as o
who might like to shake hands.
y. took his hand and thought to myse
nf 'pcrhaps will some day have to t.
q, this scene to my grandchildrcn,"-f
=. felt that l should never see j.
again. As Hamlet said of Poloniu
" "a certain convocation of poll
- worms are cen at him. Your wor
is your only Emperor for diet"
After these glowing courtesies fro
notoriety-hunters, poor jeff. &
he down to his meal in the public re
tc taurant, and the pretty girl aforcsai
il x,,;Al, J,n M n r,nc vuaifn1 On him