The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1878-07-19

of the steamboat astbe Staging
was showed out, whom they had the
honor of presenting as his guest
The captain conducted him to his
own stateroom, aud as the steamer
rounded for down stream, the long
graceful, ugly and accomplished
Missourian stepped upon the hur
rican roof, waved his sombrerO tt
the guard on horseback who re
turned the salute with the rebe
yell. A tiny Confederate flag wa'
run up on the j ck-statf, and under
it the deck hands assembled, below
a band of negroes, and as the pad
dies of the steamer sent the waters
of the Mississippi dashing back
against either shore, they sang OF
Dixie's Land" and "Carry Ne
Back to Ole Virginny."
The mounted guard on shore
scampered of in the thicket, and the
steamer plowed her way gracefully
on to the Crescent City.
Such was the election and the
departure Of Missouri's first senator
to the "rebel" capital.
There was always an antagonism
between Mr.. Davisaud the members
from the West, and this led to es
trangeness, which engendered bit
terness. Mr.. Davis was of the
opinion that west of the Mississippi
was of but little consequence, and
when it produced an army, the
fighting record Of which will live
when Mr.. Davis has been forgotten
he wished it transferred to the gull
department or sent to Richmond
Against these schemes Col. Peyton,
the member from Missouri, arrayed
himself with his accustomed vigOl
and Western ilapctuosity.
The majority overruled him. The
day of misfortune came upon the
cause. E, One disaster followed upon
another, until they seemed like a
myriad of winged omens of evil
upon the sky. Slowly and surely
the coils OF the victor were being
drawu about the walls of Richmond.
There was no communication be-
tween the capital and the tried and
famishing men of the trans. Missis-
sippi department. Peyton was cut
off from the people whom he loved
so we'll, and had incurred the dis
pleasure of the Davis autocracy.
When the wilderness was encoun.
tered he arO from q sick bed and
walked over to the executive de.
partment TO make an appeal to
Davis tor the South. The two men
met in a dimly lighted room. Davis
was pacing the room like chatting
and encompassed beast, Peyton
stood before him like skeleton clad
in the armor of gloom. When the
angry duel of words was over and
Davis sat in his chair, he asked,
&" What would you have the gov
crnment do I"
"Dol dow exclaimed the Mis-
souri, senator with all his souls en-
phasiS thrown upon the words.
"Do9 Mr.. President, unbar the
gates Of your capital. Call Lee and
his men back. Pack up this Id
skeleton that you call government,
put it away, turn your traps over to
Bob Lee an let him take them South
where the West will join your
waning fortunes in a triumphant
march. They are ready, and they
are as the leaves in their forests.
DO Great God !! Are You going TO
sit here with Johnston cut oft, with
Lee being pounded to death and no
road opens Do? There ID Shelby
in the West, and Dick Taylor with
an army the spirit of which is yet
unbroken, and eager for the chance
to join you" Mr.. Davis never re-
piled, and Peytcn walked out in the
night. Tie sky was black, except
where the bombs were circliDg it
with their cone like blazes, and the
distant cannonade of the invader
broke upon the southern wind like
the tocsin of inevitable despair.
The senator sought his room and
when the morning reveille broke
upon the AIR aud u good old South
ern negress went to call "de massa,"
she found him sitting in his chair,
his cloak about him closely, his
head upon a table, and his heart,
which was broken, had ceased to
beat.
There was face in Missouri that
withered and grew old long before
it shonld. A heart that waited for
the "conqueiing hero" to return.
1t was faithful even unto death, and |
then went away without a murmur.
The flowers that had waited upon
the altar withered, the wedding
bells were unrung, and the nuptual-
ring was buried under a mound |
with another wearied and broken
heart.
One of the school boys who used
to romp with this singular character
,n the old playground in Missouri
ives in Chicago, and he is responsi.
Die for the truth of this story, which
IS not one of fancy.
Tha G,ll,x,r,nnx I.ffar 10 aala.tal fran,