The Brookhaven ledger. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1879-08-14
Misrfllang.
MRS. DORSEY'S BEQUEST.
The House at Beauvoir, and How
Jefferson DAVIS Passes his Time
There

|
Jefferson DAVIS Passes his Time
There
We take the following from the At.
lanta Constitution:
Making my way unguardly into a
pair of railings that opened like fun.
mel at the depot, and then narrowed in.
to plank lane that led inevitably to
an old fasioned coolslooking hotel, /
stepped up to the resgister and asked
If Mr.. Davis was in Mississippi City
or its neighborhood. Mine host re-
piled that he had not seen Mr.. Davis,
but he had heard that he was "stop-
ping at Mrs. Doisey's." He further
informed me that Mrs. Dorsey was o
sort of literary woman-that she was
rich, and that her residence was known
as "Beavior; 'and spelled as "B9vwah,
and that for consideration l could
secure transportation to the same. In
a half bour was on the way. a
I never had a more melancholy ride
than that which followed. The road
led through heavy pine forests. The
tall, brown trees rose straight and mon-
otsnons from drifts of whlte-powdered
saud-the moan of the wind through
their tufted heads mingling strangely
with the swishing sound of the waves
of the yellow gulf as they rolled cease>
lessly OH the beach. At almost every
turn of the road we came upon old
houses-of imposing size, character,
and surroundings. Worm>eaten and
decayed piers ran ont into the water
roones boat and bathing houses were
scattered along the shore; broken down
fences of fine pattern barely limited the
shape of the former Enclosures. There
we're mansions. dead looking, deserted,
with grass growing on their roofs; there
we're stables and carriages houses, and
pigeon. .cotes all disused and tenantless;
handsome grounds choked up with
weeds and drifts. Occasionally there
was sure to be seen some pert attempt
at reclamation that only set off the
general desolation more wildly. I was
travelling through strip of country
formerly one of the most fashionable
and celebrated; it was here in the old
days that the mllionaires of New Or
leans brought their friends and families
for the summer, having establishments
here that in splendor ard luxurious ap>
pointments equaled anything to be
found in this then prodlgal land. With
the gulf rolling at their feet; With
strong saline breezes driving the heat
waves back; with the best of surf bath>
ing, yachting, fishing and hunting and
with society brilliant. well>assured
and knit together by the memory of
half-a dozen generations, they had all
tley desired. | learn that in the past
years this gnlf shore has regained much
of its lost glory, and that songs and
laughter once more fill these desolate
houses, and yachts aud sailing boats
once more speak the yellow waste of
waters.
At length house OF noble proper
ton situated on the crest of a match
less bit of beach. approached by hands
some and we'll kept grounds, confront
ed me. My driver stopped and notified
me that this was where Mrs. Dorsey
lived. A gentleman was sitting on the
pizz,, with large table, covered with
papers, by his side. A large dog was
} coming down the walk, and turned to
looked at the waves that curled up the
beach. The barking of the dog at the
fence determined me to remain in alb
strcted meditation on the gulf, until
the gentleman, who my driver confiden-
italy informed the back of my head had
started to meet me, could reach the
gate.
''Did you wish to see any one, sir?"
A kind but grave voice, tall slen-
der man, with brown hair and whiskers
tipping out grey, clear eyes. calm brow,
erect carriage, and Undesirable air Of
difinity and sadness. There was the
first and last President of the Confed>
crate States of America!
Upon presenting my credentials, Mr..
Davis welcomed me warmly, aud shak>
ing my hand gravely, led the way to
the house. AS we walked up the high
broad steps Of the piazza, small lady,
with hair, worn as Mrs. Hayes wears
here and looking remarkably like Mrs.
Mary E. Bryan, the anthoress, came
out of the front door. This was Mrs.
Sarah e. Dorsey, one of the most noted
women of Louisiana and the benefactS
tress of Mr.. Davis. She is an au-
thoress of some note, having written
Panola, a novel, and 1 think biogra>
ply of one of Louisiana's Governors.
She owned valuable river plantations,
and was at the time of my visit deeply
interested in lthe project of national
levees for the Mississippi. She was
a thorough student -companionable
with and devoted to Mr.. Davis. I re.
member that with an assured air of
protectorship she superintended any
allusions that the ex- President made to
public affairs-a kind censorship that
he hnmored, if he did not regard it,
At her request Mr.. Davis had made
Beauvior his home during time he was
engaged on his book. Accepting this
invitation, he had quietly dropped out
of the world. I have never seen a
more delightful household than gather
ed at Beauvior at this time. Besides
Mr.. Davis and Mrs. Dorsey. there was
young JEFF, most agreeable and earn
est young fellow; u boy relative of Mrs
Davis from the North, who, with jeff.
Ji,, was reading law under the ex-
1