The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1880-11-14

Texpressed my thanks. and. not being a
good hand at diplomacy, remarked:
1.-THE Kindness OF Judge Walker made
me trouble you at oil. have no desire TO
iutrude upon ycu. nor am | octuated by
any vulgar curiosity. The Judge and my.
seIf thought, however, that OF the present
crisis yon might give expression to some
opinions that would be sure TO interest Tue
whole country. As / am on o general tour OF
The South, and have carte blanche TO visit ber
distinguished men, ] could hardly 90 ny
Beauyoir without calling upon YOU"
Mr.. Davis smiled, took couple OF long
pulls at his cigar. poked the blazing logs
upon the bearih-stove, and mildly answer
ed:
81 should be most happy to talk with you
ON general matters, sir. but / have strictly
adhered 20 the rule Of not allowing mySeu
10 be interviewed on any political subject.
for reasons which / am sure you 90 not
need 10 have explained. i am glad you
were frank with me, although no cxplana-
ton on YOUR part was necessary TO assure
me that YOU would not seek an interview
against my inclination. Judge walker $
letter was sufficient assurance Of that"
81 am glad you view my presence in that
light, Mr.. Davis" answered. Naturally
tie country would like TO bear from you,
but since you have made up your mind not
TO speak, that ends the matter"
"Thank you," he returned very politely.
al have not been very well, nor am now,
and have been rather occupied lately"
"You are, | understand, preparing your
memoirs, Mr.. Davis" yeDtured.
eyes: but tits rather slow work. Wrl-
no ma o.
IL. "It keeps me up late, and my health
suffers"
I looked at him, but could see nothing
very invalid.like in his appearance. With
the
WEIGHT OF THREE.SCORE-AND-TEN WINTERS
upon his shoulders, jefferson Davis might
easily pass for sixty or less but for his
somewhat pale face and white hair. His
voice has still the ring OF youth. and, al
though always a somewhat delicate person,
/ am sure Mr.. Davis is man OF immense
vital power. looked up at the engraving
on the wall. and asked at what period OF
bis life that was taken.
"The picture from which 1t was en-
graved," he replied, "was taken in 1870.
when | was in the War Department at
Washington. They wanted ii to put on
Government warrants, think"
said nothing, because in the Davis be-
fore me there was not the slightest re>em-
blance TO The Davis OF the picture. 1t looked,
save the mu.tache, much more like the late
Professor Gustavus Geary. ! have never
seen an engraving. painting, portrait, or
photograph that gives even tolerable idea
of what Jefferson Davis now looks like.
Every representation | have ever seen OF
the gentleman gave him very stiff look
and hollow checks. Those taken during the
war make him hatchet.faced. with an unbe-
coming chin.tult OF the stcreOtyped "UEce
Sam" pattern. AT the present time, pr0ba-
bly, on account Of cutiyating his anything
but luXurIlnt bead. Mr.. Davis is not
hatchet-factd at all. The prominence Of his
nose and cneck-bOnes has been miligateG.
He does not look emacatCd, either. On the
contrary, his proportion to his height, al
though be is far from straight, is admirable.
lie bears himself martially yet, with some
thing OF old West Point.
1T WAS DIFFICULT TO REALIZE,
as he sat there near me, smoking TRANQUILITY,
with unpfctentiOus manner and his very
simple attire, tnat the name OF Jefferson
Davis was q part OF history, and would 20
down to pOstelity as that OF the chief figure
OF the mightiest rebellion that ever shook
the world throughout all the ages. He
that ct.sgraceiuI, smOOth.t0ned, cordial,
almost fascinating elderly gentIeman-the
once. dreaded chef Of the Southern Con-
fcderacy! II was difficult, indeed, TO real
ize that fact. Ny memory went back over
fifteen years to the time when our stalwart
legions, with bronzCd faces and dusty uni
forms and shining muskets, trudged cbeeri-
ly to battle, singing with the pia!fClness OF
soldier spirit:
Wen hang Jef Davis 10 sour arple-trce!
Wei hang j. II Davis TO 4 sour apple-tlee.
Wen hang JEFF Davis 10 sour aoD'e-'ree!
While We 10 marching on!
1t was stupid refrain, especially as the
sour apple-tree referred TO did not grow in
time for the execution, and the neck OF Mr..
Davis is now encircled by sbirt.coilar IN
stead OF a collar of hemp.
| said TO myself: "If the old gentleman
doesn't talk, he is at least worth pen
picture"
Said Mr.. Davis, after n somewhat long
pause IL was much amused when some OF
the New York press sent their junior MEM
bcrs to interview me. II was altogether
TOO rich" ne continued; "but ! lay back
IN my chair and laughed at them"
THE MEMORY OF THIS
manner OF discomfling The New York in
uui,itors evidently tickled Dir. Davis, for
be renewed his merriment, " laughing con-
sumedly.'
"You must understand, Mr.. Davis" 1
remarked, d" bat | am not interviewing you.
at all. You may call my visit one Of cere-
mony, or ANYTHING you please"
"lndeed," he said merrily. "my remarks
do not apply in your ease at all. You must
not think because | don't choose 10 talk
politics that am not very glad to see you
very glad indeed"
"It l. very kind OF you to say so, but.
letting politics slide, don't you think the
country has improved very much materially
Of late wears 7"
Mr.. Davis assumed a very demure and
provckingly Innocent look as he reiOined,
"As never, under any circumstances,
travel much, you have much better op.
porlunity Of judging that point than l
have"
lite devil have" thought l.
stood UP and said: "Since you are not
willing to talk either politics or agricul-
ture, Mr.. Davis, I'll take my leave"
~ hope" said he, "yOu don't think me
unwilling to speak to you Oh other matters.
Keep your seat"
THEN HE SPOKE A LITTLE
about Louisiana, and particularly about the
salt deposit on Avery's island. "That Is
inexplicable," said be, son any theory that
have read. 1t is strange there is no salt
on the other islands Of similar formation.
Now, there Is something that biologists
might study with interest, and, perhaps,
they might be able to arrive at some con-
clusion about it. 1t is. consider, one OF
the greatest natural curiosities on the con-
tinent. Were you ever in Poland? No.