The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1881-01-07

and the LATEST content prevails among |
man and beast without regard to race
or previous condition of servitude.
have learned to look with contemp |
upon my thick travelling blanket and
the well-lined overshoes buckled with |
in. They seemed to be quite superfiu- |
Gus luggage last night When, after a
long, hot evening, the lightning and
the tempest danced the racquet with a
running accompaniment of young
earthquakes but they may grow in
favor as journey back toward the
Pennsylvania mountains.
q VISITING JETFERsoN DAVIS.
A journey through the South for the
study of the currents of opinion and
the present condition and probable pro-
gress of the reconstructed States, would
be incomplete without visit to the
one man who must stand in history as
the front of the overthrown COME
deracy. A drive of FIVE miles through
the sand and struggling pines which
skirt the Gulf bay, exhibits the same
general dilapidation among the old
time summer homes, which were once
the favorite retreats of the elite of New
Orleans in the sickly season. The
shore OF the bay has number of pala-
tial plantation houses, but they have
fallen into the sweeping decay that
marks. them as relics of an age that has
gone. The only one that seems to
have been carefully preserved from the
'as,siatiop that surrounds it, is the
Orsey place, now the home of Jeffer-
Sson Davis. In a forest of green live
oaks, richly laden orange trees, and a
profession of vines and flowers, large
frame plantation house is presented. 1t
is q single story in height and has the
regulation pillars and board verandas
of the aristocratic Southern mansion.
There the eX-Confederate President
lives with his nephew, General Davis,
and the joint families. The eX-Queen
of the Confederate Court is stout,
motherly, cultured and genial woman,
and a daughter, strongly marked
copy of the mother, possesses unusual
attractions of both person and intellect.
The house is furnished with every re-
gard for comfort, as the well-worn easy
chairs and lounges, and the hall and
parlor divans faithfully attest, and the
walls are decordted with ancient paint
ings and modern bric-a-brac, while the
wide chimney-place and capacious
mantel tell how the cheerful pine fire
sparkles when chill or stray frost
silences the song of the mocking-bird
and the blood-thirsty serenade of the
musquito. Soon after L had been pc.
litely bowed into the parlor, Jefferson
Davis entered alone, and his greeting
was the cordial welcome of the pro
verbal hospitality of the South.
confess to disappointment in the gener
appearance of the man who stands il
history to-day as the soldier-statesmau
without a country. / expected to fine
the strongly marked traces of gre
Il tod
civilty and studied reticence in discuss
ing all things of the past; but those
who believe Jefferson Davis to be
misanthropic in temperament and EN-.
Uttered against the nation and the
world greatly misjudge him. Nor Il
he the broken invalid that he is gener
ally regarded.
DAVIS IN CONVERSATION.
His yet abundant locks and full
beard are deeply silvered, and his fac
and frame are spare as they AWAY
have been, but his step is elastic an
steady and the hard lines of his bro,
which are SO conspicuous in his pi,
lures, are at once effaced when he enter
into conversation. Instead of impress
ing the visitor as political recluse VIII
has no Interest in the land to who's
citizenship he will live and die strar
ger, he at once invites the freedom
the planters, home by chatting will
out reserve, save when his contemporl
ries are likely to be criticised, when
adroitly and pleasantly turns the tii.
cussion into in-offensive channels, III
is yet the same positive man in all hi
convictions and purposes that mad
him the leader of a causeiess rebellion
lie we'll understands that he cast tn
die for empire or for failure that mus
make him alien to the country and tn
world, aud that he lost; and he know
that he Is to- day the most powerless !,
all men in the land to retrieve the 70,
tunes of those who followed him I
bereavement and sacrifice. lie read
Alright the memorable Judgment tn:
makes him execrated for the Coz
iedcracy, while his equally guilt
subordinates have been welcomed
the fatled calf. Ills Vice Presidei
who followed tho slave empire affair o
when doubt and darkness gathere
rborl4 IL rt1.1f1a haaff ft, ssf,l.,, M afs, no.