The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1883-05-17
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EX-PRESIDE ENT DdYJS.
n Visit to Him'at 4Iome--How "M. Quad"
was Impressed by the Great Confetlerate--
Only Praise from all Slider.

Only Praise from all sldes.
dfrom the Detroit Free Press.
1t is q drive of fivo miles over n
sandy road and through tie oaks and
pi1les and palmcttoes from Mississippi
City to Neauvoir, the home of Jcffrr-
son Davis, and as | passed over the
road The other April day, frightening
al alligator here, skirting an orange
grove there, and oil of sudden break
| ing out of the forest npon the sandy
shores washed Oy The wetes Of the
gulf, | ftl it that he had well chosen the
home OF his old age. Ills had bccn a
life Of turmoil, even before the civil war
was whispered. lie had been n giant
~ politics, q warrior in Mexico, q
dlpiomatist and ali antagonist in all the
main issues Of the day, and tho pro-
blem of civil government Few lives
| have been SO cycntful.
Ills NEIGHBOURS.
asked n justice Of the peace who
drove INC down in his springlcss
wagon, drawn by Il span of two Eat
horses, if lie knew Jefferson Davis,
and he answered.:
'"Whv, of coursc-kuown hi for
thirty years"
"Amd how do tho people in this
ncighborhood feel towards him?"
"Eycrybody likes him. He is a good
nciglibor, iust-mirrlcd citizen, and
has the respect and good will of every
man, woman aud child"
"Arc any Of his former slaves in this
ighborhoOd?"
"plenty Of them, and what's more a
number OF them arc now in his cm-
ploy. He was kind to his people, and
when the war closed and llt finally
came here to settle down dozens OF his
Old slaves were ready to hire to him at
any price. or those in his employ
there isn't money enough in the State
of Mississippi to hire them to leave
him. lie has two large cotton planta-
tions, outside of TIC Dcnuvnir proper
ty, thus directly and indirectly cmplov-
ing hundreds Of colorcd people, aud
you can't find one who hasn't good
word for him. No, stree, mister, there
isn't a man in this part of tho country
better thought OF as u llcigiibor, q
citizen and a man tl.an Jciiarsou
| Davis"
AT HOME.
The house is what we in thc North
would call ~ story and half cottage
IN height, and ii faces the gulf. Around
II is famous grove Of oaks and other
| woods, and from here and there II tree.
4lho long gray moss hangs down and
neAings in the breeze in its weird nnsl
totchth, 'r":-. Mature has uuuu iIlivi,
to bcautify the grounds, and they arc
kept in neat and tidy condition..
The house is roomy, finely furnished
and, while there is no ostcntious dis
| play, there is homclike atmosphere
AMI look of coZy comfort. One can
sec rctnenent and taste everywhere,
ana none OF the home comforts arc
sacrificed. From the vcran(ln one can
look out upon the tirclcss white-caps
| rolling in upon the sandy beach, and
the ncighbors arc all Thai lie word
implies.
TIE GN-PRESIDENT.
| hau only moment to wait before
the cX-Prcsitlcnt came in and gave me
hearty grasp Of the hand and words
OF welcome. Tall, almost snow white
hair and whiskcrs, blue eyes, face
Wrinkling with age, voice rs soft and
klhd us mothcr's--such was the pic
turc OF the man who for four wears
hc!d The dcstinics of continent in his
iron grip. III the zenith Of his power
Inc may have appeared naughty q, d
impcrious to some, but not to the rer-
erality. n kind y face ! have never
met, and though there Is somctIlir. in
the voice to warn one that its owner
has held plncc and power, one is soon
charmed with its Kindness and tou cir
Of pathos.
Mr.. Davis is scvcntv-thrce wears of
age, and his lfealtlE is not of the best.
1t is evident that his life of vcissiludc
IS drawing to a close, and as one real
ICES it he cannot but admire the pfvsi-
cal and mental machinery which has
STOOD the strain Of so much labor.
Many y man Of equal age had laid
down his burdens Of public life when
Mr.. Davis assumed his greatest. lie
has been a man without rest until
within the last few years. His Etcra-
ry work, entered upon long after his
slNtcth birthday, was n task which
would have discouraged many an
author twenty years younger, yet he
made no pause until the last chapter
was in the publishers hands.
NORTH AND SOUTH. .I
lie asked me- abort my Southern trip
where l had been, whom had met. .
and what opinion l had formed Of the
sentiment OF the masses; !; and when
answered that the North and South
seemed more closely united to-day
than at any period in our history, ho
expressed deep qualification. at is
grand and progressive country" he
! said, "and the better the people umlcr-
stand each other tho better for our
| future as n country"
He asked me regarding the sehti--
mcnt of the North, and believe /
| answered truly when [ told hm lhat
rancor and bitterness had died ort of
the hearts Of all but dcmagogues and.
malevolcnt politicians.
"rhat is right" he replied, "And
trust that no untoWard event will sopor
the growing cordial rclations."'
/ ABOUT WAR.
I2Y aud lx vrn dniftnl iu4o 4La a..l,