The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-04-14
JEFFERSON DAVIS.
His Home Life and Personal Appearance
Recollections of Early Friends.
Beauvofr Correspoudenco Boston Herald.

ent was ushered into the parlor, q handsome
apartment, the walls of which are tinted and
deliberately frescoed. 1t is such parlor as
one would expect to see the cultured and
digniied chieftain of the lost cause occupy.
Fine old oil paintings hang from the walls
and shine out in all their warmth of color
ing from massive gilt frames resting on
easels. Pictures and portfolios bric-a-brac,
articles of yertu, vases of choice cut-fiowers
and all the costly nick-knacks that tell of
refinement and culture are placed about the
ROOM on tables, brackets and mantels. Pho
tographs of many generations are censpicu-
ously displayed, and books, old and new,
seen in convenient places And, to conf
plete the picture, a large Newfoundland dog,
with long, black, curly hair was sprawled
out on rug fast asleep. There was about
the room subdued and reposeful tone
which was only broken when Mr.. Davis en-
tered it, clad in black, and with a tired look
in his face, and greeted your correspondent
But he politely though firmly announced
that he would not permit himself to be inter-
viewed
What is due from me in the way of hos
pltality," said he, Il shall be only too happy
to extend to you; but we must let politics
alone. l am not public man, nor am l
public property. l am not a seeker for Of
HOTi HoI Is any OluCe SeeklilS me. an pam
Mr.. Jefferson Davis, a private citizen, who
in the evening of his life, desires to live in
quiet and peace with his neighbors, without
molestation or outside interference"
His voice trembled as he spoke, and his
tone was quite pathetic He looked very
weary, and his pale, intellectual face seemed
almost bloodless, surrounded as it is by snow
white hair and snow-white beard. In a
moment, however, a smile passed over his
features, he grasped your correspondents
hand, and, throwing his head backward, said
with great warmth: ''But that is not here or
there. Come to my study. 1 feel more like
myself there, 1t is my den, and l extract a
good deal of comfort, consolation and pleas
ure from my books The collection is not so
large as it once was, but, like sibylline leaves,
they have grown in value since they have
been reduced in bulk"
We entered the wide hall which rms
through the center of the house, and which
is furnished with easy chairs and sofas that
invite restfulness, and passed down a fight
of steps into a graveled walk leading to an
octagon-shaped verandaed building with a
conical roof, standing about one hundred
feet to the left and in advance of the manor
house. This is Mr.. Davis's sanctum. 1t is
what literary workshop should be-cosey,
well lighted, well ventilated and with an
open fireplace. Three sides of the octagon
interior are lined with books an oaken table
four wooden chairs occupy as many corners.
Between this table and the book-shelves is a
lounge bed, which Mr.. Davis sleeps upon
occasionally. There is nothing Injurious
about the appointments to WOO him from
his work; on the contrary, the furnishings
present all the rude reality that actual
work always imparts In this building Mr..
Davis thought out and wrote his history,
''The Rise and Fall of the Confederacy,"
which is considered by many
critics, North as well as South, the best
which has been written about he rebellion.
Pulling up chair near his own he invited
your correspondent to be seated, and then
handed him fragrant Havana and played
the courteous, genteei host with grace and
polish that few men can approach in this or
any other country. The fatigue incident to
a trip to New Orleans anG other points, and
from which he had not recovered when your
correspondent sent in his card, seemed to
have disappeared entirely, and he looked,
talked and acted not like a man of seventy
five, but like one of fifty. Like Grant he
loves to smoke, but he is not such an inyet-
crate smoker After he had blown circlet
after circlet of gray smoke over his head he
began to expatiate upon the beautiful wealth
er, and said he saw no reason why the sum-
mer resorts along the Sound should not also
be made winter resorts.
REcoLLEcTIoNs OF EARLY FRIENDS.
''Mr. Davis, why are you so averse to being
Interviewer
Because l am constantly being abused,
maligned and villified by the press, and for
the reason gave you when 1 first greeted
you this morning."
''In your early public life what public men
and associates did you most admire?'
John Quincy Adams for one. He was the
most genial gentleman l knew. | enjoyed
his society and found him to be highly Gull
tivated. His wife was most estimable lady,
very charming in her manner, and really
adorned the White House. | passed many a
pleasant evening with them, and cherish
among my fondest recollections the many
courteous attentions which they paid me.
Colonel Greene of the Post, is another Mas
sachusetts gentleman for whom | have had
an abiding love- He was very able,
and in his day, welded a great deal of in
fuence. Daniel Webster was very kind to
me, and, though some of our political views
we're thoroughly antagonistic, we always met
as friends. He had large heart, and never
forgot kindness. His nature was very
grateful. have reason to know whereof
speak. During my visit to Boston l was
handsomely entertained, and | received a
perfect ovation at Faneuil Hall. Then had
many friends in the old Bay State, and 1 am
proud to say, | have few of them left. l
admired Henry Clay as a speaker, but my
political ideas were opposed to his. He was
great compromiser. When a mere boy
looked upon Calhoun as an ideal statesman,
and as l grew older my admiration for the
man increased He never prepared his
speeches, in the sense of writing them out.
He frequently gave me his views on certain
subjects, and when he addressed the Senate it
seemed to me as il he was repeating what he
had before uttered in conversation. l fol-
lowed him closely in many things, and, like
him, lacked method and great preparation.
Webster, on the other hand, prepared almost
everything he uttered, and paid as much at
tention TO the sound of his words as he did
to their sense. That is why his speeches read
so we'll"
"Have you gathered and prepared your
speeches for publications.
81 have not nor have l contemplated such
thing"