San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1883-05-24
DOWN SOUTH.
AZ the Home OF j nrson Davis sosla, VI"
with the ,X.president oi 'he 'o"''''''
Detroit Free Press.

| Detroit Free fl'es'
It's drive of five miles over Z
sandy road and through the oaks ano
mines and palmettoes from Mississippi
| CITY to Beauvoir, the home OF Jetier
SON Davis, and, as l passed over the
road the other April day, frightening
an alligator here, skirting an orange
grove there, and all of a sudden
breaking out of the forest upon the
sandy shores washed by the waves OF
the gulf, felt that he had VOL chosen
the home of his old age. His had
been a life of turmoil, even before
civil war was whispered. lie had
been giant in politics, warrior IN IN
Mexico, diplomat and an antagonlsi,
in all the main issues of the day and
the problems of civil government!
Few lives have been SO eventiul.
I asked the Justice of the Peace
who drove me down in his sprlngle.ss
wagon, drawn by q span OF too'ia'
horses, if he knew Jefferson DAVIS
ana he answered:
"Why, of course; known INN for
thirty years" ~.
"And how do the people in tins
neighborhood feel towards him."
Everybody likes him. he is a
good neighbor, just-minded citizen,
and has the respect and good will OF
every man, woman and child"
Are any Of his former slaves IN
this neighborhood?"
PLENTY of them, and what's more
number of them are now In. his
employ. He was kind to his people,
and, when the war closed, and he
finally came here to settle down.
dozens of his old slaves were ready
10 hire to him at any price. e., Vi
those in his employ there isn't money
enough in the State of Mississippi to
hire them to leave him. He has two
large cotton plantations, outside of
the Beauvoir property, thus directly
and indirectly employing hundreds OF
colored people, and you can't find one
who hash good word for him. NO
stree, mister, there isn't man IN tins
part of the country better thought OF
as a neighbor, citizen and a man
than Jefferson Davis"
The house is what we in the North
would call story and a half cottage
in height, and it faces the gulf.
Around it is famous grove of oaks
and other woods, and from here and
there tree, the long gray moss
hangs down and swings in the breeze
in it's weird and dreamy way. Nature
has done much to bcautify the
grounds, and they are kept in a neat
and tidy condition.
The house is roomy, finely fur
nished and, while there is no ostenta-
tous display, there is home-like at
mosphere and look of cosy comfort.
One can see refinement and taste
everywhere, and none of the home
comforts are sacrificed. From the
veranda one can look out upon the
tireless white leaps rolling i'll upon the
sandy beach, and the neighbors are
all that the word implies.
had only a moment to wait before
the ex-President came in and gave me
hearty grasp of the hand and
words of welcome. Tall, almost
snow-white hair and whiskers, blue
eyes, face wrinkling with age, voice
as soft and kind as a mother s-such
was the picture of the man who, for
four years, held the destinies of a
continent in his iron grip. In the
zenith of his power, he may have ap-
peared naughty and imperious to
some, but not to the generality. A
kinder face 1 have never met, and,
though there is something in the
voice to warn one that it's owner has
held place and power, one is soon
charmed with its kindness and touch
of pathos.
Mr.. Davis is IS years of age and
his health is not of the best. 1t is
evident that his life of vicissitude is
drawing to a close, and, as one real
ICES it, he cannot but admire the ply
steal and mental machinery which
has stood the strain of so much labor.
Many man of equal age had laid
down his burdens of public life when
Mr.. Davis assumed his greatest. He
has been a man without rest until
within the last few years. His literary
work, entered upon long after his
sixtieth birthday, was task which
would have discouraged many an au-
thor twenty years younger, yet he
made no pause until the last chapter