Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1885-09-02
MIR. JEFFERSON DAVIS.

tion paid visit to Mr.. Jefferson Davis at
his plantation in Warren county, Miss, and
the paper prints several columns descriptive
of the man and his surroundings
The correspondent, as he entered the doors
of the Brier6eld mansion, was met by Mr..
Davis, by whom he was greeted most kind
ly. But moment of explanation was ne
cessary, when an introduction to Mrs. Davis
added another to the little group. Mr..
Davis was dressed in black alpaca suit
He stood erect, with firm position. When
he sat down upon the deerskin chair, which
is his favorite, it was in an upright position,
his shoulders we'll thrown back, one hand
resting in the other and both called into
play as through conversation he used them
| in graceful gesture. His face furnished a
pleasant disappointment. His pictures give
one the idea of q dark visaged, dyspeptic
man, of hard face and unapproachable man
ners. On the contrary, the original shows
kindly eyes, a fair face and mouth wreath
ed in a gentle smile During the four hours
spent in his presence this kindly smile and
pleasing manner never left him. In his con-
versation, too, the same fact was noticed
OF those whose conduct in the war did not
eEtitle them to his respect he spoke in terms
ofkindly interest, remembering only the good
that was in them. Mrs. Davis whose social
qualities will be remembered by the bril-
| liant society in Richmond, of which she was
for three years the centre, looked in excel
| lent health. She is stout lady, and her
face shows at once decision and womanly
character. In conversation she was quick,
intelligent and extremely thoughtful, CEN
suring none, mindful of those who had be-
| friended her family in the days of trial and
evincing great interest in the families Of
the men who had fallen for the confederacy
Mr. Davis said that he had left the war
behind him, and with it public life; he
courted the privacy of his home and did
not intend to be drawn into controversial
topics Nevertheless he conversed pleas"
anty on matters of literary and philo-
sophie nature, to which he devotes much
study. Both Mr.. and Mrs. Davis inquired
afectionately of many Georgians whose
memory they cherished.
Mr.. Davis favorite author is Sir Walter
Scott. Among poets he regards Byron the
greatest. Moore is the perfection of har-
mony, while Burns expresses human feel
ing. The three-Byron, Moore and Burns
make a complete combination. Bulwer,
among modern novelists, is perhaps the
greatest.
One more topic your correspondent takes
the liberty Of giving, since it shows Mr..
Davis in the light of q close Bible student.
Referring to the revised edition, he did not
see that the revsers had removed the few
material errors which were to be found in
the King James edition, yet they had made
many changes which only shocked the con-
servative conscience of Bible readers, while
the change wasproductive of no correspond
ing good in the text.
To put in few words my impressions
gathered at the two homes Of Mr.. Davis
will require but few words Mr.. Davis is
seventy eight years old, in the best of health,
cheerful, contented and hopeful. Mrs. Davis
is also happy in the love of her husband
and the sympathy which she receives from
every man and woman in the South. They
have two children, the eldest being the wife
of Mr.. Hayes, of Colorado, herself the
mother of three. The second, Miss Winnie
Davis, is at home, and source of comfort
and Joy to her parents. Their home at
Beauvoir is charming retreat, retired from
the hustle of the world, yet cheered by the
visits of Northern friends, Southern sympa-
thizers and Confederate veterans. Their
home here, Brierfeld, is long, single story
white building, with wings at either end in
the shape of double T, with verandas
between supported by heavy columns and
painted entirely in white. There is plan
tation of twenty-four hundred acres, the
richest of Mississippi bottoms, from which
Captain Hughes says six hundred bales of
cotton will be gathered this year. Mr..
Davis generally visits this place twice
wear to look after his interests. Whether
here or at Beauvoir Mr., Davis is equally
accessible to his ghbors-kind, gentle and
courteous. He is man of studious habits,
| - n taA fn Ha16 a
rises about nine o'clock in the morning,
reads his mail and answers it, then devotes
the rest of the day to receiving visitors,
riding oyerth farm and enjoying the works
of nature. He is skillful euchre player.
When several neighbors drop in for the
evening Mr.. and Mrs. Davis both enter into
the game with zest, and thus the hours are
whiled away.
A friend of Mr.. Davis, who is at Brierfeld
with him, took the opportunity of denying
! a recent story of the capture of the ex-Cons
federate chief, and gave the following ver-
sion of the event:
aMr. and Mrs. Davis were, of course, in
. retreat. and were surrounded by the disor-
der usual upon such occasions Mr.. Davis
was subject to violent attacks of neuralgia,
and it taxed the wifely devotion of Mrs:
Davis to find him relief from his pains and
: to prevent their recurrence. When the
party had camped in Irwin county unde,
d three large trees, which were shattered
by lightning couple OF years ago, the
: voices of men and the noise OF tramplne
4 horses were heard outside. Mr.. Davis
rushed out, intent upon protecting those
L under his charge, when he found hlmseil II
the hands of the First Wisconsin and the
!. Second Michigan cavalry. AS he stepped
i
ailine and tho damp atmosphere of the place
!. thraSu her mantle over his head and should