Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-04-17
A DAY wIrH JEFFERSON DAVIS.
HIS Reconciliation with Zachary Tay-
Tor After ElOping With His Daugh

bOhdu iSCeHLly' Inc pdIbbs lOl WHOh
| had admission tickets, included Mr..
Payne, an old friend of Mr.. Davis,
and Col. Robert N. Ogden, popularity
known as Bob Ogden, and n of the
most brilliant men in Louisiana.
Col. Ogden had been telling me Of Mr..
Davis wonderful memory, and had
often heard OF it from others, but when |
met him l had a personal demonstration
of it that more than realized all That had
ever been said to me. He had never seen
me but once in my life, and that was
nearly twenty-three years ago, when, as
a boy with a face as smooth as a GRIPS, |
was commissioned in Richmond to raise a
battalion of cavalry in the mountains of
Virginia and Kentucky; and yet he re-
called my face instantly.
"The eX-President OF the Southern Con-
tederacy is apparently in much better
health now than he was then, and looks
little older. He walks with a firm step,
ana carries himself with military erect
ness. | told him he seemed stronger than
when | mad seen him all those years ago,
and be said l was right; his health is bet
ter, and time has, all things considered,
touched him lightly. Speaking Of my
living in Dakota, he gave me many in
teresting "reminiscences OF the time he
was stationed in those then unknown and
savage wildernesses, as an officer In the
United States army, 81 years ago. Then
there was not a white settlement north
or south of Prairie du CHEN, and the
whole vast region northwest of Port
Dearborn, now Chicago, swarmed with
Indians.
81 told him that l never took a party of
friends over the Chicago, Milwaukee and
st. Paul railroad without pointing out to
them, neal Portage City. Wis, the log
cabins that mark the site of old Fort VIM
nebago, where he was stationed more
than a halt century ago, and that, associ-
ated with his name, it was one of the
places OF interest TO which the railroad
conductors and brakemen always call the
attention of tourists. He seemed pleased
to learn that his name had gone into the
classics of that beautiful region of lakes
and dells. / did not tell him the whole
story that always accompanies the view
OF the ancient fort; that it was here he
came after clipping with the only daugh-
ter Of old Zachary Taylor, and that the
people of Prairie du Chen, then a from
tier post, showed their sympathy with the
runaways by giving them a big reception
as they passed through to the last outpost
Of civilization.
''Mrs. Clement c.. Clay, of Alabama,
whose husband shared Mr.. Davis i'm
prisOnment after the civil war. and who
is one of the most remarkable women the
South ever produced, gave me the sequel
OF this elopement scTape. Gen. Taylor
never forgaYe either Davis or his daugh-
ter until the night after Davis led the
famous charge OF his regiment of Missis-
sippi rihemen at Buena Vista. About
midnight an orderly presented himself at
Col. Davis tent and that Gen.
Taylor wished to see him at headquarters
Immediately. The two men had never
spoken since the one had stolen the daugh-
ter of the other. Davis knew the passion
ate temper of the old man, and instantly
conjectured that the sudden and peremp-
tory BODIED no good to him. In
deep anxiety he hurried to the Generals
tent, entered the door and saluted without
speaking OF moving a step inside. The
door was closed in a moment, aud old
Rough and Ready with his arm out
stretched, rushed forward and embraced
his long-ignored son-in-law. eXclaiming,
BY my daughter knew you better
than ! did. Forgive me! Forgive me-!
The reconciliation so dramatically
brought about was a lasting one, and to
months and four days after his Inaugural
tion as President of..the United States. he
and Mr.. Davis were friends.
Though he is now far past the Scriptu-
raj life-limit of three-scOre years and ten,
Mr.. DAVIS is a charming companion tor an
afternoon of commonplace races. and the
range Of his information seems almost in.
finite. Col. Ocden ave me an amusing
instance of the effects of this srmi.omnis.
| cience on An untutored native of the
Southern swamps. Nick Ducbeneville
has a hunting lodge near the east end of
Lake Ponchartrain and is a noted chorac.
ter in his region. He is an expert on dogs,
hunting and fishing, and all accessories
TO these sports. and is a -hearted fell
low. who will. now and then. or ottener.
get ON a bowling spree. and is always gro.
t~esouelv Drofane. ont on a GINNING ey-
nedit,on with him three or four weeks ACC
col Ogden hannened to mention JeF Da-
Wis. Nick said! That airs a mari want
10 see. was in his war four Years. an, |
ain,t never laid ewes ON him Wit, What
Tin, n, man is no Colonel p,
ssCoI OGDEN renlie1 Nick. MIR. Davis
is n great man. a very great man. There
ia nothing he doosn,t know. WHY. Nick
no knows mo- about medicine than any
doctor vo,- over saw and moro abont
horses man onv of our snorting me-, He
can ten Won more about bnntino ana fan
ir1 than any Of orr hunters and fisher
msn He can sail y boar or mt on a av
hotter than either of ms WHY Mick he
Lnovys moro ahout heats and Guns and
dos than hotb Of us nut togetber.5
sGNickjs ewes had been swell-
inc during tbis enIogInm and here no
htirst ont with. .Bv gum Colonel he
must no a Greet mani Know more about
hoats and enns and dogs than | do. Lord.