St. Paul daily globe., 1888-05-06
GOSSIP ABOUT MRS. DAVIS,
The Fossessor of the Handsomest Rubies
in Washington.
A SCOTCH-IRISH ANCESTRY.
Kilwatchter Castle, Ireland, the Home
of a Cousin--Mrs. Davis Early
Days.
From the Washington Capital.

From the Washington Capital.
The handsom est rubies / have ever
seen are those owned by the wife of
Senator Davis, of Minnesota. These
stones, of vivid blood-red color, flash
and scintillate with every changing
light. They have been in the family
for more than a century, and were in
herited by Mrs. Davis from her great
aunt, Anna Malcolm, for whom she was
named, and who, up to the time of her
death, lived on the old estate in Scot
land, near Edinburgh. The pin, which
is little twig of gold, is set with four
rubies on either side, the stones gradu-
ated in size toward the center. The
setting is unique, from the fact that it
is an original one, each stone being
firmly held in place with tight
fitting gold cap. Several years ago
wishing to wear the ear rings, Mis-.
Davis had the long drops cut and
spiral affixed to the largest stones. Mrs.
Davis. who is the typical Scotch lassie,
in appearance, large, finely formed, with
cOmely features and high fresh colOring,
has one OF the most interesting histories
of any woman in Washington. Through
her father, Edward Chester Agnew, she
is cousin of the late DR.. Agnew and
of Sir Andrew Agnew, of Scotland, in
whose branch of the family the title of
baronet 1sa6 has been extant since the year
1929. Another cousin, who has recently
died, was Margaret Agnew, of Xii
wachter Castle, in Lauren, Ireland,
which is noted for the fact of having
500 windows, the number in former
times being regulated according to the
nobility of the family.
~
While Mrs. Davis was a pupil of the
Convent of the Visitation in st. Louis
she lost her mother at the age of thirteen
years, and from that time her life was
not an easy one. Her father, educated
in Scotland as draughtSman and archi-
tect, was man of brilliant talents,
who, unfortunately for himself, at the
outbreak of the war was one of the first
to join the First Minnesota, Company A,
volunteers, for his army life brought on
the dissipated habits which proved his
ruin. The property left by his wife
could not be touched until their youngest
child attained the age of eighteen years.
Mrs. Davis, as the eldest of the three
girls, was brought up by her aunt,
Miss Janet Aguew, who now lives
at Senator Davis home in Mime
sofa; but it was considered necessary
for the young girl to earn her living,
though the aunt was rich and could we'll
have afforded to support her in comfort.
1nheriting from her father a fine mu-
sical talent, she turned it to practical
account, and for many years supported
herself entirely by giving music les
sons. This was before the day of street
cars, and many bleak, blustery day
did the courageous young girl make her
way through heavy snOwdrifts to give
the hours lesson at the homes of her
patrons. Often it happened that the
lessons to her more advanced scholars
would be received by herself only
that morning from an old music teacher
interested in her career. Within the
past few years, through her
grandfather, William K. Dickson,
who was a man of great wealth
and landed property in St. Paul, Mrs.
Davis and her sisters inherited $4,000
each, the bulk of the property going to
the old mans son. Mrs. Dayis has re-
Gently set to music one of her poems.
published several years since, "Words
Spoken Long Ago." and Mrs. Brown
ing's verses, 1.-The Years Spinning"
The unhappy experience of Senator
Davis in his first marriage is so gener-
ally known as to be more matter of
public than private record. The wife
separated from her first husband to
marry him, in turn deserted him for
Frenchman named Laplace, with whom