The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-12-17
Mr. DAVIS ROMANCE.
: s.ory OF How He Won His First
Wife.
From The Netg York Sim

with Sallie Knox Taylor, daughter of
zachary Taylor, who was elected President
of the United States in 1S4s, and the fol-
lowing circumstances. related In an old
chronicle, are descriptive Of the incident
The present writer, however, cannot con-
firm the story.
After the BLACK Hawk war;" Col. Tay-
lor was assigned to the command of Fort
Crawford at Prairie du CHEN, then a wild
region on the border, and removed thither
vth his family. Among the officers Of the
most was Lieut.. JEFF Davis, who had recently
graduated from West Point, and, being
voung. attractive, graceful, finely cultured
and a good talker, it was not long before he
became a favorite with the commanC. as
,scially the ladies. Among the latter
+ was observed that Miss Sallie, OF as her
father called her, ''Knox," was more deeplv
impressed than the Others, and her father.
looking with much disfRVor upon the situa-
tion. resolved to break up the possible ALI
snce. Accordingly one day, calling his
daughter into the parlor, he said to her:
''Knox, what can be the object of Lieut..
Davis in visiting this house so oftengn
81 can't imagine, father, unless it is to
see and talk with me-"
'sYou surely do not encourage these
visits?"
0Why not? Lieut.. Davis is handsome
generous. refined, and courageous. Young
ladies usually feel themselves complimented
by the attentions of such gentlemen"
'"This will never do, never do, Knox. 1
forbid him the house,
"Why, father, what possible objection
have you to Lieut.. Davisf"
HE may be all that you claim for him.
Knox, but he is too headlong and head
strong. If you should become his wife you
would probably be left widow after his
first battle. In truth, there's no telling to
what fate that young mans impetuosity
will lead him. No, it won't do, Knox
never do"
And without waiting for an answer Col,
Taylor strobe away with the imperious air
Of one whose word is law, leaving Miss
Sallie to her tears and a woman's resolves.
Lieut.. Davis received an intimation suf-
fciently pointed to indicate that his presence
at Col. Taylor's could be dispensed with.
Nothing of unusual interest occurred during
the succeeding month, except that the health
Of the colonel's accomplished daughter
rapidly declined. and her friends began Co
fear that she was marked as an early victim
of the grave. Lieut. Davis, too, became
irritable, and if any one dared to regret in
his presence that Miss Salie was not looking
well, and on his account, his quick temper
asserted itself in no uncertain tones.
One morning, sometime before dawn,
Col Taylor was aroused from his sleep with
the information that his daughters pony
was missing from the stable and that Miss
Sallie was nowhere to be found
Can you tell me-" he inquired of his
servant, whether Lieut.. DAVIS horse is in
his stalll"
''Sure he's not, sor, and his sarvent pro-
fists red-skin has rode him away. for
there's not another rider this side of his
owner who could get such jumps from a
horse as the lieutenant's made, and that We
kin see by measuring the space betwixt his
tracks"
That was enough for the colonel. In a
little while the house was aroused, and the
whole garrison in state of commotion.
The general excitement was greatly aug
mented half an hour later by the discovery
that Lieut.. George Wilson (brother of Hon
Thomas S. Wilson of Dubuque, la, and
Miss Street, daughter of Gen. Street, we're
also missing. There could be but one sur
mise-namely, that an elopement had taken
place in due form, with the regulation
groomsman and bridesmaid in attendance
and that the parties were even then speeding
with all haste to the nearest clergyman.
1t proved true, for few hours later thew
were described galloping homeward to the
fort across the prairie.
While the event was glad sensation
among all the men, women, and children
Of the little community that constituted the
post, Col. Taylor declared with an OATH. as
strong as he ever used, that under no cir
cumstances would he forgive Lieut. Davis,
or become reconciled with his daughter,
and an alienation therefore existed as wide
as the poles of the earth.
Sixteen years later Gen. Zachary TAYLOR,
commanding the American army in Mex
leo, and Col. Jefferson Davis of the First
Mississippi Rifles, were again brought face
to face. 1t was the 9th of February, 184S.
The sun had gone down on the battlefield
Of Buena Vista, and Col Davis, severely
aud at the moment supposed to be MORALLY
wounded by a cannon ball. lay in his tent
awaiting death. 1t was not a time to per-
petuate mans passions, and Gen. Taylor
could well afford to be in a forgiv;ng mood,
Mounting his horse, ''Old Whitey.n he
made his way to the marquee of his son-in-
law and, approaching the bedside, grasped
HIM by the hand. jeff" he said fervently,
with your glorious Rifles you have saved
the day. Let me confess that Knox
knew your worth and your mettle better
than did,
From that moment, throughout the war,
and indeed until the death of President
Taylor, the warmest friendship existed be-
tween the old companions in arms. Even
when Gen. Taylor was the Wing President
OF the United States, and jefferson Davis
democratic senator from Mississippi, amid
all the political strifes of the time, no feel
lngs other than those of the purest regard
existed between them.
Mr.. Davis was an earnest Bible student,
his favorite portion of the Scriptures being
tne Fsalms. He used to say that 'the evil
dence of their divine origin was inherent in
tnelr text; that only an intelligence that
heid the life threads of the entire human
family could have thus pealed forth in a
single cry every wish. joy, fear, exultation.
nope, passion, and sorrow of the human
heart" OF the sacred lines he was an ad-
mlrable and impressive reader and readily
referred to passages, comparing text with
text, frequently dwelling on the wonderful
adaptation of the whole to every con-
,celvable phase and stage Of human
lie. While devout, he was not
ascetic, and never obtruded his religious
opinions upon Others. In captivity his con-
Versatlon naturally ran in q religious
enamel, but at all times he loved to indulge
IN christian philosophy. He Yves regular
attendant at the services of Or. Mime
serode OF st. Paul's Episcopal church. and
When Gen. Lee was in Richmond the two
distinguished men often occupied the same
pew. 1t will be recalled that Mr.. Davis
was In this church when he received the
Ilspatch announcing the disaster at Peters
99urg that preceded the fall of the con-
4eqerate capital.
= IN manner he was simple, unaffected. and
ulsnlhed, easily adapting himself to per-