The Lafayette advertiser. [volume] (Vermilionville [i.e. Lafayette], La.) 1865-19??, 1889-06-22
"REMINISCENCES
OF HON. JEFFERSON DAVIS.

on the occasion of his 81st birthday
: June 3rd, 1889:
* =. x Then in a moment Mr.. Dayi
has come forward to greet me; slight
soldierly figure, Immediately dressed
and still showing in his walk ano
bearing bis long years Of military ser
vice. His hair is soft and thick and
silvery, lying about his silvery tenn
pies like an aureoie, and his skin has
the transparent delicacy OF fine porce-
lain. Such, in appearance, is JEFF
Davis at eighty-one in his quiet home
by the sea, where the waters after a
storm are not more peaceful than his
own life after the struggles that cen
vulsed 1t, and where even the memo
ry of his blasted hopes and shattered
ambition has almost ceased to be
bitter :; i; x
The house is a big, many-roomed
old mansion, with faring wings at the
corners and the great hall through
WHICH one might drive coach and
four. From the drawing room win
dows one has delicious glimpses of
the blue sea, with the low-lying island
bounding the horizon, and the White
sails Of the charcoal schooners drop
ping SLOWLY Y down from Biloxi. With
in the walls are Il few copies Of cele-
brated pictures-a St. Cecilia touching
the harp with rapt fingers, the intense,
pathetic face of an early Christian
maryland perhaps sketch or two
by the gifted daughter of the house,
for Miss Winnie is an artist Of no
small power. All about are dainty
bits Of bric-a- brac, books, feminine |
jim-cracks, and perfuming it all are |
roses in priceless jars of Wedgewood. |
1t is IA pleasant, cosy, home-like room,
with nothing in it to remind one that
it belonged to a man who helped to
make the history of the Nineteenth
Century.
Over on table was a short, rusty
sword that recently had been sent from
and attached tY it was card
which said that the weapon had been
found on the very spot where Lieut..
Davis made his famous charge at the
battle of Beuna Vista, and turned tn
tide of victory in favor of the Ameri-
cans. | touched the rusty old sword, s
and almost unconsciously Mr.. Davis
lrifted into talking of the heroes of :
,he Mexican war-of Bowie, of Hous- {
on and Crockett.
"Henry Clay once told me-" said '
Mr.. Davis, with a smile, "of his first 6
meeting with Bowie. 1t was in the |
'arly days, and Clay was travelling in !
stage coach where the only other q
passengers were pretty girl, a big, c
ough- looking countryman and limp \
title figure in a great coat. With the /
Consciousness of his own perfect ply Il
ique Clay said he was congratulating a
himself on not being the limp little s
lgure bundled up in the corner, when Il
le became conscious that the pretty q
,irl was begging the rough country o
nan not to smoke, as it made her i'll. t
he fellow replied with savage oath S
hat he had paid his fare and would p
noke when he - pleased. Mr.. a
lay said he was just trying to screw Il
is courage up to the point of remon- p
rating with the country giant when t.
ne little figure undoubled itself like V
laglc and, with quick movement, 81
cached down its collar, brought out tc
nife that in the excitement of the d
lcment looked yard long, and with u
mother cat-like movement seized the tc
9llow by the throat: Throw that pipe ty
ut of the window, or by G. FIJI p'
comprehensive sweep of the mur- HI
erous-looking blade finished the sem fc
nee and sent the pipe shattering on de
le ground. In another minute the in
nife had again disappeared down the su
pacious collar, and the limp figure br
I'd resumed its former verterbrseless nj
ndition; bnt the rest of the Journey" in
id MIR. Clay, II spent in wishing | m
as the little man in the great coat, M
no was none other than Bowie, with Al
$ famous knife" nc
And then there was Sam Houston. ro
r. Davis thin, fine face lighted up ap
he recalled the visit he and Houston
ce paid to General jackson at the by
hermitage" and he related curious sh
ophecy Houston made. 1t was ch
len Davis was a young lieutenant, SUI
Itioned in the Indian Territory, and sh'
ouston was a reckless young fellow de
sing handful Of Choctow braves are
assist the Texans in their fight for Wi
dependence. 1t happened that on the
At very excursion of Houston's into pei
3 Territory in search of recruits Sts
At Davis presented him with knife, is
tn medallion head of jackson on DIV
} hilt, as souvenir of the visit the tho
0 had paid jackson. Houston was boz
lighted with the gift, and turning
Davis exclaimed: Il shall assist the
xans to gain their freedom, / shall ket
Govarnnr of Tovos ho Gonatar,rJ n