Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1890-05-21
ALFRED WILKINSON.
He Captures the Daughter OF the Con-
federRcy.
MISS WINNIE DAVIS BETRoTHED-A STATES
RIGHTS DEMOCRAT, AS HIS FATHER AND
GRANDFATHER WERE,

MISS WINNIE DAVIS BETROTHED-A STATES
RIGHTS DEMoCRAT, AS HIS FATHER AND
GRANDFATHER WERE.
Atlanta Constitution.
"That's his picture, is it ?"
"That's-yes, know hers
sHs amt so bad"
"He'll sorter do
eyes, that's good face"
A group of ex- Confederate soldiers we're
standing in the business Office of the Consti
tuition yesterday, examining With great in
terest couple of photographs.
One was picture of Miss Winnie Davis.
The otGer was that of young man be-
tween twenty Use and thirty, with as pleas
sut and handsome face as one meets
nowadays.
The young man, whose picture is given,
is Mr.. Alfred Wilkinson, of Syracuse, N. T.,
to whom Miss Davis is engaged.
"Look here, young man." remarked one
of the group, addressing the picture of the
young man, "we're going to keep an eye on
you, and you've got to make her good
husband, or Pm going to know why. You
hear?'
''Why," put in another, "we'd get mp a
regiment down here and capture her back
if he didn't"
cpd 90 in that crowd"
'sMe too! Me tool" was the echo.
81 suppose" remarked another, "that
every old soldier in the South feels like
godfather to that girl"
ssAnd the women like godmothers.''
They had each good look at the young
mans picture, and there was something like
feeling of relief visible in their face as
they passed it around, and finally handed it
back over the counter.
The verdict was favorable one.
''They tell me, though" said one veter-
an, rather obviously, ''that his grandfather
was terrible old Abolitionist.
"Don't make bit of difference" said
another one quickly. "My grandfather was
an Abolitionist, too."
81 think mine was, sorter," supplement-
ed another. 'I know my father was. Then,
it don't make any difference what his grand
father was if he's all right. Just so he treats
her right-that's all / care about"
This was evidently the accepted view, SO
far as that crowd went.
During the day the picture was shown to
a number of others, and it was curious to
see the keen personal interest shown. H.
variably, too, the verdict was favorable.
The face was attractive, somehow or other,
and inspired confidence.
a
Major Sidney Root, of Atlanta, is an inti-
mate friend of the Davis family, but the
Major was surprised, like other folks, when
the announcement was published.
NO." said he yesterday, in reply to the
question, 81 never saw the young man. l
rely upon what Mrs. Davis says of him
father and mis- grandfather we're before him,
nd ll1o ooti
s'hIiss Winnie met him for the first time,
l believe, about three years ago, in Syracuse.
The papers have published, see, something
of the circumstances under which the meet
ing took place. While she was in Syracuse
a very foolish exhibition of hostility was
shown by some people, and something like
an attempt at ostracsm was made. He very
gallautly came to her rescue. / almost wish
lie hadn't-you know how girls are. L N q
Yankee myself, born in Massachusetts, but
oh, we'll, though. It's her choice, and
Z N sure she's one of the most sensible girls
on earth. No doubt it's all for the best.
"Mr. Davis knew of tine matter some
time before his death, Mrs. Davis writes,
and on more than one occasion invited him
to visit Bsauvoir.
II have a sort of implicit confidence in
his Judgment, and if he approved it we
ought to feel satisfied. He was, all things
considered, the greatest man l ever saw. l.
have seen and known quite a number of
great men, too, in this country and in Eu-
rope. He was the greatest of all.
ssAIiss Winnie is worthy daughter-not
a pretty or beautiful woman, but a queen
ly, womauly woman. She is type of all
that ia good and true in southern woman
hood. What her father was among men
she is amongst women
sNo, he isn't rich man. Mrs. Davis
says, however, that he is in comfortable cir
cumstancss, and quite well able by his own
efforts TO take care Of Miss Winnie.
sHe is twenty eight. Miss Winnie was
born in June, 1864"