The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-05-01
AT THE CULTS EDGE.
A Delightful Pen Picture Of
BeauvOir.
JEFFERSON DAVIS OLD NOME.
anA Leisure-F1owers and But-
tsr1iss in Plsssy.
JEFFERSON DAVIS OLD HOME.
8. Louis Republic.

Beauvoir Is situated Just half way between
Biloxi and Mississippi City on the Louis
vile & Nashville railroad in full view OF
the Cult. The little dag station stands
amid the tall. whispering. iong-ieaf. heavy
buried pines, alone. A few hundred yards
away is the beach. and mp aud down the
waters edge are the residences OF which so
much has been said and written.
Among them in stately pride 10 the home
OF the late jefferson Davis. The large en-
closure around the house is shaded by the
broad ard branching live oaks. few ems,
some pines and many magnolias- II Is
here that many would like to see the re.
mains of the Late ex-president OF the Con-
federacy buried. He loved the place and
senesfh the trees, often in solitude. be
would wander. Through the gateway he
would pass and rest on the rustic seat be-
meath q great live oak. whose pendent
boughs often dip their glossy leaves in the
waters as their crests lash the shore.
There is no other beach so beautiful As
that OF Mexicos gulf around the Missis-
sippi sound. know of no other where the
foliage and greenswards reach to the
waters and where the tidal waves make so
little difference in the general aspect Eb-
bing and flowing, they 20 not beyond the
little bluff that separates the grass plats
from the sandy beach. where the roadway
lies when the tide is out The space is
scarcely twenty feet wide. On the bluff
there is another carriageway-natural, but
10 the casual observer IL seems as If human
hands had scattered the sands that mark
the narrow way as it winds along the edge
just in front OF seashore homes of palaces
and cottages.
Beauvoir House is fifty yards back. and
wide stairway leads up to the portal. At
least ten feet from the ground the broad
galleries surround the grand old building,
which is of that style common 70 this
country In ante-be.lum days. Windows to
the doors--wide. long hall and rooms
twenty feet square. All the treasures of
the Bcauvoir family are gathered here.
No useless hric-a-brac, but all having q
valued memory or historical worth.
Books. pictures. statuary and ornaments
divan and chair. home made. the work of
Mrs. Davis. A valued china jar Of great
beauty. filed with potpourri made by Mrs.
Davis from the roses OF Besuvoir. stands
on quaint table, and the delicate per-
fume pervades the entire house when the
lid is raised. A large painted jar supports
nest of eggs laid by the seagulIs of the
isles just visible out in the gulf. A cabinet
Of rare curiosities of every land is protected
by glass doors, while grand etege stands
beneath the weight OF classic pottery,
bronzes and china. A bronze bust of
Father Ryan looks down from . bracket,
and dark and beautiful oil painting of
David. "Chataubriand's Atala," hangs on
the wall.
II would take more time than l can COM
mand to tell of all the beautiful things in
the hall and parlors-all of peculiar value
II is a place to think. to dreAm-a history
in still life The widow is there-one
daughter in Colorado and the other, Win
ME. the Daughter OF the Confederacy." is
in Europe.
Now of the country around would say
IL is not rs rich land as Mississippi's val
leys. but it produces fully as we'll as her up
lands. Fish and oysters are abundant.
Fruits and vegetables grow the entire year
Strawberries are now ripe and the fig and
the grape are doing splendidly. Oranges
generally do finely. but . few years since
they were all killed by an unheard-of win
ter and the young trees are not yet in bear
ing. A few At Beauvoir house particularly
sheltered escaped and are still bearing
Green peas, lettuce. radishes, watercresses,
rotatoes and beans are our daily repast
and have been all winter.
The climate is almost the same In winter
As summer. This is the summer resort for
New Orleans and Mobile people. and the
Northerner winters here. A mile or,
little more. up the beach, toward Biloxi, is
the grand Methodist camp-ground, where
their annual meetings are held during the
month Of July. One singular feature here
is that there is seldom any wind in winter
and but little rain. In the past months,
since November, only two or three days
has q breeze sprung up. Yet in summer
the breezes are continual This, suppose.
keeps the climate so eqnable. The pines
sigh when there is no mud beneath. The
air is nlled with oasr of flowers and the
scent of tine pines is said TO be very health
giving. never saw so many wild flowers.
The monks-hood lilies fairly color the
forests and plains with their delicate golden
hues.
Another popularity is that it seems
almost impossible 70 take cold here. The
gentlemen take off their coats even on the
fshiug and hunting excursions, and feel
no inconvenience from IT. Often the doors
and windows are left open all night. A
spell from the goddess OF honesty seemed
TO secure the place. for robheries are un-
known. Myriads of butte rifles are seen
every fall going along the coast to the east
ward These look ike bands of ribbon in
the air. They return in the spring. They
are not large and are uniformly yellow.
Holding ont a handful of flowers | had As
many rs fourteen to light upon them and
remain until entered the house. then.
though going out west window, they re-
sumed their eastward journey.
There is nothing more singular in APP
pearance than a dark night or the gulf.
Every bubble and every motion of fish or
crab creates phospborescent light and gives
8 shimmering that must lie seen TO be ap-
precis,ed. A moonlight nights extremely
beautiful. Glistenins and sparkling. the
waters attract the eye by their brightness
Grand networks OF gold and silver enchain
snsngles and stars until the world seems
floating in seas OF bright liquid metals.