The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-04-03
SIHTS WIFE SAW HIM.
,.oy DAVIS TO EYES
In-,.ygD ONLY BIZ LOVE.


We're His Friends Before the
VIZ nd sam aouston's Calamity.
o ..-izipg Conversat on Between
I'd a-d Davis.
r,or, the CHICAGO Tribune.
u,b an interest that is often symps-
.',s,t one reads the bulky biography
e.. ION Davis, which modestly describes
',- "a Memoir by His Wife" The
80 e.. rss born in 1908 and died in 1889,
.,rlier part of his life was identified
- rsst events in our history that may
-s.1sd without conjunction. Through
=. whole book there breathes the
- devotion to her husbands memory.
't,ns is generous; only few expressions
and there discloses her political point of
nThe cause sleeps" one finds on the
ling mage; perhaps it comforts her to
-..rbrase the words which the Savior
:, uttered above the form Of a Judean
y There is since then more balm In the
\ sIaep than in the name Of his brother,
BIB.
the first few chapters, taken from his
~dictation. jefferson Davis tells of his
IN ancestry and the services of his FAM
n the war of the revolution and that of
His mother was of Scotch-Irish stock,
was highly gifted. jefferson was at
educated in the primitive log cabin
oJ-house in Mississippi. At a tender age
rss averse to stndy. He complained to
father and was told to take his choice
,Teen going to school and picking cotton.
how went to work under the hot sun in
cotton-feid, and at the end of two days
80 far reco sidered his views Of life as to
4 to be sent back to school
He was for couple of years a pupil at
rminican college in Kentucky. He took
trasicn in after life to testify that no at
gnUt was made to proselyte him. 1t seems
fat he was the only protestant boy. and he
ID the notion he would join the Catholic
. nth. He went to consult the venerable
. lad Of the institution, and found him at
ancheon. The good father listened to him
md told him that what he needed was good
atholic food, not the Catholic religion. So
Father wilson gave him a sli 9 of bread and
Iaeese, and all the boys spiritual cravings
were apparently satisfied.
In this early period of his life jefferson
Davis SAYS: Il had the opportunity boy
has 10 observe a great mana standpoint
Of no small advantage. Gen. Jackson's
house at that time was roomy log house.
In front of it was a grove of fine forest
trees, and behind it were his cotton and
grain fields. have never forgotten the
unaffected and well-bred courtesy which
caused him to be remarked by court
trained diplomats when President of the
United States by reason of his very impress
siva bearing and manner. Notwithstand-
ing he many reports that have been made
ofhs profanity, l remember that he always
sad grace at his table, and never heard
hin utter an oath. In the same connection,
although he encouraged the boys in all con-
tests Of activity, pony-riding included, he
would not allow us to wrestle. for, he said,
t9slOw hands to be put on one another
night lead to fight. He was always gen.
lie and considerable"
As he grew older young Davis developed
staste for study which distinguished him
tlrng his career at the University of Tran
glvania. He entered West Point in 1924
he same year his father died. This anec-
dote is related Of him: An antipathy ex-
Bted between him aud certain professor.
One day the professor was giving lecture
on presence of mind being one of the cardi-
nal qualities needful for a soldier. He
looked directly at his young enemy and
made an insinuation which was intended to
be offensive. A few days afterward while
the building was full of cadets the class was
beng taught the process of making fire.
balls, and one took fire. Cadet Davis saw
it first and calmly asked the instructor.
What shall l do, sir? This fireball is
igited" The professor said, Run for
your lives, aud ran for his. Davis threw
The ball out of the window, and thereby
Eyed the building and perhaps many lives.
IN THE NORTHWEST.
Chapters that are particularly interesting
b western readers are those which describe
The life of Lieut.. Davis when he was sent
70 Fort Crawford, built on the site of what
snow Prairie du Chen in Wisconsin. This
vas IN the year 1929. Fort Crawford was
On the Wisconsin, near its junction with
the Mississippi, and was, at an early day,
the northern limit of the Illinois tribe. it
vas the starting point for their raids
against the Iroquois. who occupied the land
round Chicago. Lieut.. Davis was sent to
ut timber for the fort. A western histo-
ian states:
Jefferson Davis was the first lumberman
n Wisconsin. In the year 1929, when a
lieutenant in the First regiment. he was
detailed to ascend the Mississippi with a
ompany 10 birch bark canoes, and stopping
u the nrst pine forest to cut, raft and float
sur1lclent quantity of timber down the
liver TO build fort at Prairie du Chen.
Neconnolssances of a dangerous character
we're made every few days. Lieut.. Davis
10 HE OF men were the first white men
Vho ever passed over the country between
ne portage of the Wisconsin and Fox
lvers, and the then village of Chicago
+ lsh and waterfowl were abundant , Mr..
Davis has written; deer and pheasant less
Plentiful The Indians subsisted largely on
holan corn and wild rice. When sent out
N various expeditions crossed Rock river
y y oll1erent points, but saw no sign of set-
cement above Dixon's Ferry"
Col. Zachary Taylor, old Trough and
teady, )" had headquarters at Fort Crawford
2 lo3@' Lieut. Davis proposed for the hand
= Miss Sarah Knox Taylor, second
laughter, but Col. Taylor was opposed to
rs daughters marrying soldier. A short
lule atterward Lieut.. Davis and the colonel
we're estranged by vote cast by the former
conrt-martial. The lovers persevered.
Aeut- Davis resigned from the army in 1885,
i ne and Miss Taylor were married
asny or the Taylor family attended the
Ste AOV VIC COlOuel, VINO was now
general. 1t was years afterward when he
Became reconciled to his son-in-law. But
avis was row a widower. His wife had
neu 10 the first year of her marriage at her
lew home in Mississippi.
:, Near y ten years of quiet life on the
nan atlon passed for Mr.. Davis when he
ooA another wife, who shared the re-
nalhaer OF his stormy life and survived to
, y ne TINS memoir. She was the daughter
= w. b: Howell. who lived in an old
a. house called THE Briers, near
gst referred to Mr.. Davis had visited
oe es1ILlngton. He had breakfast with Presi-