The Portland daily press., 1891-12-24

month after month at the side of the
big force of men under the rich mer-
chant. His CHEEKY and manly tempera-
ment, industry and sprightliness soon
made him the favorite with his asso-
ciates and seniors that he was with
Davis.
But the lad evinced attention to other
matters than those in line with business.
He loved books, and gathered about him
such as his scant purse would allow and
his friends could loan. Shakespeare
was his ideal. Doubtless this taste for
the Bard of Avon had been created by
seeing his productions presented on the
stage by Mr.. and Mrs. Crisp in leading
roles; but the boy admired his works the
more as his own reading of them ex-
tended. After his daily labor was ended
he would repair to his room and by the
light of lamp pore over the well worn
volume of Shalespeare's plays which he
had found in the green room of the Adel-
phi, and he frequently discarded attend
ance at church to scan the pages of that
author. This early study of Shakespeare
was continued by Mr.. Crisp in his ma
ture years, and it is doubtful if there are
half dozen men now in public life who
are better Shakespearean scholars than
he. Of history, too, he was particularly
fond, and eagerly read every volume he
could find.
This monotonous life was kept up UNI
til 1859, when great misfortune befell
the Crisps. The fathers eyesight almost
completely failed him as the result of
cataract which defied treatment. Then,
too, his theatrical ventures went amiss.
He had overshot the mark in providing
stars too expensive for the period. Life
was very dark 20 the family at this time.
Their means of support were gone; the
father was broken in health and spirits;
they were too proud to trespass on the
kindness of friends and too poor to re-
main where they were.
A single incident which occurred
while matters were in this predicament
well illustrates the keen sense of honor of
the parents of the speaker. Mr.. Crisp
had, as last resort to stem the tide of
losses, engaged star from the east for
an engagement at $175 night, which he
hoped would refill his empty Golfers, but
the experiment. was a sore disappoint-
ment. The star failed to draw, but she
demanded her money. Crisp did not
have as many dollars as. she wanted hun
dreds. In this extremity Davis stepped
forward and footed all the bills.
The next morning Mrs. Crisp appeared
at his counting room, closely followed
by negro who bore a heavy trunk,
which, at the lady's order, he deposited
at the feet of the merchant. She quickly
removed his wonder at the scene by ex-
planning that the trunk contained all the
silverware which she and her husband
owned, and that they desired to leave it
with him as a guarantee, at least in part,
that as soon as they were able they
would repay every dollar of his loan.
Some Of the silver was in the shape of
handsome testimonials to Mr.. Crisp from
theatrical friends; the others had either
been brought from England or purchased
in flush days in this country. tits need
less to say that the warm hearted friend
of the family saw to it that the Crisps
did not lose their silverware; but, it is
proper to add, they repaid after awhile
every cent of the debt. For aught to
the contrary, some of this very silver
ware that the parents of the speaker
offered nearly forty years ago as a
pledge for a debt of honor is now at his
home in Americas, Ga.
When Mr.. and Mrs. Crisp decided in
their extremity to leave Nashville they
resolved to make their home in Georgia.
The question arose as to what disposition
should be made of Charles. His en-
ployer had promoted him by degrees, was
personally attached to him and would
take pride in advancing his fortunes in
mercantile pursuits. Would it be well,
under these circumstances, his parents
reasoned, to carry him to another state
where the outlook for themselves was
dark? The lad quickly and with char
acteristic firmness solved the problem.
He expressed to Mr. Davis his grateful
appreciation of the kindnesses done and
favors assured, but announced that he
would never desert his father in his sick
ness or mother in trouble, that he would
cleave to his parents and cast his lot
with theirs in Georgia whether for veal
or woe. That settled it, and Charles
was one Of the family group that left
Nashville in the fall of 1859 to make a
new home in Americas.
Little did he and they dream that this
act of filial devotion marked an era in his
life; perhaps changed it's whole current
and opened the avenue to fame. Had
he remained here, he would in all proba-
bility have become staid merchant
and trod in the paths of his patron. AS
it was the civil war was scarcely over
and his record in it written, while he
was still beardless youth, before an op-
portunity presented itself for him to
study law.
Thenceforward fortune continuously
smiled upon him. BY quick stages he
became solicitor general, circuit judge,
congressman and now speaker, the third
officer in point of dignity in the greatest
government in the world.
And James Davis, the friend of his
youth, what of him? Slaves and prop
erty vanished during the conflict of 1861
5, and today merely the wreck of his
once princely fortune is left. But he
still renders obeisance to Thespis, and is