Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-12-19

renair TO his room and by the
| light Of lamp pore over the well worn
volume Of ShakeSpeare's plays wnich
he had found In the green room OF tne
Adelphi, and he frequently discarded
attendance at church to scan the pages
of that author. The early study OF
Shakespeare was continued by Mr..
crisp in his mature years, and II IS
donbtful II there are q half dozen men
now in public life who are better
Sbakcspearean scholars than he. vi
history. too, he was particularly iona,
and eagerly read every volume he couid
| find.
This monotonous life was kept up M
iii 1850. when a great misfortune befeil
the Crisps. The fathers eyesight a.
most completely failed him as the result
| OF a cataract which deded treatment,
Then, too, his theatrical ventures went
smiss. He had overshot the marx 10
proyiding stars too expensive TOT Tue
period. Life was very dark to the fam
ilv At this time. Their means OF sup
mort were gone; the father was broken
in health and spirits; they were too
prond to trespass on the kindness OF
friends and too poor TO remain where
they w.re.
A single incident which occurred
while matters were in this predicsment
we'll illustrates the keen sense OF honor
OF the parents Of the Speaker. MI
Crisp had, as last resort, 10 stem the
{ de Of losses, engaged a star from the
East FOR an engagement at SlIo nlght'
which he hoped would refill his empty
Golfers. but the experiment was sore
disappointment. The star failed to
draw. but she demanded her money.
Crisp did not have as many dollars as
she wanted hundreds. In this extremi-
" Davis stepped forward and footed all
the bills.
The next morning Mrs. Crisp appeared
AZ mis- counting room, closely followed
by negro who bore heavy trunk,
which, at the lady's order, he deposited
at the feet of the merchant. She quick
ly removed his wonder at the scene by
explaining that the trunk contained all
the silverware which she and her hus-
band owned, and that they desired to
leave it with him as a guarantee, at least
I'm 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.
Ii is needless TO say that the warm
hearted friend of the family saw to 1t
that the Crisps did not lose their silver
ware; but, 1t is proper TO add, they re-
paid after awhile every cent Of the debt.
For aught TO the contrary, some OF this
very silverware that the parents OF the
Speaker offered nearly forty years ago
Is a pledge for 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 frmness solved the problem.
He expressed 20 Mr.. Davis his grateful
appreciation Of the kindnesSeS done and
fayOrS assured, but announced that he
would never desert his father in his sick
ness or mothor in trouble, that he would
cleave to his parents and cast his lot
with theirs in Georgia, whether for veal
or woe. That settled IL, and Charles
was one Of the family group that left
Nashville in the fall Of 1859 TO make
new home in Americas.
Little did he and they dream that
this act OF flial devotion marked an era
in his life; perhaps changed its whole
current and opened the avenue to fame.
Had he remained here, he would in all
probability have become a Staid merch-
ant and trod in the paths of his patron.
As il vas the civil war was scarcely
over and his record in it written, while
he was still beardleSs youth, before
an opportunity 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
lS6l-5, and to-day merely the wreck of
his once princely fortune is left. But he
still renders obeisance to Thespis, and
is fond as ever Of dwelling on the glores
OF the Adelphi when the Speakers
father was IN his prime.
Where that famous resort stood the
Grand opera house now rears its head
Ia the heart of city of $4,000 popula-
ton, and the name Of the lad who, forty
years ago swept his store clean by the
dim light OF dawn, is now heralded
even across the ocean. 1t is needless to
say that no letter of congratulation
which Mr.. Crisp has received was warm
or or truer than that which gray haired
Davis sent from Nashville the day after
his early protege was nominated for
speaker by the Democratic caucus.
GEORGE II. ARNIISTEAD.
Murdered His Mistress.
7 ON-noN Daeanhar "A shoemakar