The state chronicle., 1893-05-21
FURTHER INTERESTING FACTS.

In Connection With the Visit Of Pres1. |
dent Jeffers on Davis to Raiigh.
Communicated.
Mr.. Cowper is correct in his state
ment concerning the visit ofPres-
ident Davis to Raleigh in May
1871.
The writer of this was then con-
nected with the editorial department
of the Raleigh Sentinel. The Office
of the Sentinel was then in the row
of buildings just south Of the court
house, fronting on the square.
was sitting in the Office on the
morning of the arrival of Mr.. Davis,
when Aunt Abbie House, we'll re-
membered by old soldiers and
citizens, came rushing to the
door almost breathless, and
with tears in her eyes, exclaimed,
"Bob, jeff Davis is here, God bless
him!' Not having heard of Mr..
Davis intended visit, and knowing
he had not come On the regular
trains which had reached the city
the night before or early on that
morning, I expressed to Aunt Abbie
a doubt, by asking her when and
how be came. This offended the
old lady, and with much indigna-
tion she retorted, "Do you believe I
am lying? Doyo think I don't
know Jeff Davis? I tell you he is
here. I spoke to him at the depot
just now, and he is now at the Var
boro house"
[ walked over to the hotel, and
SIRE enough, the name Of, to me, the
grandest living American was upon
the register of the hotel.
Mr.. Davis was at that time the
president of an insurance company,
with headquarters at Memphis. He
was then on tour of the States in
the interest of hts company, and
came to Raleigh from the North
over the Raleigh and CASTOR road
IN passenger coach attached to
the freight train, reaching the city
about 10 o'clock in the morning.
The omnibus Of the Yarboro was
at the depot, and SO happened to
be "Aunt Abbie." Several passen-
gers alighted from toe train and
entered the bus. The last passen-
ger had just entered and taken a
seat near the door, when "Aunt
Abbie" went up and said "Ain't t
this jeff Davis?" The gentleman
reached out his hand, and claspin g
that of the old woman said "Aunt
Abbie, how are you?" With hands
thus clasped, Aunt Abbie embrac-
ing his knees with her other
arm, the two-Statesman and
patriot and humble woman-re
mained several minutes weeping
Aunt Abbie giving expression
through her sobs, to her veneratior
and love for him and gratitude tina
she had again been permitted tt
! see and speak with him.
There is much connected will
" Aunt Abbie's life during the wa
which ought to be preserved. Sh
was not only known by Presiden
I Davis and Gen. Lee, but loved b.
q them for her constant devotion to
, cause some of US living are no
1 ashamed to have believed was just
+ Mr.. Davis was the recipient Q
i the courtesies due him by the cit
8 zens of Raleigh on that occasion
Y as stated by Mr.. Cowper. Indee
q Nr. Cowper's article, I take it, wa
IS not SO much to show that Mr.. Davi
q received the courteous attentio
q mentioned, as that he was certainl
v here; for no statement is necessar
=. to prove that Jefferson Davis, whe
n in Raleigh, was accorded tbs
n courtesy and hospitality whic
"a eharacterizes its citizens on all o,
,s casions.
When I called on Mr.. Davis
# short while after his arrival, I N,
# in the hotel Mr. r. r. Battle, whol
|. l remember, and several other gel
d tlemen, among them some citizer
J. of Wake county, old soldiers, pr
.e Yates in the war, who, learning
,r Mr. Davis presence, called to pa
d their respects. It was my privilee
and pleasure to introduce ,he gel
10 tlemen, by name, to Mr.. Davis.
te l trust | am not Immodees IN gi
d ing few details of an occurran.
90 with which had some connectio,
s but [ wished to supplement Ii
Cowpers statement in r~fere nee
Mr.. Davis being here and also to &C
;, the assurance that his presence "
H. matter of great pleasure al
is pride to ali Of our people.
To ResnactfnllN