The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-08-18

varina Anne Davis. in New York World
It is a melancholy fact that the immedi-
ate surroundings Of a great man are Us
uany the last quarter from which ne can
hone for unaIloyed reclamation. Yet Il
must be that the Ittleness Of the hero HIM
self ara to blame for the decay OF his cult,
for when some fortuitous conjunction Of
circumstances does produce a hero great
enough to be tender and considerate at
home. IL is in his family that he will reap
the richest harvest Of alteration. and at
his freside that he will ma his most faith
flIl adherents.
1t was my inestimable privilege to be
horn the child of such a man; one whose
sense of Justice was so exact that he re-
verenced the rights Of every creature IN
his environment with the same scrupu-
lous consideration that he applied TO great
political questions-one who covered the
fafinas of others with a mantle OF Charity
and sympathy so large that every peni-
tant could ind shelter beneath its folds ana
every weak or helpless creature assurance
against oppression.
We children always believed that there
was no problem too abstruse, no natural
upheaval too stupendous to be dominated
nv our father. I remember distinctly cry
inc 10 be taken TO him in an earthquake
and feeling perfectly safe and happy when
placed in his arms. Nor, on the other haho
did we ever feel that anything which an
moved or hurt us could be beneath his no
tice. for he was one of those denghtiul
neonle who seem always possessed OF an
abundance OF time to listen and an endless
store Of sympathy to expend. The conf
dence we reposed in him was probably the
outgrowth of one of his maxims. to when
he strictly adhered He would often say;
..Seyer Joke with a child or a savage; they
win not understand, and you will only
destroy their confidence in you" Indeed
he carried this rule so far that he would
give a scientifically accurate answer al
though expressed in the simplest possible
terms. to any queries put to him. ana X IS
wonderful how universally he maae MIN
self understood by children He contehueu
that even were his explanations pe s,' oilo
their comprehension, they at least grasp
ed the sincerity that animated his res
ponse to their honest questions
His sole deviation from this rule, II tnat
could be called a deviation which ne
would have gladly made his earnest re-
Quest. was a little playful habit ne haa
Of asking his friends children II they
would moi like to 80 home with him. his
invitation was eagerly accepted even
bv the shyest. Indeed, he sometimes FOUND
a little traveller on the doorstep, waiting
his departure. with a hoard Of baby treas
IA. H.
the weeping and wailing from the Wouio-
be visitor when parental interference
Obliged my father to go away alone!
n was the corollary of his democratic
faith in the vested right OF every human
being to the expression Of an honest opin-
fon-the doctrine of mental lioerty-that
induced him TO listen patiently, as he
always did. TO the jejune opinions OF the
very young, and impelled him originally 10
champion the then unpopular eHoft TO
legalize negro testimony. The necessity
as well as the right of free speech was
nearly a mania with him, and made him
almost invariably side with a child or
slave AGAINST what he called "irresponsi-
BILE authority" 1t did not appear to him
as alas 1t does to many grown people
that suppression is the only healthy spir-
itual food for children, and that logically
the little soul who has never been allowed
to exercise it's understanding or rejoice
in freedom of choice win thus be best
fitted for the full and reasonable use OF
its liberty when II has come to years OF
discretion.
On the contrary, my father was studious-
~ careful to leave a power of decision
with the very youngest, when it was posi-
BILE, and even where that was not the case
his commands were always given In the
form of a suggestion that left us with
the ffattering sense of having freely cho-
sen TO do his will for the love of him.
He never offered obedience as a reason
for it's own sake TO the very most signif-
cant person. He had an abiding faith in
the power of persuasion and common
sense, which was certainly justified by
the absolute subservience he won to his
wishes. He unconsciously impressed 1t
upon every one about him that he ex-
pected the best, the very best, of them in
all things, and 1 think that his dignified
attitude of humanity In general united
20 his keen sense of justice, was the chief
characteristics which won for him such
devotion from the negroes, who would
appeal to him from his overseer with the
assured confidence of children, relying on
the loving partisanship of a father.
Where ii was a matter of personal cour-
age or self-control, he expected the utmost
effort, but 1 have never known him neg
lect 10 smooth away the possibilities Of
friction where he found it practicable. In
my own case / remember that he never
by any cnaneS sent me on an efIdnQ at
night, knowing that l shared the unrea-
sonable terror of the dark common among
children. but If i objected when some less
considerate person babe me carry mes
sage into that ghostly territory he would
look at me lovingly and say: My little
girl will go, l am sure; my brave little
girl is not afraid of the dark" and l
went up stairs with my knees shaking
together, but so proud of his confidence
in my courage that nothing short of a
lion in my way would have induced me
10 disappoint him.
His anger against one who frightened
or abused child was appalling The
deprivation of liberty visited upon young
Offenders was, he thought, Incompetent
sible cruelty and the remembrance of IL
ne laid bitterly to heart. Once, when We
were talking about a book on iuvenils
psnology, he sat listening with his usual
considerable attention. then turned to my
mother and asked her If she had forgotten
their visit to a reformatory many years
before the war. After telling me of the
poor little prisoners" he went on 10
speak of a small negro boy who, instinct
lively recognizing a friend. had caught
him by the coat, with the plea. please
buy me, sir, and take me home with
Won triad "a rraoIlra tho Ifftfa fal