Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1895-01-25
Of New Orleans. When these patriotic and

of New Orleans. When these patriotic and
energetic southern gentlcwomcn who
formed the association took possession Of
the Property, they found ruin and decay
everywhere prevalent upon the noble cs-
tate. The old log cabin where the general
lived for Is years before The Hermitage
was built was a total wreck.
A Noble Work.
But these southern ladies, with their
soft voices, indolent manners and languid
airs, can be energetic enough over any OBJ
ject upon the welfare of which their hearts
are set. 1t was not long before the man.
sion was newly rooted, the rooms repaired.
fences up, outbuildings put in proper
shape and the old log cabin fully restored,
even to its kitchen fireplace, the favorite
resting place of "Uncle Alf," the ancient
negro body servant of the general.
At the tomb n pauses to read the or
nate enumeration of the virtues of Jack
sons wife. The story of their love was a
romance. Jackson fairly worshiped her
and during his momentous career never
wholly emerged from the influence of her
personality. He wore her miniature on
his heart until his death, and no matter
what his cares, responsibilities or amuse.
nents he never slept until he had read q
chapter in the Bible she left him when
she died. Mrs. jackson was a woman of
great ptety and cared nothing for the
honors of this world. When jackson was
elected president, his wife said to those
about her: For Mr.. Jackson's sake 1 am
glad. For my W I never wished it. l
would rather be a doorkeeper in tho house
of my God than to dwell in that palace in
Washington" Her influence over Jackson
was profound, as shown by the following
anecdote. Old Hickory was an expert in
profanity. When occasion required, he
simply p~aralyzed his hearers by the orig
inality, variety and picturesqueness of his
swearing. During an exciting political
campaign and just after Mrs. jackson had
c~onfidentially told a guest that she thought
the general was disposed to be religious,
and that but for the approaching p%residen-
t1al election she earnestly believed he
would join her church, he suddenly burst
into the room with an opposition newspa-
per in his hand, cursing like a house afirc.
He swore until he was actually out of
breath, when his gentle wife, who had at
first been stunned by his oaths, arose, and
approaching him looked him steadily in
the face and simply exclaimed, mir. Jack
son!" The great warrior who had always
conquered was Immediately subdued by
this mild adversary.
A Touching Story.
Rachel Jackson was a wonderfully beau
tiful woman, and her portraits show a
face of winsome and innocent loneliness.
The throat is full, the lips sweet, the brow
well shaped and the eyes large and limpid.
A cap Of soft lace crowns the dark curls
which fall over her shoulders. In her
youth she contracted an unfortunate mar
rage. jackson was accused by his foes of
having by his attentions to Mrs. Richards
broken up a happy home. This, however,
was not true. Richards was a man of
whom very little good could be said. His
wife was s%prightly, cheerful and very
beautiful. Robards' jealousy was terrific.
jackson, who was q good companion, OF
agreeable address and admired by women,
soon felt the fury of this jealousy. Mat.
tiers growing more and more unpleasant,
Mrs. Richards at length left her husband.
This was in the spring of 1891. Richards
applied to the Virginia legislature for a
divorce, which was granted, provided tho
supreme court should see cause for a di-
vorce. 1t was reported and became the
general belief in Nashville that Richards
had obtained a divorce. Thereupon Mrs.
Richards, who had been living in Natchez
with the family of Colonel Stark, returned
to Nashville and was married to Jackson.
After they had been married two years
Richards obtained q divorce in Il Kentucky
court. Jackson at once realized that he
had been married two years to a woman
who was legally another mans wife. To
make their union legal they wero married
the second time.
These unfortunate circumstances, the
suspicion and scandal naturally arising
from them, marred their happiness, and, it
Is said, really broke the gentle, loving
heart of Rachel jackson.
The popular story is that while she was
making preparations to go from 1.-The
Hermitage to Washington the poor lady
received tho rude shock which led to her
death. She was like a mother to every
servant upon the estate, and Wishing to
leave all comfortable for the winter made
a trip into Nashville to buy supplies and
clothing for her dependents. Weary from
her shopping, she went into a hotel parlor
to rest while she waited for the coach
which was to take her back to ''Tho Hermit
tage." Suddenly she heard her own name
spoken in an adjoining room, c~oarscly
and cruelty banded about, while her char
acter was ficrcely assaulted. Motionlcss. as
il turned to stone, she sat listening to the
accusations which had been circulated dur
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