The Van Buren press., 1897-04-10
ARP ON PRESIDENTS.
The Story OF Jackson's Second
Marriage to His Wife.
seIf-Madc Chief Executives-Bnrtow
Sage Writes About College Edu-
cation and Athletic
Games Mt school.

have received a number of letters want
ing to know why.
Doubtless there are great many more
who have not access to any biography of
Andrew Jackson, and would like to
know why he was twice married to his
only wife.
And so for the diffusion of knowledge
it is a good time to tell these inquirers
the romance of that marriage, for with
most men and women marriage is the
most important event of their life.
Rachel Donelson was a beautiful,
sprightly and interesting girl-the best
horsewoman and the best dancer in all
the country. She married Capt. Rob
ards, who proved to be tyrannical and
jealous husband. He took her to Ken
lucky to Live with his mother, but soon
after, in fit of jealous rage, sent her
back to Nashville. Her mother, who
was widow, was keeping a boarding
Jackson and Judge Oyerton, both of
them heightened, honorable gentlemen.
Indeed, the general was noted for his
purity of character, his homage and
chivalrous respect for women. When
Capt. Richards came there to make rec
onciliation with his wife, he took offense
at Jackson's polteness to her. He and
Jackson had hot words and further
trouble was feared Jackson changed
his boarding house and Robards went
back to Kentucky and threatened to re-
turn and haunt his wife and make her
life miserable. To escape his persecu-
tions she removed to Natehez, where she
had friends and relatives. In the mean
time Robards applied to the legislature
of Kentucky for leave to sue for d.
vorce for that was then the law. Leave
to sue was granted to him, and it was
generally supposed that he had sued in
Kentucky and had obtained a divorce.
Acting on this belief, Jackson went to
Natchez and married her.
For two years they lived together in
Nashville as man and wife, when to
their great surprise it was discovered
that Richards did not secure his di-
vorce until year after her second mar
riage. So Jackson procured another Ii
censo and was married to her a cecond
time. For 40 years they enjoyed an
honorable and happy wedlock. His de-
votion to her was intense and his pis-
tol was ever ready to avenge her fair
name from scandal. He had many po-
litical enemies, but he taught them
early that not even a whisper to her
| prejudice would be allowed. Rachel
| Donelson was true and noble woman.
1t is a singular fact that five of the
first thirteen presidents married wild
ows. Washington set the example and
was followed by jefferson, Madison and
Fillmore. The last-named was married
twice and SO was John Tyler. Andrew
Johnson's wife taught him to write
after they were married. His humble
origin and vocation and his rise to the
highest office have long been cited ia
| illustrate the difference between q re-
publican and q monarchical govern
ment, but he was not the only president
whose youth was marked by toll and
| ignorance. Fillmore was apprenticed
to q wool carder when ne was II years
of age and was bound to the trade for
seven years. When he was 10 he bought
| his unserved time and bought n die
| tionary. He could read and write a
| little, but had not had access to any
books, for his father had none save a
| Bible and hymn book. He had never
seen map of the United States nor
copy of Robinson Cruso. 1t was like
being born again for young man OF
10 to begin to Mcguire the rudimcnts
of an education. But he did it and
climbed slowly, but surely, upward UNI
til he reached the top of the ladder
Garfield was known as the teacher
president, but John Adams and Arthur
also taught school. Eightof the earlier
presidents had no collegiate education
but this is no argument against the
great advantage that such an education
gives. College education is a great com
fort, independent of its being help t.
progress and advancement in science
and art. The limited knowledge | ac-
CURED in a three-years' course could
not be bought with money. 1t furnished
the tools of my trade. There is posi-
tive comfort in knowing the origin oil
English words-the old ones and the
new ones that are being continually
coined to keep up with science and dis
coyery. 1t is q comfort to know how
to measure the distances of the sun and
moon and stars and TO calculate eclipses
and why the little honey bee builds
the cells in the honeycomb in heXagor
shape and the laws of light and gray
ity. IL is n comfort to an old man tc
be looked up to by his children ano
grandchildren as the pupils did to the
schoolmaster in Goldsmith's school
"And stll they gazed and still the wonde
grew
That one small head could carry all /
! knew"
The danger of college life is, however
very great, and no boy should be SEN
there Just for the fun or the name OF
the polish OF il. The athletic sport o
il seems nowadays to be a prominen'
feature of college education. My idea'
about that may be prejudices, but if 81
they ure so strong and | am so an
tiuue that l cannot change them. l hav'
no more boys TO educate and they witt
have must take their own responsible
ity, but l feel as helpless as diseour
aged when | read the programmes @
the matched games that are already ar
ranged for the coming summer amonl
the colleges. can do nothing but TAX
a beck seat ard let the procession pro
cecd.-Rnl Arp in Atlanta Constitu
tion.