The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-09-20
A RELAPSE SATURDAY
MRS. DAVIS BEARS HER GRIEF
WITH SPARTAN F0RTlTUDE.
A BRIEF SKETCH OF MISS DAVIS LIFE
Her Devotion to her Parents, Why an Engage
ment Of Marriage was Broken off.
Miss Winnie's Last Public
Appearance.


Narragansett Pier, II. l., September
1S.-Miss Winnie Davis, daughter OF
Mrs. jefferson Davis, died at noon to-
day at the Rockingham Hotel, to which
place she came as guest IN the early
mart of the Piers social season. She
had been i'll for several weeks, ana a
fortnight ago her ailment was diagnosed
as malarial gastritis.
At times her condition beanie very
serious, so that consultations of physl-
clans were deemed necessary, but ire
ouent rallies gave renewed hope that she
would ultimately recover. During the
past week especially was her condition
considered favorable, and it was thought
that her removal from the hotel would
be possible in a few days, as the hotel
had closed for the season, leaving the
patient and attendants practically alone
in the house.
Last night, however a relapse in Miss
Davis condition was noticed, and
throughout the night she lost strength
perceptibly. This morning the physicians
said that the end was not far off, and
at noon death came to end the suffering,
which at times had been intense. Mrs.
Davis had watched unremittingly at her
daughters bedside, and she is now bowed
with sorrow.
The physicians of Mrs. Davis report
she is holding up with great calmness
in her affiction, and no fears are at
present entertained of her health yield
ing to the strain.
WAS BORN AT RICHMOND. 1868.
Miss Winnie Davis the Daughter of
the Confederacy." was Born in the Cons
federate Executive Mansion at Rich
mond. Va, in 1868. She was educated
principally at home, owing to the trouble
surrounding her father and the publicity
which attended all movements of the
Davis family. Miss Davis attained her
majority at Beauvoir, Miss. Here she
assisted her mother in various ways
and took her place in the many social
functions of the neighborhood.
She was her fathers constant COM
panion. She assisted him in all his
work, and much of the information which
was required by Mr.. Davis in his writ
ings was secured for him by his daugh-
ter. Her strong character was marked
from youth. She was engaged to Mr..
Wilkerson, of Syracuse \. Y. but short
ly after her fathers death the engage
ment was broken off. While no public
explanation of the rupture was given
out, it is well known that it was for the
purpose of maintaining her fathers
name.
She received the name, Daughter or
the Confederacy," in 1886, when her
father made his famous trip through the
South. Mr.. Davis being unable TO APP
pear, Miss Winnie was brought before
the thousands at the different points
along the route and introduced as the
daughter of the Confederacy.
HER LITERARY ATTACHMENTS.
In personal appearance she resembled
her mother, but intellectually resembled
her father. She had a genius for liter
airy work and a few years ago it was
thought she would make for herself a
name in the nations literature. She was
more fortunate than many literary wo-
men in keeping in touch with the world
about her and in being at home in every
circle loved by young and old, but fail
ing health prevented her living up to the
prediction of the critics. If she had
cared for it she would have been thrust
into prominence as an international So
ciety favorite, for she was as popular
with distinguished foreigners as with the
people of the South. But she cared moth
ing for the frivoities of society. She
cared only for her mother. with, whom
it was enough for her TO share the glo-
rious memories Of the past and the many
evidence of tender loyalty of those who
were so true to them through all the
vicissitudes of fortune.
She delighted to help those of her ia
Tiers friends and followers less fortunate
than herself, and counted as the happiest
moment of her life her reception from the
veterans of the Confederacy at Hudson
where she was introduced by Gen John
i. Gordon to 10000 Of them as the
Daughter of Jefferson Davis. of the
COnfederacy, and our daughter
During the Spanish war she followed
events closely, and once In speaking of
Ensign Bagley's death and Hobson's
work at Santiago, expressed delight at
the dawn of an era of good feeling. 81
am sure it is as my father would have
wished it." she said, zone country and
one people, we are at last"
LAST PUBLIC APPEARANCE.
Miss Davis appeared in public for the
last time, it is believed, in Atlanta.
July 21. The occasion was the parade
of ex-Confederates, who held their an
nual reunion this year in Atlanta. Miss
Davis was a guest of honor and occupied
carriage with Mrs. Stonewall Jackson
and Miss Caro- Lewis Gordon daughter
of General Gordon.
The procession started under an auspi-
cious sky, but before proceeding far a
heavy storm came up, and the rain,
which fell in torrents, drenched the oc-
cupants of the carriages in line before
the tops could be placed.
TELEGRAMS FROM THE SOUTH
Arrangements For the Funeral Not Yet