The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-09-25
She Was Always IS.
Winnie, Our Child, !"
So John B. Gordon christensd
Her When He Saluted Her
for the South.
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ~ ovOOvvov00vVoV
can, all the sorrows which were the nhnre
OF the children OF the Natton's martyr, ana
WHO In this terrible hour OF anguish. when
the hope and stay OF her devoted mothers
declining years has bten cruelty snatched
away, viii still he the brave. faittful. low
Ing angel OF hope and consolation that she
was In those dark days, WHEN rho taught
her little sisters and brothers TO pray 'thAt
God would bring their dear father homo to
his little ones. for Christ's sake.
The death OF Miss Davis. who for 20
many years has been such n prominent
figure in Southern history, Is calamity
for this section. She stood for so much
that the South ,oved and venerated--At
every reunion of the old Confederate vet
Grams, Whenever ard wherever she could
she was always present. and in her the
sturdy olS warriors recognized the en-
oonlment OF all those principles Tor which
her iiluslrious father had struggled SO
bravcly. she stood before these men who
wore the gray as the living voice OF the
grand old nero of tho mighty conflict, the
child of him who had ever been so true
70 &C., To country aud 10 duty, aud who
bore HIS stainless name with the honor
ana dignity and grace becoming the FORE
most representative OF southern woman
hood
We love to think of the pure and beauu-
tul home lte that she led al Beauyo.r; we
love to think OF how gracefully she re-
spondc1 TO The warm hesr,ed invitation OF
our people at the giNat carnival time 10 b.
one VI It's foremost queens: we love to
mink OF her trumphs IN the North and in
EUROPE, hu, most OF all, We love to think
OF her as she stood among us, a, the in
vital,on OF our own Louisiana veterans,
the first sponsor OF a Confederate reunion
ana the pioneer example for all time for
the girls Of the South. In the Inauguration
or that belumful compliment which has
now boronie an established custom In
every State---the model sponsor, who,
c'ingit9 with undying love to the men,
Dries OF the Conteieracy. came in ali her
grace aud beauty undnr the escort CT our
LOUISIANA delegation. from the old fashion
cd home at Beauvoir. to stand n our
glorious camp for all that the South loved
best, and In so doing to bid the daughters
or the South, from infancy TO the grave.
10 treasure the records and traditions of
that war In which southern manhood
shone so rcsplendently, an1 In which
Southern truth rose triumphant immortal
over The hiood-atslred battle fields ard
the overwhelming reality OF death and
defeat,
Winnie Davis was In Europe at the
time OF the death of Mr., Davis. She had
gone thithcr to recuperete her shattered
health, and tho shock OF her fathers death
and she so far away so unnerved her that
for long time her life was despalrod OF,
Since the death OF Mr.. Davis hts wife
and youngest daughter have made their
home In the North. This mas been u SUB
ject of deep regret to the voopie of tho
South, who would have dearly loved 70
always have bad in their MIDST The FAMILY
OF their fearless leader. AT the great reul-
ion recently held IN Atlanta, while ,Ae
plaudts oil the immense concourse we.e
sounding in her ears aud the weikin rang
with cries Of Hal TO the daughter OF our
ohlefbln," Miss DAVIS, who was sesDLed near
the writer on he platform Ot the immense
auditorium, turned TO her and sad. Tel
me, what do my people vi the south think
OF my mother and me living in the Nor,h?
Are they satisfied" There was an anx-
ious tremor in her voice, something ihat
made the writer hesitate as she answered
truthtully: The people OF tn. South ieaa
this deeply; they so love the memory OF
your father that IL seems to them that the
daughiCf and wife Of Jefferson Davis are "A
part OF themselves, and II Is hard for them
TO grow accustomed TO the thought that you
must always make your home in the
North"
Her beautiful eyes filled with tears
mot alNAys,' she softly answered. DO
not say always. We only make our home
in the North because the climate there
agrees better with my dear mothers health
than that OF the South. We have tried 10
live in Richmond, AS one OF the most North
ern of the Southern cities, but somehow or
other mother is always i'll there. and the
physicians fnslst upon our living in q
colder climate. II her dear life is to be pro-
longed But when she dies" she said FOR
IN all human probability she viii precede
me to the grave, intend 10 come back TO
my dear old native Southland and make my
home forever among the people who love
me 20 dearly, and who are the dearest on
earth 10 me-"
II was sweet TO hear Miss Davis say this.
sweet to note the fearful tremor In her
voice. and It carried conviction in every
ccholng throb. II will siways be something
for the South to cherish. this thought. that
nothing but the hope OF proIonging her
mothers life induced the daughter OF tho
Confectionery TO live away from the people
who 80 loved and honored her
Winnie Davis came from noble ances-
try on both sides. Her mother was the
granddaughter OF Richard Howell. who
was famous revolutionary soldier and an
intimate friend OF George Washington He
Her father, William Burr Howell. won dis
tinction under Commodore McDonogh at
Lake ChamplaIn. He afterwards settled
in Mississippi. where he became q promI-
ncpt and wealthy planter He married tho
daughter OF James Kempe fine old Irish
gentleman who came TO Natchez In the
early part OF the century. Mrs. Davis wss
born IN Vcksburg. She Is ackno wledged
TO be one OF the most brilliant women
that the South has ever produced. She
was ut IN every way to be the companion
OF tho great man whose death In 1889 ended
a chapter OF National history. Both Mrs.
and Miss Davis were great favorites IN the
North and South. and the most exclusive
circles OF Europe In which they moved.
Tho two ladies were the most prominent
figures In the Southern colony in New York
and were the recipients OF the most DIS
tinguished attention from the famous men
and women OF the entire world who found
their way to New York.
And now the grave muat close over
this faithful friend and loving daughter.
whose home henceforth II to be In the
heart Of the South, till the last eternal
-, ~ ~ -