The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1899-10-05
RELICS OF JEFFERSON DAVIS.

i
a Valuable Collection Sent to the
Confederate Museum i'm Rich
| mont.
The Confederate puseum in ltich.
mond has been enriched by the addi.
| tion Of two cases of relics, formerly the
property of Jefferson Davis, the Presi,
dent Of the Confederacy. Some have
been given and others lent by Mrs.
Davis and Mrs. Hayes, and they form a
priceless collection.
In accordance with wish expressed
by Mrs. Davis, tho large case contain.
| will be placed in the Mississippi room,
and smaller case, containing letters,
testimonials and portraits, will DO ex.
hibited in the "Solid South" room
The suit Of furniture has not yet been
assigned to any special place, nor will
1T be until tho matter has been con-
sidered by the society. The most in.
teresting relics, in fact, have been
placed in the Mississippi room. They
are contained in large, square case,
six feet or more IN height. The suit
of clothes which MIR. Davis worc when
he was captured hangs there. The
frock coat is made Of gray Goth, with
q velvet collar, and tho trousers are Of
much worn and bears evidence of long
service by tho absence OF several but
tons from the coat aud the Imprint
of the Presidents knees tho trou-
sers.
The old family Bible rests on the
bottom OF the case, lying open at the
registry OF marriages, births and
deaths. Near it Is the small Bible sont
by the President while o prisoner at
Fort Monroe to his son.
The prayer-book used by Mr.. Davis,
with his autograph on the lly-leat, is a
very rare and valuable one, since it
contains special prayer for the Con
fedcrate States Congress. No less u
sum than 500 has been offered for
this particular book and refused by
Mrs. Davis.
A very quaint and rather pathetic
souvenir is small silver thin BILE be-
queathed by q sister OF charity upon
her deathbed TO Jefferson Davis, Jr
1t was the sum total Of the good nuns
earthly possessions, and she left it TO
the boy she had nursed through 8
serious illness, to whom sho was de-
voted.
Side by side with tho thimble Is the
gold watch which belonged to the
Princess Charlotte, Of England, and
was presented to Miss Winnie Davis
during her visit to England. The
matchbox used by the President {.
box that he had kept at the head Of
his bed for cigars, his cigar holder,
and a dressing case which he always
carried in his valise are among the
most interesting features Of the ex-
hibit.
Perhaps the most striking relic,
however, Is the bandagc made by
Mrs. Davis to screen her husbands
eyes from the glare Of light while he
lang guished in Fort Monroe. The last
gloves worn by MIR. Davis are pressed
and carefully folded, showing now
small his hand was. His keys, upon q
key ring a matchbox Of cornclian,
presented to him by Welshmcn case
for his scissors, made by his wife his
eye glasses and q polisher, made by q
little girl for the President; Me XII
can emerald set in ring of virgin
worn by Mr.. Davis on bis collar, all
claim the attention and Te1l their own
story.
The case also contains q number OF
interesting relics OF Miss Winnie Da-
Wis, the Daughter of the Confcderacy.
Among the number are Georgia
button, q silver badge, cross and
chain, gold badge for her Bible, the
bracelets she wore in her infancy, and
part Of an Eastern head-dress by
her upon sOme occasion that Is cot
mentioned.
A piece Of the wedding dress worn
by Mrs. Hayes, together with some OF
the orange blossoms with which her
bridal veil was fastened, are also dis
played in this case, as we'll as the ring
made in Georgia and sent to Mrs.
Davis while her husband was in pri,
son.