The free press. (Poplarville, Miss.) 1890-19??, 1900-05-10
Writes of Sam Davis, a Hero of
the Civil War.
THE HIGHEST TYPE OF LOYALTY.
Saved the Life of a Federal Ohcer-
Interesting Talk For the
BOYS.

Such a Thing as Disinterasted Benevo-
lence?" The affirmative side generally
gained the victory, and ought to,
though it must be admitted that
selfshness is at the bottom of many
acts of charity and pretended friend
ship. Indeed, disinterested benevo-
lence is so rare that when a we'll au-
thenticated case occurs 1t IS talked
about and gets into the newspapers.
In the olden times it became a matter
of history and has come down to us
like the parable of the good Samaritan
and the story of Damon and Pythias.
Indeed, if our lamented soldier boy,
Sam Davis, who died rather than be-
tray friend, had lived in Roman
times he, too, would have come down
to us as a sainted hero. There are
knights of Damon and Knights OF
Pythas and there ought to be knights
of Sam Davis. Parental love, fra
ternal love, conjugal love are not to be
counted in these historic incidents.
Such love is to be expected from those
relations.
That goodness of heart which
prompts man TO befriend those who
are no kin to him, and from whom he
expects no reward, is disinterested
benevolence. Samuel Davis was the
highest type of loyalty to friendship
that history makes any record OF.
Pvthias was condemned by Dionysius
to suffer death for crime Of which
he was guilty. He begged for a short
respite to go home and arrange his
family affairs, and Damon took his
place in prison, and agreed to die for
him if he failed to return. But he
did return, and Dionysius was so i'm
pressed with admiration for their love
for each other that he pardoned Pyth-
las, and became the friend OF both.
But Samuel Davis had no friend to
take his place, nor was the Federal
officer who condemned him as merciful
as Dionysius. He died to save the
life of Federal officer who might have
saved him, but did not That soldier
kept his own secret and keeps it yet if
he is alive. What an opportunity he
had to save his friend ard immortalize
himself. No doubt he, too, would
have been pardoned, as Pythias was.
Mr.. Lincoln would have pardoned
Sam Davis if he had known Of it.
[ wish that every boy in the south
land knew of the sad and glorious
death of this Pulaski hero. Tennessee
has state history, I know, but | do
not know neither the story is IN 1t or
not. If it is not it should be recorded
there in the next edition. My good
friend, Sumner Cunningham, has done
all he could to make it historical in
The Veteran and to have noble
monument erected to his memory. 1t
is a comfort to know that many Fed
eral soldiers and many big hearted
people from the north have contributed
largely to it.
Goldsmith's Hermit in his sore dis
appointment asks:
"And what is friendship but name
A charm that lulls to sleep?'
But when his Angelina found him
he sang different song. True friend
ship is like the love of God. 1t is an
emauation from divinity. Kindness
of heart, whether to man or beast,
brings its own reward. The pretty
story of Androclus and the lion has
come down to us through nineteen
centuries Much ado is being made
over abstruse theological questions,
but the fourth chapter of the first
espistle of John is creed enough for
all mankind. Selfshness is so much
the sin of the world that it has come
to be proverb, every man for him.
self and the devil take the hindmost. "
ooh, Lord, bless me and my wife,
my son John and his wife, us four and
no more" is the common prayer. The
ostentatious charities of the millionaires
are nothing in the sight of God-noth-
ing compared with the widows mite.
Their accommodations came in drops
from the sweat of theNpeople, and for
every gallon they get they pour back
half a gill in the jug and are sat
isfed. The rest they keep for the
succession and the succession goes to
law to escape the inheritance tax. Ny
son John aud his wife want it all.
No, there are thousands of acts OF
disinterested kindness, but they are
generally among the humble, common
people. Claws grind the poor, and
rich men rule the law" wrote Gold
smith $50 years ago, and it is the same
way yet, but still the common people
are able to live in this blessed country
and to help one another in distress.
Wherever we go we witness "little
deeds of kindness-little acts-of love. "
While travelling in Florida not long
ago an old lady was carefully helped
onto the train by the conductor. She
was timid and feeble. and said she
wanted to go to see her daughter at
Wildwood, who was very sick. "You
won't carry me by, will you?" she ask
ed in pleading tone. "No, ma'am, l
will not" he said. 81 will surely stop
the train and help you off. Don't be
-