Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-01-28
TELLS OF JEFF DAVIS.
Stuart Robson's "reminiscences Of
Noted Southerners.
shington Post,

Stuart Robsons personal representa-
tive. William Raymond Sells, has
received tie following letter from
Mr.. Robson, which is not without
interest from an historical point of view.
The letter, which the Post Prints YER
batim. is dated Montgomery. Ala, Dec.
%, and is as follows:
My Dear Sill: In various papers in
the south I have seen 1t printed that l
have described Jefferson Davis as
small man. with magnificent head and
shoulders and trunk, but with very
short legs That is not correct. and the
reporter who first interviewed me evil
IDENTIFY COMPOUNDED in his story. 80 wide
ly quoted my description of Stephen A.
Douglas for that of Jefferson Davis. Mr..
Douglas was a man of splendid pres
enoe when seated. His head was large
and we'll formed. and his shoulders
seemed to denote great strength. / re-
call vividly my amaZement when l saw
him arise from his seat to reply to
speech of John c. Calhoun. The man |
had fanced a giant was but pigmy
physically, with little. short legs that
seemed to wobble as he walked Jeffer-
son Davis was quite the opposite. He
was tall, lean. almost cadayerous. He
wore blue goggles and was serious in
demeanor at all times. while Douglas
was one of those affectionate men who
liked to put his arm on your shoulder
Cf he could reach that high) and talk
about anything save pending legislation
Yet we pages swore by JEFF Davis (ev-
eryone called him 'JeffD.
II notice. too, that several papers
have spoken of me as a page in the SEN
ate with Mr.. German. That is not corr
rect. Mr.. German was in the senate,
but I was in the house. Altho Mr.. Cor
man was a playmate of mine in Balti-
more. I have not so vivid recollection
of him as I have of some of the other
boys I remember him as quiet, re-
served sort of chap. I remember, too,
he took up collection among the boys
for an old apple woman who had a stand
In the lower rotunda of the capitol She
had broken her leg or something. Len
Gray. a fellow page, wouldn't give any
thing. German had words with him,
and then German walloped him well.
Twenty years thereafter I visited the
Maryland penitentiary, and there I saw
Gray serving out life sentence for
murder. and German was then United
States senator from the state of Mary
land.
1T was Robert Toombs, of Georgia.
who gave me my pageship. tho Clay and
Jefferson Davis helped him not a little.
remember writing to Mr.. Davis and
thanking him for his efforts in my be-
half. and still preserve as rich lega-
ey his reply:
My Dear Boy: Toombs did it, but I
am glad you appreciate supposed ia
vor Be a good boy. Ingratitude is
vice which the vilest is incapable of at
tributing to himself.
JEFFERSON DAVIS
After the war I met Mr.. Davis in
New Orleans. He said he had seen me
many times on the stage. but had never
dreamed I was the boy he had made,
thru his influence and that of Toombs
and Clay, page in congress. The Sui
Ivan Ryan fight was on the tapis at
that time. asked Mr.. Davis If he pro-
posed attending. Mr.. Davis nudged his
companion in the ribs and said:
Are we going general?'
They both laughed and walked away
a few minutes later.
Who was that man with Mr.. Da-
vis7' asked of the clerk of the st.
Charles.
He looked at me In disgust and then
replied:
Why, Beauregard you idiot
STUART ROBSON"