The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1904-04-10

Kentucky being then a part OF Vir-
ginia-for a writ of absolute divorce on |
the ground of desertion. apparently re-
Trained carefully from charging inhdeiity.
and waited the results without com
nunicatfng with his wife. The Legisla-
tlre at once ordered a judicial inquiry |
into the case. With that action the |
matter rested.
Life IN the Hermitage.
News Travelled with difficulty in those
days. Letters were few. word OF mouth !
was subject to every prejudice OF the
traveller. and the newspapers perforce
caught up every rumor in the air. 1t is
no wonder. then, that the appointment
Of the judicial commission TO consider
the Robards case had become a decree
Of divorce by the time the news reached
Nashville. At any rate. IT was so repre-
scented and so accepted. Mrs. Robards
had in the mind OF her neighbors been
released from her husband and become
free woman. And then, like the
I, stanch old gentleman he was, Andrew
jackson married her with the least de-
| lay reasonable.
! It IS easy 10 see from any record OF
Jackson's life how happy they were AL
the excitement of which Old Hickory
was the center did not disturb their
home. Outside Nashville. on the crest of
a high hill, was Jacksons bachelor
home, The Hermitage-a heavy. solid
/ structure of four rooms on one floor
and there they entertained Mrs. Jack
sons two nephews. with their children
| and the people OF the whole town. There
I also-while her husband fought duels
/ led troops against the Indians. defended
/ New Orleans. went TO the House Of Rep
| resentarives. carried a contest for the
| Presidency into the House, and was
! chosen to the Senate-his quiet peace
loving wife was sheltered IN the seclu-
sion she loved so we'll.
i She had lived always among people
who knew her and loved her" wrote one
Of Jackson's friends, and in the pro
found retirement of Southern country
/ life. Except the one episode of a cruel
/ husband, from whom she had been d.
vorced young, all her days had been
peace and honor. Into this seclusIou
and peace came the concentrated fire Of
one Of the most savage of our political
campaigns. the most venomous part be
ing aimed at Mrs. Jackson herself"
Slandered to Her Death.
- -.
campaign. Men Of dignity, whole COM
munities Of them. descended to defame
a helpless woman without even a per
functory inquiry into the facts. What
they charged was always general. No
decent pen could write" and we will
not defle our paages''-these were IA
vored phrases. Pamphlets were sent
broadcast. Everywhere it was the same
story-one word against Jackson and
twenty against his wife The only
charge expressed depended upon a sec
ond marriage ceremony which Jackson
had performed in 1894. when finally the
news filtered through TO kentucky that
the Virginia Legislature had not granted
a divorce, but merely created a commit
tee TO inquire into the case.
Mrs. Jackson quaned before this
storm like the delicate creature she
was. In month she was i'll, in two
months desperately weak, and in a lit
tie time afterward dead. She was glad
to die, she said; the general would miss
her, but II she had lived she might be
in the way OF his new life and "she
could not share it after those cruel
things said against her.
This was the sorrow which Jackson
carried with him into the White House
It was this which had written Itself IN
deep lines over his face; and 1t was
this which made him the ardent cham
pion Of poor Peggy O'Neal when the
aristocrats Of the Capital raised the bars
| against her because she, likewise, had
married the man of her heart as soon
as she was freed from a husband chosen
unwisely and endured patiently.
Not many men of today will blame the
old general for his answer on his death
bed. when the clergyman Of his wife
church asked him II he was ready Il
? die Yes" answered Old Hickory, u
! am ready. I am ready and / ask for
gfveness, as I forgive all-all except