Oxford eagle., 1904-06-02
The Soldiers Hcne.
DEAR EAGLE: I have lust

DEAR EAGLE: nave just re-
turned to my room, after sitting
alone for an hour at the end of
our pier or wharf, which extend }
four hundred feet out into the
water Immediately in front of the
mansion. This has been a lovely
May day, Notwithstanding we
have had a, stiff breeze from the
south all day. 1t is SO balmy
and exhilirating however, that
you feol no discomfort therefrom.
The waters are just little dis
turbed, and the mellow light OF
the moon at its third quarter
shines down from a clear sky,
rejecting its beams on the sl1in1-
mering waters~of the gulf, which
break in little waves and ripples
with a rythmic sound that is de-
lightfully soothing to the senses.
Not a vessel or sail is in sight
save the steam launch of our mil
lionaire neighbor a half mile be-
low us. The cleaning rays of
the light house at Biloxi four
miles away, and the glittering
beacon lights just beyond are
clearly to be seen, while the hum
dreds of electric lights in Biloxi
twinkle in the distance. Looking
west just to the right Of Gulfport,
the sun has sunk in a cloud of
glory, leaving that beautiful in
describable tinge of red or GRIM
son on the western horizon which
no artist can create on canvass.
We have comfortable plat
form erected at the end of the
pier, with cozy seats on two sides.
From this point the full water
front of the buildings and grounds
of Beauvoir are in view, with a
rich back ground of live oaks and
hickory trees. AS l sat there to-
night, | drank in the beauty of
the scene and wished in my heart
that my Oxford friends could be
present to share my pleasure.
How charming a trysting place
would it be for some of those
beautiful Oxford maidens and
spleudid Oxford lads.
| have been here more than
two weeks, and almost every day
has revealed some charm hitherto
unknown to me. | can sit in my
chair on the gallery just in front
of my room, and gaze on the sur
| face of the vast waters for hours
without WEAKNESS, and as | sniff
the breeze that is borne over the
salt waters, l feel invigorated
O! believe me, this is an ideal
spot for one who is weary Of the
turmoil and strife of this busy
bustling world, to quietly await
the great summons. have been
told by one who personally knew
Mr.. Davis, that it was the ex
pressed desire of that great man,
to spend his last moments a.
Beauvoir, that his last lingering
gaze might behold the waters ol
Mississippi Sound. But it was
ordered otherwise, .and in the
great Southern metropolis of New
Orleans, he peacefully ended his
stormy life,
There are now here, thirty two
old veterans. Thirty eight names
appear upon the register, of which
number, three have died, two
honorably discharged and one
deserted.
{ l walked back few hundred
yards on Sunday to onr Soldier
Home cemetery. There l saw the
three graves, all it yet contains,
but there will be others there 'ere
long. l do not remember their
names, as they died before l came
here. The place is neatly kept,
and the flowers that l saw on
each of the graves, was proof
that the tender hands of Southern
woman would never permit the
graves of these war-worn old
heroes to be neglected. OF the
thirty-two inmates here a very
large majority are very decrepit
and feeble. There are now five
in our hospital who require con-
slant attention, day and night.
We have employed both a day and
a night nurse. Throughout the
day and often at night, Capt. Nc
Knight and Mrs. Mcknight make
regular visits to the hospitals and
those of the inmates who like my
self are in good health assist in
caring for our more unfortunate
comrades whenever needed. We
have a regular physician DR..
Foulk of Biloxi, who visits us
regularly and who generously
gives us the benefit of his pro-
fessional services without fee or
reward.
| We have rules and regulations
which are required to be observ-
ed, but they are very mild, and
not onerous in any degree.
Mrs. Mcknight, the matron, is
a cultivated christian woman, who
is untiring in her efforts to make
our home life pleasant, and / must
do her and her husband tho c;ro.
pie justice to say that they are
succeeding in their work. There
is little or no friction in the daily
routine of our lives. The rooms
are kept as fresh and clean as in
any first class hotel. The table
is well supplied with well cooked
food. The sick are provided with
such delicacies as are needed.
Ben, our cook, is an old hotel
cook and his cooking room is as
- 4 L. L.