The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1911-03-28
NEW JUR|ST
BOTH POET
AND JUDGE
Author Of Brown Jug Songs
and Some Of His Poems
Smack Of Riley
snecial to Daily Leader.

Special to Daily Leader.
EiTita. Okla, Mar 2T.-Had the
muse alone been the Qual'flcation nee
essary 10 make Preston Seamands
Davis Judge OF the court of the 23rd
Judicial district Of Oklahoma hi~ APP
pointmenl at the hands OF Governor
Cruce would have been fOregOne and
uncontested But Davis has exhib-
ited 10 his fellow citizens, that poetry
Is a plaything and not a business
with him. that ne law is his pr0fes-
sion and thai in the law he has ae-
qu.red the dualiticatio. necessary
to judicial position. Hence when
he asked the governor for the APP
nointment three weeks ago nearly
every other lawyer in the district
came to bis support. and he was ap-
pointed. The district comprises the
counties Of Craig, Ottawa and Mayes
COZ ties. It was created recently
by the legislature. along with four
others In the state. No other law
yer was d candidate for the appoint
ment and the ink was not dry on the
new law until Davis had every law
yer 0f influence in the district work
ing in his behalf He was in OKLA
homa City when the bill was signed
and returned next day bearing his
commission in his pocket.
Davis came TO the Indian country
from Kentucky 16 years ago He is
a southern man OF the old school,
possessing TO a marked degree a
combination Of aristocracy, hospital
ity and a love of the blue sky and
green trees and trickhng streams
that have made poets and nature
lovers Of so many OF the Soushs
greatest men. he was born in B0ur-
bon county Kentucky in 1870, and
was educated at the University Of
Kentucky and Lexington On com
ing west ne first located at Benton
Vile, Ark, where he studied law and
was admitted to the bar. He moved
TO Vinita In 1895 and in a few years
in the front rank OF lawyers OF the
Cherokee radon.
He entered politics shortly after
coming 10 the territory and in 1896
was elected secretary OF the Vinita
Democratic club, one Of the first po-
litical organizations formed in that
town. In July OF that year he was
unanimously elected secretary OF the
territorial Democratic convention in
Yinita He was later drafted by the
Democratic national committee and
made speeches for Bryan and free sill
yer iii Missouri, Kansas and Arkan-
sas That year Davis proved him
self orc Of the most effective speak
ers OF e campaign. He became
known as the silYer-tongued orator
of the Cherokee nation. In 1900 he
was elected a delegate at large from
the Indian Territory to the Demo
cratic national convention.
Poetry is His Soul.
Judge Davis writes petry both be-
cause IL is always in his soul and
because it's good time filler when
he has nothing else more important
TO DO There have not been a great
many time-filling periods but each
has counted for something worth
while One OF the results was the
publication last year OF a little vol
ume entitled Brown jug Songs 1t
is largely compilation OF jingles,
limericks and toasts, but mucI live
spirit and ginger is injected into IL
by the Insertion of the authors orig
Inal poems, some of which ire little
classics Of their kind aud a.. of which
are brimful Of humor or human in
terest. Some OF his unpublished
poems appeal to the higher things OF
life aud others have hing OF some OF
Rileys best productions. What The
Angel Brought" touches a deeper
chord than usual:
Last night a beautiful angel
Came on the warm wings OF love,
Down from the regions of Somewhere
Up in the heavens above.
Bringing a queer little bundle
Here to MY darling and me-
Tiniest tot OF BABY
A daughter, precious and wee
With hair as soft as the summer,
With checks as red as rose,
With eyes as blue as the ocean.
With ten small fingers and toes.
And vile, do you hear Ael breathing
A music sweeter than bees
When they drink from the honeyed
blossoms,
IN the shadow OF the trees?
And why does your heart beat faster
And the tears start to your eyes?
Wife, are YOU weeping SO early
For fear that our darling dies?