The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-03-08
FAMOUS LOVES OF FAMOUS
n, ROBERT STEPHENS.

OWE. the poet says, IL blind. The
poets are high authority on the
L. subject. II they needed proof
to support their statement. what
more impressive instance would they
nave To furnish than that Of Andrew
Jackson?
For twenty-four years Andrew Jack.
son never went without his pistols
ready to kill those Of his enemies who
made capital out Of the irregularity Of
his marriage to Rachel Donelson. OF
All the duels he fought and all the
street brawis in which he engaged
after his marriage only two were due
i, causes other than criticism Of him
in connection with his union with his
wife. lie killed Dickinson. lie longed
TO xiii clay. He tried to kill Benton.
II was one Of the griefs Of his life that
h, could not kill Calhoun.
IL could forgive anything but a re-
iaection upon the woman he loved. To
him she was "a goddess. He never saw
her except with the eyes Of his youth
when she was sprightly. gay and
charming. II mattered not to him that
soon she became fat and ungainiy:
that she waddled and was almost
rrotcsuuc: that from fun loving girl
she became painfully pious and bored
every one but her husband with her re-
!! lIeious cXhortations.
To him she was a queen among
women. He might he in the company
II the most beautiful and talented
women If the land. but II Aunt Rachel"
entered the room he had eyes for no
other Of her sex. lie was her knight.
her slave. her devoted lover.
And Rachel Donelson--what was she?
child Of the frontier. She never really
mastered photography or grammar,
although she read much and wrote
much. Her heart may I've said to have
been as big as her body. Having no
children Of her own she mothered all
the people who came about her.
She never did an unkind act and
never tired of deeds Of kindness. She
had rare business head. She ma mage
the great plantation-the Hermitage
better than did her husband. When the
!. General was absent his affairs pros
pered When he assumed control things
did not 20 so well.
She had for IA husband a man Of furi-
Gus temper. one who drank freely, gam
blei and swore like a trooper. He never
uttered an unkind word in her presence
4 and never was lacking In courtesy or
Devotion.
Through his great love for her he
took under his wing all the members of
the many branches OF her family. To
he related to her was sufficient claim for
anything. Her nephew he adopted as
his son. Her cousins and their children
shared his purse and his possessions.
Andrew jackson loved two women
his mother and his wife. az the two
women the mother was the greater
character. She influenced jackson
throughout his life. although she died
before he was IA years old. Rude, strong.
great man that he was. he could not
| speak about her even In his old age
without tears coming into his eyes. And
. few women were more deserving Of the
tears uf respect of son than was the
mother Of Jackson.
Il WAS when he was 81 that Jacksons
love romance began. He had travelled
from North Carolina over the noun
aims TO a settlement in what is now
middle Tennessee and the site OF the
lily Of Nashville. An the outskirts Of
the settlement dwelt a Mrs. Donelson.
widow "f Col. J. w. Donelson, "A pioneer
II Tennessee. With her were various
II her children. including Rachel the
wife OF Lewis Richards.
The Donelsons were well to do. but
their home was So exposed tn Indian at
tack that 1t was thought wise To take
men hoardcrs as a matter Of protection.
andrew Jackson and one Of his COM
-"nions. John Overton, took one Of Mrs.
n"nelsun's small log cabins as their
s'",ping quarters and law office.