The Palatka news and advertiser. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1908-19??, 1917-06-29
South of the Line

"The Grove" the home of his sister
Mrs. Luther Smith, in the malaria
region that borders upon Bayou Sara
La. Straightway the unacclimatet
Sarah Knox fell i'll of the fever Of
the country. Davis nursed her ten
derby, not leaving her bedside till he
too, succumbed. They were carec
for inseparate rooms, James Pember.
ton nursing his master with the same
faithfulness with which he had at.
tended him in the Yellow River lum.
Der camp. Davis was now too crit.
cally i'll to be told of the serious con.
dition of his beloved wife, who was
sick beyond hope of recovery-and
delirious. Scarcely more lucid was
his own mind on the evening of the
fifth of September when returning to
consciousness.
From an ultimate dim thule
From a wild, weird cline that lieth,
sublime,
Out of space, and out of time"
he realized that he was alone. There
was no one near to forbid him to
arise and go to Sarah whose voice he
could hear, singing loud and clear,
FAIRY Bells"
He struggled to his feet, tottered
to her room, reached her bedside, to
find her sitting upright, propped
against the pillows. When he clasp
ed her in his arms she paused in her
song to say with radiant smile:
"You have come, at last, my own
l knew the bells would call you"
Eyes, dearest replied the lover
husband, in an excess of wild emotion.
"And l will never leave you again.
They took me away a wounded pris-
oner of war. But | broke the bars
and .ame when heard you call"
Look" she interrupted. There
she is in the doorway again with her
baby in her arms. What does it
matter, cabin or a palace"
He soothed her with endearing
words, he fondly stroked the bright
brown hair.
Presently, the fairy bride of one fu-
ture President and the unforgiven
daughter of another with all youths
bright illusions undispelled, fell hap
PLY asleep, like a tired child, in her
husbands embrace, fell asleep, to
wake no more
"Lord God of love and pity" he
cried. "She's dying. Help! Help!
Help" he called aloud till exhausted
with anguish. Sinking to the floor
he was caught in James Pemberton's
arms.
For a month his life was despaired
of. In an agony of grief, he re-
fused to live. 81 just want to rest
by her side" he moaned. In the
arms, as it were, of the faithful slave
the emaciated form was carried to
the plantation home of Joseph, the
elder of the Davis brothers, at "The
Hurricane" adjoining "Briarfeld,"
about twenty miles below Natchez.
Fraternal care succeeded in reviving
the invalid sufficiently to stand the
voyage to the tropical islands of the
West Indies that was found neces-
s&ry to his complete restoration to
health.
The years that interviewed before
Jefferson Davis again took up the
broken thread of his life, rejoined the .
army and became famous in the bat
ties of Monterey and Buena Vista
(where the day was saved by his
gallantry and the presidency of the
United States assured to his general,
Zachary Taylor), were solaced by the
companionship of his learned brother,
Joseph. For mental diversion, the
brothers studied political economy,
reading together the works of Locke,
Mill, Adam Smith, Justnian and Vat
tel, and discussing every clause of
"The Federalist," "The Resolutions
Of '98" and the debates of the Con-
stitutional Convention" familiar, as
they were, with the text of each, YER
batim
For serious occupation, they oper-
ated the two estates jointly, with
James Pembcrton as manager
The hardly noticeable line in his
DRY which says that Jefferson Da-
us slaves were devoted to him." is !
by knowledge of the
act that the negroes on The Joint
'lantc ton were treated in accordance
With the theory that best governed
'eople arc least severely ruled. The !
hands" were trusted, on honor, to !
ONE and go at discretion. Espion- !
&c was not practiced. Punishments n
we're administered only after trial of 5
he offenders by a jury of negroes. D
he lash was not allowed except for i
agrGnt moral derelictions. The :
masters only reserved to themselves
he pardoning power.
Opportunity was given each slave
} benefit by his own labor through
nc payment of a small sum for his
me, when he was free to pursue for
is own profit any trade or avoca-
on he might choose. Some became
Iccessful mechanics, one annually
ought the entire fruit crop of the
lace, and one, in later years, bought
lie land itself, paying for the planta-
on the large sum of 100000.
This story does not deal with the
rilliant political career of Davis, the
nited States Congressman, Sena- 7
" and Cabinet officer. It does not r
we'll upon his downfall with the col Il
use of the Confederacy, his capture II
I'd harsh Imprisonment, the false II
larges, the effort to bride witnesses H
rainst him, the indivious animosity II
at singled him out, alone, from all II