The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-06-03

ISAcHhnBe nOJel, penneQ ms anxious and faithful wife waiting at Beauvoir, these touching, prophetic words
 T was inaugurated on Monday; the audience was large and brilliant. Upon my weary heart was showered smiles. plaudits and flowers, but beyond them l saw trouble and thorns nnumerable. yet I do not despond, and will not shrink from the task imposed upon me. ] thought it would have gratified you to have witnessed it. and have been memory to our children. Thus, constantly wish to have you all with me. As soon as an hour is my own shall look for house and write you more fully"
 Wife and Home
 r Home--yes, and Jefferson Davis, the hero of the hour, the tried soldier and statesman, the great President of a new republic, was still the husband and father thinking and longing for home, some haven of refuge from the weary, cruel and torturing hour which all wars must ever bring. It was on March 4, 1861, a steamboat came proudly blowing her way around the beautiful curves and bends of our historic river. Majestically she steamed through the ripples of the Alabama. sending out the mellow notes of her great whistles, while all the air was quivering with the melodious and mar tial music of the calliope, and quick ening the heart of a waiting President, whose prophetic soul was yearning for the presence of his loved ones and some sacred shrine where they could gather around the peaceful threshold of home. The old landing at Montgom- arI bac a Srla a6dar ing than the coming of Varina Howell Davis to cheer and comfort and smooth the pathway of him whose far sighted vision had already told her would be a thorny path and not one of flowers.
 Memorable Monday
 It had indeed been a memorable Monday, for on this day, too, the beau tiful first flag of the Confederacy, de- signed by Nicola Marschall on sugges- tions of Mrs. Napoleon Lockett, had been flung to the breezes by Miss Le- titia Tyler, granddaughter of ex-Pres- ident Tyler, and was brightly flashing it's message of freedom, while 10000 hailed it gladly, and 10000 wildly, madly swore 1t should forever wave"
 The Home selected
 The house chosen for the Presidents mansion, was, quoting Mrs Davis:
 
 enough for our purposes. There were many charming people there, and if we should have judged from hampers Of blossoms poured out before us, it was a flowery kingdom" At the time of becoming the White House 1t was known as the handsome" residence of Col Edmund Harrison on Lee and Bibb streets, but short distance from the government house the Madison
 Mn,- at near Dexter avenue.
 White House Scenes
 It is said that every home has it's romance. What a tale this home, now the first. White House of the Confed- e1acy could tell of those bygone days. In imagination we see them all again that marvellous, illustrious line, Davis, Stephens, Yancey, Toombs Pryor' Chestnut and hosts of others. We see again the stately dinings, brilliant re- captions "held after the Washington custom" with the most brilliant, most gallant and most honored of the south" We see United States Senator Wigfall of Texas on memorable nlgnt speaking at the gates of the White House when spending the night With President Davis, and are not surprlseu that wild was the rejoicing of the southern capital that day. We see' too, the would-be assassin who nao several times before been seen around the home. heavily armed, peering into the Presidents room; see him accosted by the President, jump the fence and run into the darkness. We see again the stately form of our President, al ways up early working at home untll breakfast. then to a long and wear ing day at the government bulldlns' and "oftens long after midnight the red glow from his office lamp shlning over the mock hedge in 1roht of the White House told Of the unre- hitting strain" Is it any wonder thar for 24 years the women of Alabama have struggled to preserve for their state and the south so halloyed shrine?
 God Smiles on Us
 Tn Tarrytown, near the immortal Sleepy hollow, is preserved little old church---a curiosity, and the oldest church edifice existing In the state or New York. In it's ancient little tower hangs the ancient bell, bearing an in scription in Latin. If God be TOT us' who can be against us--16Sb.'
 The great heart of the White House women goes out to this little tower with it's ancient bell and motto-for at last throughout the weary years when so much has been against us at last. we too. can sound that same note or thanksgiving, If God be for us, who can be against us?"
 Association Organized
 The long struggle for the preserva- tion of the first White House of the Confederacy is indeed a story of com polling interest, but only the high lights of it's history can be comprised in this short sketch.
 When the Alabama division, United Daughters of the Confederacy, was or ganized in Montgomery in 1S97 the preservation of the first White House of the Confederacy, also known as the Jefferson Davis home, became the ac- cepted work of the division. several years later, opposition towards the pre- servation of the old home developed among the United Daughters of the Confectionery and many efforts were made to abolish it as work of the di- vision. Becoming weary of the strug- gle to keep up this work in the United Daughters of the Confederacy, the friends of the movement gave up the effort. and formed the first White House association of Alabama that they might continue and complete the work. The association was formed in Montgomery, Ala, in the home of Mir and Mrs. Clifford Lanier, Sr.. 203 South Perry street, now the home of Mir. and Mrs. John Tilley
 The official Staff
 The first officers were:
 Mrs Jefferson Davis, queen regent; Mrs J. D. Beale. regent; Mrs. Virginia II r.