Belles, beaux and brains of the 60's . that poor in-vention of malicious mendacity that makes the simple captureof a great fugitive a farce incredible. I truly believe that no man who is competent to compre-hend the character of the Confederate chief, judged solelyby its visible results, credits that silly figment of imagination. BELLES, BEAUX AND BBAINS OF THE SIXTIES 75 No man who knows aught of human nature could believeJefferson Davis capable of attempting denial of a fact, by asubsequent masquerade. Yet the portrait of him, in theclothes in which he was cap-tured, is a certified andproved
Belles, beaux and brains of the 60's . that poor in-vention of malicious mendacity that makes the simple captureof a great fugitive a farce incredible. I truly believe that no man who is competent to compre-hend the character of the Confederate chief, judged solelyby its visible results, credits that silly figment of imagination. BELLES, BEAUX AND BBAINS OF THE SIXTIES 75 No man who knows aught of human nature could believeJefferson Davis capable of attempting denial of a fact, by asubsequent masquerade. Yet the portrait of him, in theclothes in which he was cap-tured, is a certified andproved reproduction in everydetail. That, without speech,confounds the patient andpersistent liars. The South resented thetreatment of her most rep-resentative man just afterthe war, but it is doubtfulwhether much tendernessmingled with her wrath. Gradually respect for thedead chiefs great traitspasses into mellowed feeling,and the sentiment of the vastmajority of Southerners isdoubtless voiced by an un-known poets suggestion forhis statue:. JEFFERSON DAVIS IN SUIT HE WOKE ATTHE TIME OF CAPTURE Write on its base: We loved him! All these years, Since that torn flag was folded, weve been true;The love that bound us now revealed in tears,Like webs, unseen till heavy with the dew. It is so singular a fact that almost universal ignoranceexists as to the lineage of the Confederate president. I havenever been able to find an accurate published statement ofeither; and have at great pains, been able to present thisbrief summary: Jefferson Davis, youngest of the ten children of Samuel 76 BELLES, BEAUX AND BRAINS OF TEE SIXTIES Davis and Jane Cook, was born in Christian county, Ky., onJune 3rd, 1808. His ancestors were colonial and revolu-tionary; of sterling Welsh stock and good people in thecolony, though nowise of the gentry, or notable in its pre-revolutionary events. Their famous descendant had a con-tempt for genealogy; even his wifes biography of him givingbut most meagre mention. In ear
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