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Alfred Wilkinson
- University of Georgia Press
- Chapter
- Additional Information
AlfredWilkinson october17,1906 IhavejustreadofthedeathofMrs.JeffersonDavis.Spottingthe prominentlyfeaturedobituaryprovidedamomentofelation,as thoughIhadwonalong-wagedcompetition—buttherewasno competition,andnowinner. ThelasttimeIsawMrs.DaviswasatWinnie’sfuneralinRichmond ,Virginia,andthenfromaconsiderabledistance.Hoping tobeinconspicuous,Ihadsatonabackpewduringtheservice in St. Paul’s Church and stood well apart from the graveside gathering.IwouldhavelikedtospeaktoWinnie’ssister,Mrs. AddisonHayes,whomWinniehadreferredtooftenandlovingly asMaggie,butthatladystayedclosetohermother,thepersonI wishedmosttoavoid.Overthenextdays,Idebatedwithmyself aboutwritinganoteofcondolencetoMrs.Hayesandfinallydecided notto;sinceIhadnotreallyknownher,andconsidering thewaymyrelationshipwiththefamilyended,thecommunication mightseemtoherinappropriate.Itoccurredtomelaterthat, hadIapproachedMaggieHayesorobservedheratcloserrange thatday,Ilikelywouldhavenotedmannerismsthatremindedme ofWinnie.Inphotographs,theydidnotresembleeachother; alfredwilkinson 177 theolderdaughterseemedtometofavortheirmother,andWinnie theirfather.WhenIreceivedanengravedacknowledgment forthefloralwreathIhadsent,Ithoughtperhapstheenvelope hadbeenaddressedbyWinnie’ssister,asthehandwritingdidnot appeartobethatoftheirmother.AlthoughIhavelongsince destroyedMrs.Davis’sletters—whichtowardtheendofourassociation becamequiteinfuriating,eveninsulting—Iwouldstill recognizethatbold,arrogantscript. ThoseIrecognizedinthelargegatheringeitherpretended nottoseemeornoddedinmydirectionandquicklyaverted theirattention,exceptforKatePulitzer,who,afterthecrowd begantodisperse,camestraighttomeandpressedhercheek tomine.“DearestFred,”shemurmured.“Iamsureourdarling girlknowsyouarehere.”Ididnotadmititthen,butIconcurred withthatconjecture;atoneparticularmomentduringtheburial service,IhadsuchastrongsenseofWinnie’spresenceIwanted tosearchforher. KatehadsentthemessageinformingmeofWinnie’sdeath beforeitbecamegeneralknowledge.Readinghergentlyworded revelation,Ihadexperiencedasenseofrelease,whichdidnot last,ofcourse.IwillneverbecutloosefromWinnie.Butoverthe years,Ihavemanagedtoriseabovemyhatredforthecontentious personwhodrovethewedgebetweenus. Asishercustom,Marion,theeldestofmythreesisterswholive withme,aroseearlyandperusedthemorningpaperbeforeputting itneatlyrefoldedatmyplace.ShewaiteduntilIhadserved myselffromthesideboardbeforeasking,“Doyouplantoattend thisfuneraltoo?” Iknewwhatshemeantbythat“too.” [44.213.99.37] Project MUSE (2024-03-19 06:38 GMT) 178 devotion “No,”Ireplied. JosephineandCatherine,havingalreadymurmured“Good morning, Brother,” in tandem according to their birth rank, gazedattheircongealingporridge,waitingformetosaygrace overit. “Good.”Marionwouldhavesaidmore,hadInotsilencedher withaglanceandproceededwiththeblessing. IhavebeenbacktoHollywoodCemeteryonlyoncesinceWinnie ’srites,andthatwastoseehermonument,whichhadbeen erectedbyanorganizationofSouthernwomenwhocallthemselves theDaughtersoftheConfederacy.Presumably,theyappropriated thetitlefromthesingularversion,whichwasconferred onWinniewhenshefirstbegantravelingwithherfather tothoseLostCausecircuses.Thuslaureled,shebecamefamous notonlyintheformerlyConfederatestatesbutthroughoutthe countryandabroad.Mymothersaid,whenIreturnedfromMississippi andinformedherthattheengagementhadbeenbroken, “Perhapsit’sforthebest.Youwouldnothavelikedlivinginthat garishsortoflimelight.Itbordersonthenotoriousforayoung ladytobereferredtofamiliarlybyherfirstname—andanickname ,atthat—bymassesofpeopleshedoesn’tknowpersonally. HowcouldMrs.Davishaveallowedherdaughtertoassumesuch apublicrole?”Afteramoment’sfurtherreflection,she...