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THE LATE J. WOOD DAVIDSON. A Tribute to This Scholar and His torian From the Pen of Col. Thomas, Written in 1897. The late James Wood Davidson. who recently died in Florida, was a South Carolinian whose ability and scholarly achievements entitle him to the gratitude of the people of the south and of South Carolina, whose records in history and literature he did so much to preserve. In 1897 Col. John P. Thomas contributed to the State an appreciation of the work of Mr. Davidson which is as applicable now as it was then. Col. Thomas' tribute was as follows: To the Editor of the State: The class roll of graduates of tvhc South Carolina college for the year 1852 contains 47 names, many of whom, such as the Rev. Nicholas W. Edmunds. Dr. Peter E. Griffin. Harry Hammond, Esq.. ex-Judge Joshua Hezekiah Hudson, Ellison S. Keitt, Esq., ex-Judge Samuel Warren Mel ton, ex-Judge William H. Thomas, Joseph Newton Whitner, Esq., LeRoy F. Youmans, Esq., have been promi nent in South Carolina. But there is one name on this class roll as deserv ing as any other, one who has illustra ted his native state in letters and has served her faithfully in war as well as in peace-one whose fidelity to South Carolina and whose life and services and character make him at once as guard and an ornament of the com monwealth. I refer to James Wood Davidson, A. M., now residing at Washington. Miss Louise Manly, in her fair yet incomplete work on "Southern Literature, from 1578-1895," thus speaks of the writer: "James Wood Davidson was born in Newberry county, South Carolina, and educated at the South Carolina col lege, Columbia. He taught at Winns boro and at Columbia until the open ing of the war, when he enlisted as a volunteer in the Army of Nort+hern Virginia, and served throughout the great struggle. After the war he taught again in Columbia till 1871. Then he removed to Washington and in 1873 to New York, where he en gaged in literary and journalistic work. He has also lived in Florida and represented Dade county in the legislature. He is now living in Washington city." She adds: Works-"Living Writers of the South." "The Correspondent," "Poetry of the Future," "School His tory of South Carolina," "Florida of Today," "Bell of Doom" (a poem), "Helen of Troy," a romance of an cient Greece (unfinished). Miss Manly concludes that Mr. Davidson's "labors in behalf of south ern letters entitle him to high regard." The object of this article is to sihow that this and much more of praise may be accorded with truth to Mr. Davidson, the peer of any other son of the south in literature. The list of books with which t'his writer is credited gives but an inade quate idea of the pen work that he has done and the literary service in general rendered by him in the field of journalism. Much of this service, however pa triotic and honorable and self-sacri ficing, finds no record in tihe printed volume and little appreciation in his native state. But the writer of this paper is one of the few who know how bravely and ardently and ably Davidson fought with his Junian pen the organized robbers and the banded -thieves who dominated a "prostrate state" in the dismal days of Recon struction, and how loyally he has since maintained the nan'e and the fame of his state and of the south since he left his home to seek his fortunes in the north and at the country's capital, meanwhile making a name for him self in the department of general let ters. Devoted to South Carolina, nis great heart has yearned to bring its owner back to the state and its educa tional service. Nor have efforts, from time to time, been wanting to induce the authorities of his alma mater to take him into her service. But there has been no appreciation of David son's worth and rare attainments, and so, smaller men have filled the places that the gifted graduate and the in tense Carolinian would have adorned to the great advantage of the youth of South Carolina. Thus it has conme to pass that the exlec imm the soil he loves is laboring elsewhere to make his bread, while en gaged, as he is now, on his magnum opus-"Dictionary of Southern Au thors"-after the manner of Allibone's -with which he prays that he may be able to close hi- :fe work. It appears that as far back as 1868, when writing the book so well and so favorably known as "The Living Writers of the South," that Davidson discovered and actually realized the fact that the south had done about Io times as much in the field of litera ture as the northern compilers had given her credit for. He saw further that her own scholars really knew little about it. As a consequence, there came to his mind the absolute need, by the south and north, of a dictionary of southern authors. With a resolve, born of southern pride and abounding southern loyalty, he pro posed to his patriotic and public-spir ited ego to try and supply that need. There came to him a great labor of love to ennoble his career in letters with a crowning grace. So he prompt ly set about gathering materials for the dictionary-a work in which, with limited resources of money, he was to play the part of laborer and builder as well as architect and financier, too. And this the brave worker has for 29 years been doing, with unabated zeal and unflagging energies, working meanwhile, now in Washington, now in New York, now in Florida and back again in 'Washington, and neglecting in those years not a few profitable pursuits in order to keep up his work so important as he deemed it for the vindication of his section of our great country. Though far from completion this work, as I learn, is well under way with an increasing index of over 4,000 aut'hor-names. The author, while holding a modest government office in Washington, is now still pursuing his life-hope-trusting that God in his providence may give him the time and the means to close and crown his tribute to the lettered glory of the south. This under favoring circum stances the devoted author hopes to effect in about two years. Davidson is noble and brave and proud-the soul of honor and of knightly thought. This is well. "Thy spirit,Indepen dence, let me share," is a high senti ment. Yet having. this and feeling thus, what a generous man, with a heart attuned to southern letters and to southern melodies, will not hope that some Maecinas, of Horation type, may hold up a hand like David-' son's to make it strong for those vic tories of tihe pen which are nobler than those of the sword? May we ere long see Davidson's "Dictionary of Southern Authors" take its honored place among the printed volumes of the south, to re flect its light upon all the republic of letters! The author-our "friend and the south's" as he is wont to call him self-has done his duty, come what may of his rich volume proposed whether it carry or miscarry. His phi losophy he finds in one line of Words worth: "Do your duty, and leave the rest to heaven." The laurel is Davidson's now. Let it not be deferred to the day when it shall be entwined with cypress leaves. Honest praise strengthens the liv ing and sweetens the human existence. Let it not be withheld when the op, p6rtunity comes, and truth approves and friendship finds the time for its offices. How grateful it would be to a South Carolinian of the James Wood Davidson type to spend the evening of his busy days in the state he loves so well. Some there are, self-exiled sons of a needy, impoverished mother, who know what it is to long for a return to this South Carolina. But they know also what it is to be disinherited and virtually disowned. If the state would emulate the ideals even of pagan Rome, there would be a sentiment to call to her service her best in statesmanship and in scholar ship and in tone. Is it so now? Let the public conscienc~e answer. Surely it is not always so. If ripe scholarship, and high char acter, and deepest loyalty to the best sentiment of -:he south and the union; if rare attainments in the higher reaches of literature. are wanted in educational es:ablishments in South Carolina. these compose the dowry of Davidson. the architect of his own ionunes; and the state would be wvise Ito cail him back to get at his hands tVhe benefit of his knowledge and hij wisdom. But will she do it? "We shall see what we shall see." But whatever the future shall bring forth or hold in re serve for any faithful soul, we know that the poet of Rydal Mount is right, when he suggests, in 'his kingly way, that the divine philosophy is: to do one's duty and leave the rest to heaven. This Davidson does-I verily be lieve. But this, above all, may his friends hope of this struggling man of letters pursuing the rugged path, trod by so many of tihe choice and master spirits of every age whom fortune dowers not with the merchandise of gold and silver: That he complete his "Dic tionary of Southern Authors" to add renown to th' south in the field of literature and to augment her pres tige in the eyes of the world. I know of no one else in the south better equipped for this enterprise in the domain of letters. There is on Davidson the unbroken seal of one "Solemnly elected, With gifts and graces eminently adorned, To some great work." J. P. T. July 25, 1897. A man is more modest than t!he av erage woman, but she acts more -so. It's impossible to beat an ignorant man in an argument. Southern Railway Excursions. The Southern railway will sell round trip tickets to the following points for special occasions: Athens, Ga., Summer School, June 27 to July 28, i9o5. Rate: one first class fare plus 25 cents for round trip. Denver, Col., Account International Epworth League convention. Rate very low, and will be given on appli cation. Knoxville, Tenn., Summer School, June 20 to July 28, 1905. Rate: one fare plus 25 cents for round trip. Nashville, Tenn., Peabody Summer School and Varnderbilt Bibical In stitute, June 14 to August 9, 1905. Rate: one fare plus 25 cents for round trip. Baltimore, Md., Account of the United Society of Christian Endeavor Inter-national convention, July 5-10, Asbury Park, N. J., Account of Na tional Educational association, July 3-7. Rate very low and will be given on application. Week End Rates, C., N. & L. Commencing June 3rd, and continu ing until and including September 2nd, 1905, the following week-end rates will be on sale to the following points, via the Columbia, Newberry and Laurens, railroad to Isle of Palms,$55 Sullivans Island 5.15 Charleston 5-15 Wilmington 5.15 Waterloo 2.0o Cross Hill 2.00 Glenn Springs 2.1o Spartanburg 2.1o Greenville 2.10 ~White Stone 2.1o Tickets to the above points will be sold on aSturdays good to return on the following Tuesdays, for schedules and further information telephone or write, J. W. Denning, Agent. ahrestos a1i Vatcn CaroIia Ry. (Schedule in Effect April i6, 1905-) .No.-52. Daily. Lv. Newberry............12.36 p. mn. Ar. Lauirens ...... .......5-S p.mi No. 2. Daily. L v. Laurens....1........-50 p. mn. Ar. Greenwood............. 2.46 P. mn. Ar. Augusta------.....-.-.5.2 p. mn. Ar. Anderson............ 7.20 p. mn. No. 42. Daily. Lv. Augusta... ................2 ...235 p. mn. Ar. A11endale....................... .. 4 30 p. in. Ar. 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