Issuu

VOL. XI. ·

DECEMBER,

1885 ·.

NO. 3.

EDITORS: A. N. BOWERS, Mu Sigmd Rho, { GEO. l'I. ED\VARDS, W. C. ROBINSON.

E. B.

HATCH:RR,

C. D.

ROY.

Philologian,{ H. W. JONES,

Bus•iness Manager~W. A. BORUM. Assistant Business Manager-J. L. BHOWN.

l'-latltellla1.ical

The cone of my affections, love, Hath found a base in thee ; 'The .~quare of joy, ff thdu complete, Add but thy smile to me. If I were skillell in.figures, love , Or coulu use syml,ols well, I'd raise a pyramid of praise Where all thy charms should dwell. The total sum of happiness, Is equal, dear, to th ·e ; But if I'm mirms thy sweet smile, 'fhe world is nouglit to me. Let not the line of all my life Rtlnparall el to thine i ' •But in tliat blissful angl e m·eet , Where Hymen is the sine. Let endless circles represent :My constancy to yoi1, .A:nd series fojinite of years Shall prove my love is true.

C~rdinal Farnese discovered the great genius Michael Angelo walking alone amid the ruins of the Coliseum. He expressed his surprise at finding him so

Lo,·eSong. 'fhe cube of happiness, whose root I see in thee alone, Equals the highest form of l6ve D,videcl among one. Oh! I am that divisor, love, The quotient i8 for thee, And we together multiplied, Love to infinity. Would that I or boundless love The lo,qarithm knew, For natural num,bers can't express The half I feel for you. If thou'lt approximate to me, 'llll leap 'not to despair, . Describing \i parabola 'l'hrou f!'h boundless fields of air; But troubles shall in tangents fly Beyond the farthest pole, Oh I thou perimeter of hope, And segment of my soul I -Selected.

occupied. The modest artist replied, '' I go to school that I may continue to learn." The growing men and the greatest men are always at school.

RICHMOND COLLEGE MESSENGER.

Williain

Wallace

antl

Prominent, illustrious and immortalized in Scotch history, stand fo1·th in imposing majesty the names of William Wallace and Robert Bruce, the mighty chieftains of Scottish history and romance and the fearless and formidable champions of Scottish ·independence : Yea, "solitary and alone" in their stately gran1leur, towering high above tbei~ he~ roic feliow-chieftains, as tower high above bill and vale their rugged moimtains renowned i'n poetry and in romance, ·staiicl forth in history these two sons of Scotland, glory-crowned and encircled by a · halo of ":fhme· whose .:glowing splendor flashes across the gulfs of time, directing admirers of heroic daring and heroic suffering for liberty and independence to the rugged hills of Scot_larnl, whose majestic mountains, unmoved and unchanged by storm or tempest, seemed to speak, in silent eloque1rne, of inuependence, and whose restless winds, as free as they were pure ' and 'life-giving, seemed to m?rmur to her ~ons the sweets of liberty and · freedom. No pen, however facile and gifted, should falter in paying the loftiest tributes to such heroism, and no oratory, be it even ofNestori'an sweetness, can be . rendered less soul-s 'itrring and di vine, by voicing, in swelling, musical tones and graceful, rhythmical periods, ·the praises of true and noble sons-the pride alike of countrymen and country. Such men were Wallace and Brur.e of .Scotland; and in bringing them to the · notice of our readers, my labor will not 'have been in va_in, if I shall succeed · in arousing fresh admiration of such virtues

Robert

Bruce.

and a desire to emulate such noble qualities. The story of Scotland's oppression by English tyrranny-or, to be milder, by men whom possession of E1iglish power made tyrants-is well known · to every render . of history. - But such a · time of suffering always brought to the front, one of her devoted ~ons, ready to strike f9r liberty, .for Goel and nativ~ laud. Such an occasion gave to history a ,val·Jace, to Scotland another hero, and to . W nllace, imperishable fame. On the death of Margaret, the Maid of Norway, the lust dii•ect heir to the Scotch thr1me·, the kingdom very naturally became exposed to all the dangers of a disputed succession. . The claim to the crow'.n lay among the descendants of the daughters of David, a brother to a previous Scotch sovereign. The three <lisputants becoming embroiled in a · dispute which seemed likely to culminate in civil war, · the bishops and nobles ,;ho held the reins of government during Margaret's minority, resolved to spbmit the question of succession (according toa then prevailing custom1 to the arbitration of a . foreign monarch, Edward I. of England, who justly decided in· favor of the eldest disputant, John Baliol, but, along with this decision, very unjustly asserted his sovereignty over Scotland, which rendered her sovereigns his vassals. His motive in this action, was the hope of thus gaining a pretext for subduing Sc9tland. In this he was successful. Baliol and · his nobles, soon after, upon provocation by Edward, renounced the very vassalage

.WILLIAM

WALLACE AND ROBERT BRUG'E.

to which; three years before, they had · ,!!worn. _ ·war followed, and -then the overthrow of Baliol and his imprisonment in the Tower of London, whence, however, J1e was sent to his estate in Normandy, _where he died. · Srotland, thus subdued, was committed by Edward to the Earl of Warrenne, ,who, returning to E1)g;landbecaube of m~ health,• left two of his officers, Ormes by and Cressingham, to direct affairs. Mis·rule nat11rally followed, and with it an in.surrection of the Scots, which was the occasion which brought William Wallace prominently forward as the leader of his .countrymen in their struggle for independence. He is represented as a man of good fu~1ily, about 27 years of age at this time, tall , and robust, of patient and daring di15position; · among his followers, generous,just, and unselfish:; but towards his enemies, fierce and cruel. Ill-treatment byg the English caused in him a .deep hatred for them and a spirit of re-vcnge for his wrongs. Henceforth his life was laid upon : the altar of his country. Gaining the confidence of his suffer.ing countrymen:by hi(bravery and previous succe'lses, they flocked around him as theh· leader, <letermined to st.rike a decisive blow at the tyranny from which they were suffering, by attacking Ormes.by at Scone, in ;{Pe.rthshire. Victory perched upon theh- banners, and others of their countrymen, no longer hesitating, now flocked to the standard of Wall ace. But internal dissensions, together with the appearance of the Earl of Warrenne with an army 40,000 strong, dissolved a uqion full of promise of glorious achievements, before a blow had been struck . .~.11of them, _save Wallace and a single -adherent, submitted to England's au-

thority, and thus again Scottish liberty .seemed lost by the pusillanimity of those who should have been its bravest defend~ ers. But the heroic spirit of Wallace was unbroken, even in such a disaster. Retiring with his few followers to the hills of the North, he determined to fight to the last. l

Here, encamped in an almost impregnable position, he was attacked by Warrenne, on the persuasion ofCr!:)ssingham. It was a di;;astrous battle to the English t Nnm bers of them were· slain, and once more the hope of indepen<lence animated the Scots. Wallace now became guard~ ian of Scotland, and during the single year .he remained thus, he vented his hate upon the English, by devastation and slaughter. _ Edward, with a powerful army, marched hastily against him. The two armies met at Falkil'k, July 22, 1298. The Scots were led by Comyn, of Badenoch, and Wallace. The Scots were routed and slaughtered in alarming numbers. Wallace kept his command nubroken · and retreated towards Stirling, the scene of his spendid victory on the 12th of St•ptember, 1297. , Deprived shortly afterwards of his office of gumxlian, yet faithful in the darkest trials, he continued a pre(latory warfare with the English, fighting with the madness of despair, uu_til ~t last, betrayed by a treacherous friend, he was captured, condemned~ and barbarously executed, as a rebel and .a trnitor, in West Smithfield, August 23, 1305. Thus ended the life of this great Scotch chieftain; but from the seeds of that same patriotism there sprang up another son, loyal and bmve, ·to strike for that same freedom for which Wallace fought and died. This son was the great . Robert Brnce. He concerted

RICHMOND

COLLEGE JJ1ESSENGER.

measures with the same Comyn who had fought with Wallace at Falkir1,, for a rising of the Sco'ts and a strike for independence, while sti'll preserving appa-rently his allegiance to Edward. Comy11 betrayetl him to Edward, but being advised thereof, he escaped from Lontlon to Dumfries, where, meeting Comyn, he accused him of treachery, and in the heat of passion struck him a mortal blow with bis dagger. The Scots now flew to arms, were victorious, and Bruce was crowned at the ah bey of Scone. But Edward I., as warlike and ambitious as ever, raised a large army and marched against him, ;routing him and reducing him to great stra.its. He was hunted down by a hound which formerly was his 01vn, and when nearly captmed, saved himself by wading some distance down a brook near. by, thus throwing the dog off his trail, and so escaped his pursuers. His followers, however, suffered, from Edward's \·engeance, imprisonment and death. Brnce was now almost driven to despair. Hotly chased by his enemies, unsuccessful in his patriotic struggles; his nobles and brnthers sla mghtered, their wives captives,-what hope was there now for Scotian cl? Why longer struggle against ill-fortune? Such were his thoughts, as he tossed upon his bed one night, when, looking upwards at the rugged beams overhead, his attention was arrested by a spider endeavoring to fasten its thread to one of the beams. Again and again did the little insect make the attempt, and as often did it fail; but at last, at the thirteenth trial, it was successful. Catching the import of the significant lesson, he accepted it as an omen of success, and once more devoted himself to his gre'at object. Beginning \Vith

small forces, he achieved several triumphs over superior numbers of the English, Victory followed victory, a'nd his successes were still further aided by the death o'f Edward I., as his successor, Edward · II., was a for less formidable · foe. Section aftci· section was gaitied, until in three years Bml'e was sovereign of near! y the whole of Scotland. What a brilliant series of victories arising from hi,; putting into practice the lesson of persevernuce taught by this little insect! Bruce 110\v gave himself up, for the next fon'r years, to restoring order and prosperity to his ravaged country and iii carrying f:i'reand sword over the borders of Northern England. Edward II., in J314, 1gatherecl an army a hundred thousand strong, against Bruc 3 with only thirty thonsand. The two armies met at Bannockburn. 1'he Scotch army had the advantage in position, and in addition, pits had been dug ·and covered 11 ith turf arnl the ground strewn with calthrolJS'---th1·ee-rironged instrnrnents, projecting one prong, therefore, in any position. The battle was fought on the 25th of .Juu~. The attack was begun by the English archers, and :fi,llowecl by a charge of the carnlry, ·which was t_hrown into confusion by the pitfalls and dri\·en back with heavy loss. The haftle now bec:ame general, -but in the end was a complete vidory for the Scots. Ed:ward o~cape<l with difficulty to his own dominions, and thenceforth Sl!otlanc'l was free, and Bruce her liberator. He turned next against the English in Irelancl, where his humanity in stopping to take up a poor old washei•womun, to prntect . her from the advancing foe, proved the occasion of his own rescue. Seeing him halt, and supposing he had received .rein;.

LETTER

forcements, they gave up the . pursuit. .This was the last incursion against the · hated English · in which he took part. At Cardros,:, on the banks of the Clyde, in the fifty-fifth year of his age and the twentieth of his reign, he closed a life -which had _been spent in heroic devotion to his country and crowned by ultimate success in his pnrpose to establish her indepen~ence. Such were the , lives, the ,

Letter

FROM AN OLD STUDENT.

f'ro1n . an

We are always glad to hear from an old student, but cloubly glad are we to receive tidings from one who was so long ' a true frirncl of the Mcss"n.c;er. Ta·ke another trip, Geo. W., and tell us about it.-Ens. Dem· Mes.sen_ger,-While a student :it Richmond College, I fouud that in most cases it was difficult to secure • ex-stttdcnts as subscribers to the ./Jfessenge1'. I conld give no explmrntion of this fact then, neither can I now. How one can so readily forget the many pleasant associations of ·colleg,1 life, :ind cease to be a subscriber for his collPge paper, for at least several years after leadng his alma mater, I can't 11nde1·stand. , Perhaps the explanation is found in THAT which many of us have not yet experienced. But in my case, thPre are few :visitors that receive a more · hearty welcome to my sanctum than the ]1essenger . . There must be a material change before I will cease lo be a subscriber. It is like a letter from a cherisb(•d old friend. But in this letter I wish to say some things about the Inter-}Iissionary Alliance recently held in Rochester, N. Y.,'-what wesaw, heard, &c.

struggles, the failures and the fortunes of these great chieftains and heroes of independence. Worthy are they of all the tributes of praise they have received, and their names will ever live in history to perpetuate to coming generations 'the patriotic devotion to country which ever characterized the noble sons or Scotland. VAN

Oltl

TASSEL. ,

Stu(lent.

On the morning of October 21st, the del egation from Crozer Theological Seminary boarded the train at Broad-Street station, Philadelphia, via the Northern and Central n\ill'Oad. . Our company was not large, but in good spirits. We slowly moved out from the city of brotherly love. .'\Ye tra veiled for several homs through the fertile acres of Pennsylvania, without enjoying the fine scenery, as it was rai'ning very hard. Our course was westward until we reachell Han ,isbnrg, Penn. WP. arrived in this city about dinner time, in the coimfry. The clouds were breaking, and soon we ,had · cle\ir sky, whieh wns more favorable for; viewing the fertile valleys . and rolling · hills. But the parP-nh; of one of om ' number 1lfot us in · Harrisburg. Of · course, the young man was glad to see his • father and · mother. · I was too. They had brnught a nice lunch for their son and his friends. Now, who woulcln't "glad-to see such parents, espeeially when he was hungry? I tried to show my appr eciation of their kindness at the time, but I am certain I did after I got on the train . Soon our train left, and we travelled due north. But by this time we

RICHMOND ' .

COLLEGE MESSKNGER.

were joiped qy a large delegation from Gettysburg, all bound fqr Rochesterat :qrst strai1gers to each other, but soon acquai11teq and having a jolly ti1ne. 'I:he mountaip fcenery \Vas fine, which we all enjoyeo; as most of us ha<l never been in thi~ section before. Williamsport, tlje former home of Dr. Cooper, now pastor of the First. Baptist church, Richnrond, is the next town of importance. They gave us time to get coffee here, hut not to vibit the tow·n. From this town upto C:mandaig;o, in extreme Northern Pennsylvania, the m'ountain sce1wry ·is grand beyond description. It ie vei:y much like the scenery from Lynchburg np to the Natural Bridge, Virginia, "only a little more so." I have he~rd~ on sunqry occasions, of the "silver mountain stream,"-its mm,ic as it seeks its way down the rugged mountai11 sid~s, but the \H'atqr'c1 eloquence fitil\ld to impress me as the stt·eam itsE:llf d~d.. ror hours we were windi,ng our way around .an1I through the mountains. T!Je cloud-1:rowned and heaven-aspiring pet1k;S stood as sih•11t;sentinels on all sides. The foliuge was peautiful. One may imagine the grandeur of the scenery: mountains several hundred feet high, with ruggPd cliffs mantled with nature's variegated robes. We enjoyed this gorgeous scenery until night sp!"~ad,h!=lrsable mantle and thus concealed the transc~ndant beauties of 1iature. But ours wqs not a company to keep quiet.. "When . I we couhl no longer enjoy and ,entertain ou~·selves ~y ueholding the wonders of ~1ature, some of the company must fiud somethi11g else to do. So, when oue of the nup:1ber, after folding himself and gaining a few minutes repose in slumber, awoke~ fou\1d employmeut for some

time in lil)e11ati11g his foot, wliii;h ha,d been very securely tied to the cur s_efl,t during his slumbers. By that time the Quemi of Heaven was sending forth her soft rays, ai1d we we1•eriding alppgside the Seneca lake. This was indeed beautifulbeholding the phicid bosom of the silver lake-and the beauty of the heave11ly quee~1 E>hedding_her soft rays upqp ti\e water. After fifteen hours' ride we re~ched our destination, and enjoyed a good night's rest. Thursday morning, October 22d,found three hundred and fifteen young men re:Hly for the work of the Alliance. The programme on Thursday COIJsisted of an .informal reception of delegate~, devotional meeting, an adJress of .welcome by A. H. Strong, D. I>.,Pres{dent Qf Rochester Theological Semin::Jry,_~' Y,, and a business meetii~g in the a(~~rnoon. At 7:30 P. M., P. S. Henson, I).. D., of Chicago, delivered a telli9g address oµ "Speculative Stumbling Blocks." Tb,e speaker _d wel~ especially upon the three- • "+he Materialist," "Tf1~ Optimi~t," a1~~ "The Pessimist." . D1;. Henso:Q wa~ eloquent, instructive; and his m,astprly treatment of his sul _1ect was al&o verr entertaining. It did one good to hear ,ap Old Virginian, so far from home 1 spe~~ to th'3 satisfaction of vast _congreguti,oq. F,riday morning, at 9 o'clqck, aqc'ordi~i;:: to t~e progra~me, there "'.as a "d~voti<mal meeting" for a halfh!,)ur. After ,wh,icl~, W 1 P. M<;Kee, of Morgap P1'r~ ,Sein.inary, read au essay on, ",Whii:t.does the Bible Teach concer:Qingl\Ii,c;si01Js." F. T. .Benson, of Westminster ., S~II\i1~arx, read an essay on the "Lessons from the Life of Dr. Alexander Dll~" .· Thes\l ~~ says were car_efully pr~par~d, an~ hea~\ily ~prreeiated hy th,e aud~e~ce'. At 2:~0 P. M. there wa~ tbe us1,1al devotional r ' _, ' ••. \ ''

LE1'TEa A ftcl' 11l1ich, U.

Ji'ROJI AN OLD STUDENT.

\\'. Smith, of

whose hospitalit.yand kindness I enjoyed during ipy stay in Rochester. But on Hu111pdc11-SiJ11t::ytseminary, Virginia\ rrn'd an essay on "Missionary Work Sunday we . met in Dr. Shaw's church (Presbyterian). In the morning we lisamong the Freedmen.'' This, perhaps, tened to an able address Ly Prof. Wilwas the most difficult subject to present liam lVLBarbour, D. D., of Yale Semiin a manner agreeable to all, but Mr. nary. The afternoon was spent in a Smith s'howed himself well acquainted "Consecration Meeting." At 7 :30 P. with the true slafos of the case. He M., Dr. S. J. McPherson, of Chicago, gave ollr northern friends an intelligent made, in the estimation of many, .the adand true representation of the subject in hand, and his essay was heartily com- dress of the Alliance. His subject was "The Common Aim of the Minister ' and mended Ly the Alliance. Evening Session, 7:30 o'Clock,__:_.Rev. Mi~siooary." The speakerwas eloquent. A. F. Schaufller, of New York, delivered, He emphasized the fact that the minister must be what he preaches, and .showed .in good "Southern style," an address on "City Missions." • This gentleman has very clearly that .the minister and mislong been a missionary in New York sionary have a common aim. After the city, and his past experience qualified congregation was dismissed, there was a him for t_hepresent occasion. If all our consecration meeting, and many pledged preachers would regard the work of the themselves to the foreign field. This mh1ist1·ye,;erywhue as missionary work closed the programme. (for such it is), their preaching would be And what did this meeting of the Alliance accomplish? Perhaps you would like more powerful. The meetings on Saturday were charto know more fully about this convention, acterized by · increasing interest. In the when founded, &c. This was the sixth niornin,g, after devotional meeting, an annual meeting. In it, seminaries of all essay was read by A. B. Bassett, of Hartevangelical denominations in this coun. ford Seminary,.on "Missionary \Vork in try are represented. Its object is to fosSouth Ao1erica." And one by George ter a missionary spirit among students P. Eckman, of Drew Seminary, on preparing for the ruin istry. And it d@es "Missionary \Vork among the Jews." not fall short of its object. The meetings ' are characterized by strong devotion. These essays were interesting and instructive: In the afternoon, A. B. There are over one hundred theological Nicholls, of Chicago Seminary, read an seminarie lB'in _the United States; less than half are represented in the Alliance. essay on "The Personal Call to Mission '\Vorl~." After which, there were several We regret that onr great Southern semiaddresses by returned missionaries. nary, at Louisville, was not represented; Evening Session.-Address by Bishop I hope she will put in her appearance at Oberlin, Ohio, next year. In our humCtJx,' of New York. . Su11day was a duy of great interest. ble judgment, the ·Alliance is a 'good Up to · this time, the meeting bad been thing, and destined to do a great work. h{Jld in the Secorld Baptist <:burch, the Monday m6rning greeted us with · its pastor of which is Dr, S,· M. Duncan, cheering light. Duties were waiting for . 11wl'tii1µ:.

RICHflIOND .

COLLEGE ' JfESSENGER.

· us in the class-room, but to go home th en was not according to our programme. Peopl e within a few miles of Niagara may afford to miss seeing the Fa ll s, but tho se from a greater distance cannot. A train was char tered, :md abont one third of the delegates boarded it en roiite for Niagara Falls, seventy-five miles from Rochester. The country through which we passed was beautiful, and soon _we were at Buffalo, the home of President Clevela nd. After three hours' ride, we reached Niagara, a sma ll _town, and .soon were gazing at those great . Fa lls. I make no attempt to describe them. Language would fail me. You will not be disnppointed when you see them for th e first time, as some fear they may. Some of our party took lunch in Ca nada. vVe got good sandw iches, but poor coffee. Of course, we could not see all that was to be seen, in so short a time. B ut an A rucrican can ill-afford not to visit Niagara, even if bis stay be short. After four or five hours' stay, \Ve were aboard our train and bound for Rochester. 011r company was jaded; a few were .left to furnish the fun. Some of them couldn't hardly rai se a smi le. I ,don't know whet her these poor fellows missed lunch . or were gr ieving over the fall of Niagara . I think the former true ; for at one of our stopping places en rattle horr,ie we all had access to a car of app les, which seemed to impart new life. Most . of us spent Monday i:iight in Rochester. Tuesday morning found us all bidding the beautiful city farewell. We had seen and heard much, and felt greatly pr ofited. But some of us were not yet satisfied . We left Rochester 1:ia the Northern and Centra l Ra ilroad; about mid-day we ;cached Watkins Glen, a

town of about three thousand inhabitants m Southern New York. · The town is noted by virtue of its location rather than its beauty. It takes its mime from a great glen in that region. The glen itself is a mile and a half long. The entrance is similar to that of a house. A few steps from the road we ha, ;e almost pendendicular sides on either hand. -The volume of water · is not large, bnt its fury in rushing down · the mountain sides and leaping the great precipices is grand beyond expression. There is a small stream coming all the way down through the glen, and several tributaries ,inite witJ-i it in its deScent . This is one of the interesting fcautures of the scenery-th ese little streams rushing clown the al most perp endicular sides, from 100 to 200 feet high. After much labor, there have been steps and bridges made, thus facilitating the travel very mueh through the ghm. The scenery is very much varied. At present, · one is completely absorbed with his surroundings; continuing his march a sbor't distanc e, and his surroundings are very different, ' lint not less wonderful. ·At every turn the eye beholds something different and apparently more grand. '. The scenery is not monotonous. And as we ascended the ru gged heights, onr sense of the grand .and beautiful was lifted higher and hi gher. At last, we reached. the upper end of the glen. Rather than retrace our ste p s, we <;ought our way back . to the town across the fields. It was truly pleasant to get out and behold the surrounding co11ntry. The sentimental ones in our party saw muoh bea11ty in , the faded foliage, and plncke<l daisies :;ind many other common, but I suppoee sugges tive .flowers to them ..

IKABOD HEARD FROM AGAIN. On the soft eveninq air, there was horne to · my ear a familiar sound in the distance. An iron tongne pealed forth its melody. In a moment I was transported to the "modern Rome," and in resprrnse to the call, with quick steps I was leading the van to the college hotel (alias messhall), so familiar was the sound I heard to that of onr old college bell, which I love so well. But in a few minutes we were nearer 'Watkins than Richmoud. The little town is nestled at the fo0t of the hill on whose brow we stood, beholding the beautiful hills and valleys, and a<l~ miring the placid bosom of Seneca Juke. This lake is about forty miles long and from two to five miles wide. ·watkins is at the ,southern extremity of the lake. Supper was greatly relished after our ramble. After supper, .we met a goodly number of our acquaintances (delegates)·

11.rabod

Heard

And so he has come. I thought he would. ,vhen I wrote, in the October Messenger,an account of the trials and tribulations that befell me in my experience with my sweethenrt, I wondered at the tim_e what venerable sage would consider it his solemn duty to strnt forth, inform me what a blockhead I have made of myself, and tell how I ought to have done it. I · would have bee11 really disappointed if he had failed to appear. But he has arrived. Aud who is he? Who is this grim-eyed, swell-headed old philosopher who stalks forth from his hiding place and deli\·ers me a lecture on my stupidity and wrong-doing? Brom Bones. There is something interesting abont him 2

from Gettyslrn_rg-,who had come in advance of us 1 visited the glen in the morning, and spent the afternoon on the lake. They stai;tecl for home about 9 or 10 o'clock Tnes<lay night. "\Ve followed suit early \V ednesday morning, reaching Phil::idelphia about 7 P. M. Back once mor~ in the class-room. Such trips, you know, are favorable to text-books. But we feel greatly repaid for our trouble , and expense. Crozer Seminary afforcls advantages second to no institution of the kind in the country. Virgininus receive a hearty welcome and fiwornble impressions. Allow me ,to congratulate you on the new form of the Messengrr. May this be indicative of even greater progress. With best wishes, I remain Yonrs truly,

Chester,Pet., Od. 30, '85.

:f'roin A.g·ain.

to begin with. His name alone will plare him in the front rm1ks of curiosities. But who is he'? Thci·e is nothing mysterinus or perplexing · about bones~ they are common-very comrnon,-but the particular kincl of bones known as Brom Bones is {that bewilders and puzzles me. I have visited the Smithsonian · Institute and the University Museum, and seen some varied and curious-looking bones. I have rnnsacked all the catalogues of curiosities I could find, but none shed any light on the bony specimen known as Brom Bones. " The History of Bones" fails to mention Brom Bones. Our College Museum contains some crooked and hard-looking bones, but none ar& labeled

RICHMOND

COLLEGE MESSENGER.

Brom Bones. Can it be that this rare curiosity is at large, instead of adorning the shelf of some museum? I advise Brom Bones not to let Barnuin get on his track. This bony wonder must be secured at any cost for -oiir museum, and be placed among . its rarest curiosities. ,vhat a treasure it would be. But who is he? Far back in the Book of Genesis the holy Eicribewrites of bones, but fails, alas, to mention that class of bones, whose history I so much long for, known as Brom Bones. I have come to the concl nsion that Brom Bones is the solitar y relic of some fomily of bones which has long ago become extinct, but he being the toughest one of the family has surv ived the rest This is a case not of the "survival of the fittest," but of the toughest. As this bony relic went to the dictionary to find me out, possibly my dictionary may shed some light upon the antecedence of his bbny carcass. If I am not mistaken, my dictionary gives the following definition of Brom : " Brom comes from the Syrio - Mosaic:.. Adamic language1 and meant originally c1'oolced. It is ai1 adjective applied to a certain class of bones that are now extinct. These bones in ancient times were noted for their crookedness, and were entirely unlike other bones of their time. Where they came from and what they are good for has ever remained ·a myscery," etc., etc. But let not his name and antiquated history run away with our curiosity. Thes e thin gs pale into nothingnesg when we consider him more closely. This bundle of bones (it is H10ugh to draw smiles from a dyspeptic alliga tor) has attempted to inform me of my stupidity and eiTors and lecture me on the

subject of sweethearts. He speaks of my lengthy bill; but judging from his prying questions and remarks about me and my sweetheart, I'll ventme to say that his meddlesome proboscis far outstrips in length the bill of any crane be might mention. He went to Washington Irving to find a description of me. But he got hold of the wrong crane. My name is Ikabod and not Ichabod. This, Brom Bones knew, and that he could have the audacity to twist and change my name (my own persona.I property) to suit hi& own devices, amazes me, and gives me a poor· opinion of Brom Bones. Say not, Brom Bones, that I did not know how to spell my name; that, you ' do I!ot know, and such an assertion would only add to your shame and guilt. But the thing that excites the most wonder and curiosity in regard to this bony specimen is his article in the last Messenger. It makes me smile to think of it. He starts out with something like this remark: "Although Ichabod's sweetheai·t nestled him in thorns on one or two occasions, yet he. declares that he jg not an enemy of the sweet~ heart." And then this collection of crooked bones inquires, with a sneer, "ls Ichabod sincere?" Well, if there is any insincerity in a fellow continuiug his friendship for his sweetheart after she had neetled him in thorns, then my thinking apparatus is different from that of Brom Bones. Why am I insincere, Brom Bones? Because I did not become a life-long enemy of my sweetheart simp ly because she nestled me in thorns ou one or two occasions? What kind of sincerity do you preach? Would you have a mother to forsake her . child because of one or two offences? If that fa

IKABOD - ---

~- --

-----

HEARD ---

FROM AGAIN.

- - - ----

the way you feel about it, then may you never be sincere to your sweetheart. This collection of phosphates seems - .greatly ti;lded and snrpri~ed that after picturing the disagreeable predicaments which my girl got me into, yet I should b.Jandly declare her to be my bright particular star, etc. Perhaps it never dawned upon his bony skull (that is, if there is any kind of skull connected with this antiquated relic-which I seriously doubt) that a fellow might be placed in the most embarrassing and uncomfortable positions with his fair idol-might at the time prefer to be anywhere else than with her, and yet, after all, continue in his fidelity and devotion. · But the most amusing fact is that Brom Bones discredits my affection and s.e~ks to ridicule it. He says it iB worth . little if it does not take into account midnight Btrolls, and that I should not be dismayed by buggy-rides. Well, now, my ,ancient relic, let's sec about my affection. Tb'e case stands thus: My girl on oue or two occasions (as you say) nestled .me in thorns, stole my time, went for my pocket-book, and made me feel uncomfortable generally, but notwithstanding all this I still hold her as the cherished idol of my heart, and love her with the same unbroken affection; and yet this bony candidate for the College Museum struts forth and intimates that JDY,i;tffoetiolilis of no account. It strikes me that my affection is of the rarest type. Did a fellow ever have sorer strains upon his, affection than I did, and "yet with all her faults I love her still." He says that my affection ought to have taken into account buggy-rides and midnight strolls. Well, it appears to -me that as I bad the midnight stroll, and took the buggy-ride,

--·-

and still love her, that my affection has certainly taken these things into account. I had to take these things into account, and yet my affection is unbroken. This bony skeleton might have charged me with stupidity and weakness; he might have doubted my wisdom and taste in selecting a sweetheart and my courage in standing up for my convictions; but to say against my affection brands him as the rarest of bony wonders. Those puns of Brom Bones really excited my sympathy for him. I can't see how his bony frame stood the shock. One more like them would be the end of Brom Bones. I have been well ·assured, from the first, of l1is antiquated history and geological formation, but those puns settled me. That pun on the "girl-(vaister" I think will put him back about five hundred years before Adam . Again, this mixture of superphosphates makes the blustering assertion that the livery-stable man swindled me. How does he know? What does this frazzledout bundle of crooked bones know about · the style of turnout I hired? It was not a swindle. But if that livery man should charge that price for hauling a lot 0£old, antiquated bones around town, then I'd be in favor of advertising him as a swindli;1g scoundrel, and would advise B1'om Bones to, migrate to some othe1· country, where bony transportation is cheaper. This dilapidated relic closes with .some advice. "If your sweetheart has imperfections, it is not the part of wisdom and courtesy to publish them." Well, ina·smuch as both my sweetheart and myself are unknown to the public, I fail t<fsee what harm can come of it. But as to the wisdom of it. I think that in my case it has been one of the wisest and most for-

lfd

RICHMOND

COLLEGE MESSENGER.

tunat( , thiugs that I have ever beeu known to do. By publishing my experiences I have brought to light one of the rarest . and most perplexing curiositie s that has ever excited public attention. The rnmeum that gets it is lucky, while I bear off the honor of having discov ered it. Brom Bones also charges that I have slandered the sweethearts-that I should not have given such a general , title to my article as "The Sweetheart," but that I should have made it definite, so as to point • out my sweetheart, and then he would have had nothing to say. So that is what's the matter with Brom Bones, i~ it? He is mad becau se I said " The Sweetheart," and · thereby took in the whole sweetheart sisterhood. Well, he is a curious specimen ! I think five h undre<l years before Adam, too r ecent for him. I would inform him that the teachings of these later centuries is that the is a definite article and points out a particular one,-and when I say the sweetheart, · I do uot mean every sweetheart, but one definite, particulm ' one. If he thinks that '' the sw~etheart" of my articl e means every sweeth eart, possibly he ima gines that I meant to say that all of them were the idol of my heart and that life would be miserable if all of them 'wer e not ar o~nd. Perhaps he thinks that I took t'the whole concern out on a midnight stroll and went buggy-riding with the whole sweetheart siskrhood. If I had been speaking of Brom Bones' sweetheart I should liave said ".a sweetheart ''-meaning no one part-iciilarly. This bony sk eleton informs me that I should not ' draw conelusions about a class from a single example. Shouldu't

I, Bromy ? If I wanted to gain an idea of what a sweetheart was, what were her characteristics, etc., it strikes me that the best person to draw conclusions from on thatsu bject would be a sweetheart;and how many of them would this bony fragment have me draw conclusions from at the same time? I have been known to hav~ a rough time on one or two occasions drawing conclu sions from one of them, ::md I'd prefer not to increase the number. That youth who divides : his heart among a dozE,n sweethearts for the purpose of" drawing conclusions," will draw conclusions far more unjust aud less flattering than the ~uch-abnse<l_'conclusions of Ikabod. Brom Bones remarks that his artiele was the pumpkin thrown at me by himself. The probability is that this pumpkin came from a pumpkinhead. I woi.~kladvise this decayed remnant to let these remarks penetrate his craniurn; but I fear that the remarks would have a hard time trying to find a cranium to get into. Brom Bones seems to think that he'll be called a pigmy. Not by me, certainly. I have too much re spect for the pig-mies to do that. A11dnow, in bidding farewell to you, my bony friend, le,t me ' say that! I wish you well. Your concealment is at an end and youe fame is fost spreading; prove yourself an honor to the museum that captures you. If time allowed, I would recommend to you a few of the most desirable museums, but take your pick. Let me warn you that whatever else you may be guilty o,f, never commit the blunder again of attempting to give . advice upon the subject of sweethearts. lKABOD.

THROUGH SOUTHEAST VIRGINIA.

TltJ."ongb

Sout;Jteast;

\,Veembarked from a tide-water wharf. After touching at the other river landings the steamer turned its course and began to steer down the stream, over which, here and there, were to he seen oyetermeu plying their tongs. Lower down, as the 'river widens, the oysterboats and craft of var.ions kinds became more numerous. Upon approaching the · Bay the view became grand and contemplative, presenting vividly to mind the onward march of time in human growth, from sportive youth to manly maturity. In the distance we beheld magnificent spectacle ~hat appeared to be a large flotilla approaching us in single file witi1 full canvas unfurled to the bending breezes. But what had enchanted us in , the distance, like the mirage to the weary traveller of the desert, on neare:.-approach proved to be a barre1~hillock guarded by scattered pines, stationed as though on. picket duty . . Just so is youth often for a time dazz}ed with the near prospect of some worthy achievement or cherished ' hope; but .when the goal has been reached he finds he has been grasping at a bubble, deluded by a fancy, or disappointed at real merit by cruel fo;·tnne (so called, but more probably by propitious Providence). On the noble Chesapeake, whose wealth, with that of its tributaries, in oysters, fish, and fowl, has been estimated to surpass the California gold mines, were many and fine steamers engi~ged.in the large trade and travel between Norfolk, Baltimore, •and the numerous landings of tidewater Virginia. We had waited with eager expectation to get a view of Old Point Com-

Virg·inia.

fort and the far-famed . Hygeia. Nor was our expectation disappointed, for the guns surmounting the fortification, those protrnding the port-holes below, with the counter fort and magazine, built near the centre of the river, in the shape of a circle, seP-urely protecting Norfolk and adjacent country from attack of an · ene1ny by land, with the superb Hygeia stretched as a great pile along the beach, present a truly imposing spectacle; while the beantiful grounds and neighboring fine builclings, together with the hallowed memorie_s of the Revolution and re>centwars, conspire to heighten one's delight and move his emotions almost to ecstacy. We think the importance of this position a~ a defence, in case of war, against an invading enemy is not. properly appreciated. The memories of the Merrimac will not soon die. We were forbidden the pleasure of visiting Norfolk by lack of time, but understand much bu:,;inessis transacted there. Cotton was piled up on its wharves. Many of its business men reside in Portsmouth. This town, with about 11,000 inhabitants, we found cleanly and pretty, especially the upper portion. The navy-yard is the place of interest to visitors, and several hours ·can be pleasantly and profitably spent in inspecting what may be seen. We especially enjoyed a general drill concluded with a sham battle. The townsmen of Portsmouth seem to possess much of the pride of ante-bell um Virginia and a Romish independence. N·ot many loafers were set·n, and they principally negroes. At the depot was a capital sign: "f o loafers are allowed: If

ueRArt'i ·.

. ·:- ~ \

., VERSITY OF RlC~

UNI

Al,-

. :.:·

Elc11MONJJ COLLEGE .MESSENGEE. you have any business, transact it and leave." These two towns, separated only by the Elizabeth river, across which a steamer plies every few minutee, present a far different aspect from that which they present()d when the stern, and I might say cruel, old Governor Berkely bnrnt Norfolk in his flight from Bacon-a proof of the enterprise, resulting prosperity, and unparalleled growth of our great people. For was there ever such soldiery in Sparta, such men of learning in Athens, such nobility in Rome, as in our grand and good sunny South? A people who, like the antagonist of Hercules, rise with strength renewed fr~m every overthrow. A people who, once shorn of their property, their relatives and rights, with hearts and spirits broken, down-trodden by public opinion abroad and the cruel heel of military and reconstruction at home, have shown themselves masters of all circumstances, and by the arts of peace have shaken off the trammels of war and superior resources which would bind them to dependence, obscurity, and ignorance, and who, though accustomed to their slaves, when duty called and honesty required, guided the plow-handles with the nobility of old Cincinnatus. With a stern will and self-confidence they are making for themselves a future of ,which none shall be ashamed and all shall praise. \Ve see among them enterprises conceived, entered into, and . guided by a steady and strong brain. Schools and colleges are springing into existence every clay to gratify the worthy thirst of her people for knowledge. But all these changes are merely in their incepti \Âˇe state. Others and yet gr.eater must be accomplished if she would fulfil her true

destiny. Old things have passed away a new state of affairs exists to-day, and our people must adapt themselves to the present circumstances. I was struck with the sad need of proficient farming in much of tidewater Virginia (and Northern North Carolina.) It is a wellattested foct that the sufferings and priyations from war of the western part of the State, where slaves were not as numerous and the people's dependence on them Jess, were not to be compared \ViLhthose of the eastern, where large .farms were owned and nume Âˇrous slaves to cultivate them, and to which both armies were largely restricted by the necessity of being near navigable waters, where supplies could be easily obtained and transportation was less difficult. This impoverished the farmer, reduced his farm, and left him without labor or capital to refence, fertilize, and cultivate it. Narrowed down, the demands ttf his family compelled him to pnt in more land than he could properly cultivate and improve. Thus the draining process was continued, and force of habit seemed to call for its continuance. But IVeare glad that many are beginning to look properly at the present. The old system of cultivating large farms can no longer be supported. If it is undertaken when reliable labor cannot be had, they will be reduced to clay knolls and theiJ owners to poverty and despair. Small farms, enriched and carefully tilled by self-labor, raising produce demanded in market, must he the order of , the day. More grass and stock must be grown. We cannot compete with the grnat West in grain. Above all, our people must go to work in earnest. Pride won't fill an empty stomach, nor laziness fulfil a withered desire to be honored of men and felt

THROUGH SOUTHEAST for good in the world. Too many are leaving honest employ to loaf and live by wit; to be sharpers in trade; to wrench from laborers, travellers, and all in their power the last cent possible-a mode of life fruitful of crime, corruption, and conducing to depravity and disintegration of society. We want men of practical education, who respect themselves and integritv of life more than money, . and will not shrivel up to squeeze into a pigeonhole that they may pull out a cent; men of broad philanthropy, who act upon the grand principles which underlie all proper conduct. Pericles; in a crowning speech of Grecian literi:iture, when the Athenians were delaying to declare and prosecute war against the Spartans and their allies,who were imposing on her possessions, in the height of his argument and fire of his eloquence said to his countrymen, "The opportunities of war are not abiding. They are transient. The opportunity for one country to become first in principle, practice, and powei' ; to disseminate its civilization and language, and carry religion; pure and undefiled, to the remotest parts of the earth, is passing. If she will but use the present, she has a future before her that will make the lights of Athens aud Rome pale in comparison and t·he British lion shrink to a cub. I am not a hypochondriac over the present corruption of public ancl private mo·rals, or the' thirst for money and position which leads our youth to seek both ·ithout the routine course of persevera: ce and principle. There are many who have not bowed the knee to Baal 1 and it

\ I

VIRGINIA.

may he hoped that the leaven is of suffi~ cient character and quantity to pervade the whole lump. Let truth permeate and prevail." But to return to our travel: the 'route through the Dismal Swamp impressed us that that place was rightly named, and brought vividly to our mind the poem of Thomas Moore on the youth who lost his mind upon the death of his beloved. '. · '· They made her a grave too cold and damp For a. soul so warm and true; And she's gone to the Lake of the Dismal Swamp, Where all night long, by a fire-fly lamp, She paddles her white canoe," &c.

The solitary dead trees and the thick undergrowth fulfilled the conditions of dismalness, but owing to the drought, thei·e was not water enough in which 'to paddle a canoe. After crossing the swamp, soon cotton-patches began to appear, and they in turn to give place to larger ones until we were in a belt where cotton was the main staple. As we crossed the line between Virginia aiid North Carolina, a large house was pointed out, owned by a Mr. Ridley, through the centre of which the line of the two States ran. At first this seemed rather remarkable, but no doubt desire for notoriety prorn.pts many to build their houses in a like situation. On our i·eturn we passed through Newport News, a place of considerable shipping. From this point to Richmond the ride on the Seinore was delightful, though the scenery and crops were poor except about Williamsburg. But ,enough. "VIATOR."

RICHMOND

COLLEGE MESSENGER.

First

Session.

There are few tim e'i in a man's life in the flowers, would _play. about liim and which his faculti es, imaginative and ralull him to sleep. The worn bricks under tional, are more exercised than when he his fert arouse him from his reverie, and makes his first appearance at college. he steps more lightly, for he feels that they are a memento of the many who After bidding good-bye, with melting eyes, to a fond mother; after receiving · have passed over them before him who the encouraging words of a hopeful fa- have now passed away or are sailing, or ther, the warm embrace of loving sisters, perhaps drifting, upon the broad sea of and liest wishes of friends, he seafs himlife. self in the rattling coach, which hiuries He sees every eye of those assembled him from his home and makes him "a in front of the building upon him •with stranger in a strange land." curious gaze. He knows their thoughts He becomes interested in the new ar e of an inquiring nature; he feels that scenery, the many more Leautiful places they would like to know whether or not than he, perhaps, ever saw before, but ,his they will like him, whether he will prob~ mind naturally wanders hack to the happy ably be their enemy or boon companion. home he has just left, the many friend s As he approaches the group his courage, he haR parted with. He feels he has left to a degree, fails him; he feels his nerves weaken; hardly casting a glance upon all that is dear to him, and is now launching his ship upon tlie rough billows of _any one, he asks of the 1iearest to him uncertainty. The first sight he gets of such questions as relate mostly to the the gigantic building·, fills him '"·ith awe. forms of initiation he is to pass; his This is to be his thraklom, in whid1 so heart feels far more than his lips can utter of thanks to l1is informer while he quickly much of his prime of life is to be spent. Its lofty, unsympathetic towers, Ji fting hurries on, eager to be out of the cold their heads high in the air, as if they were stare that is upon him, watching every motion, weighing every word. the noblest of the nobility, forewarns him There is a feeling of relief and comparaof the reverence and submi ssion which he is to show. He views the lawn, the_ tive satisfaction when he is-seated in the evenly-cut grass, the artistically-trimmed room which is to be, as it were, his home trees, and his mind runs back to the free- and views from the window the throng dom of his home--the towering oaks; coming and going below him. Now they the long, bending grass, which forms a gather in little groups and tell their many ( soft bed, upon which he often was ·wont summer experiences. He watches wit~u to lie and dream of the future, where he much interest the actions and expression ~ of those with whom he is to be as one; 6f would watch the changing clouds, listen to the merry chirp of birds as they would a family, for though all college boys )riave flit by him - where the soft summer their especial friends, yet there is a B'irong fraternal feeling existing among them all. breezes, reaping the rich perfume from

ATLANTIS,

OR "THE

He wonders which of these will be his special friend; which he will spend most of his leisure hours with; which will join him in his evening country strolls and confide with him matters dear to each, from speaking of which such a sensation of pleasure is derived. He wonders when the time for separati 'on has come which hand he will most dislike to clasp in bidding, perhaps, an everlasting farewell. He listens with a smile to the hearty greeting the old boys receive as they again join their friends; to the many nicknames under which they pass; to the many prominent social jokes that pass around, he hears the hearty laughs, and wonders at their origin. His attention is suddenly .attracted· by the loud " Hello ! " that peals across the campus; he hears the friendly slanders that pass between two friends; he watches the eager steps each take to grasp the already-extended hands,

Atlantis,

"TJ1e

Vile are but now beginning to understand the past. The mind of man, heretofore, has probed into the early history of nations, into the crumbling fragments of empires and change of dynasties, through the mediums of classic lore .and primeval history, yet, \ll1til the last century, we have known 1Jothing of Pompeio and Herculaneum ; nothing of the lingual tie that binds together the ludo-European races; nothing of the signfficance of the inscriptions on the temples and monuments; nothing of the arrow-headed inscriptions of Babylon, or the ancient wealth of Peru, Yucatan, a.ud Mexico.

LOST CONTINENT." and sees them return, arms around each other, with radiant smiles upon their faces and impatient to express their utmost felicity. He sees the ml:ny countenances darken and hears the exclamatio~s of sorrow when informati011 is received that m old favorite will not return. He continues to watch, but his mind wanders away into the · future. He cannot refrain a sigh when he thinks of a few years hence, when they shall be scattered far and wide upon the globe; wh~n many miles shall lie between them '; when they have formed other friends and . attachments; how thesewill prey upon tl;e memory of those who were as dear as a brother at college; how those once foremost ·in our affections shall graduall3; fade from memory, and at last drift far from view; far from love, far from recollection. CAW.

Lost

Co11ti11e11t."

We are now beginning to gaze down the historic track of ages, as disclosed to us by tradition, int9 centuries long before the classic Greek sang his bai:d to the fallen hero and the memorable siege · against tlfoimmortal Troy. . . Scholars for many years have attempt.: ed to unravel the mystery of the peopieing of the two continents from one parent; and to explain, 011 various hypothe ·ses, the cause of the analogies between their flora and faun'a, but all such attempts have proved fruitless and have thrown no light whatever on the subject. . This task was left for one of our own age and country; Ignatius Doriuelly, ·who,

RICHMOND

COLLEGE MESSENGER. and only a few persons escaped to eastern and western coasts by meai1s of boats. There can be nothing improbable in the sudden destrudion of that continent, as in our own day, elevations and subsidences in tbe earth's surface are constantly going on. The coast of Norway and Sweden has Leen elevated from two to six hundred feet within the la~t five hundred _years. The Andes have fallen at least two hundred feet in the last seventy years. The capital of China, which at one time was near tbe center of the empire, is now almost surrounded by water. Islands, · in the sea, have risen and sunk within the space of twenty-four hours. In fact, all the present land-surface of the globe formed the bed of-the ocean, while, inv ersely, the portion now covered by the seas waf:, at one time, dry land. The situation of the mythical antediluvian continent is shown by sea-soundings, which have brought to light a submarine mountain extending from the British Isles to the coast of South America; thence in a southeasterly direction to the ·coast of Africa ; thence in a southern direction u~til 'it emerges from the waterE> formiug islands. The law governing the deposition of sediment would prohibit the formation of elevations at the bottom of a sea.

having served his State as Governor and Senator, left th e field of J)Olitics and entered upon the study of this great subject, which will doubtless be fortber looked into by other scientific men. The story of Atlantis is preserved for us by Plato, who lived 400 B. C . . It is true that this history of Atlantis, or the "Lost Continent," a·s told by Plato, was regarded for ages, a fable. The buried cities of Pompeii and Herculaueum were also regarded for centuries as myths, being spoken of ae the "fabulous cities"; for years the educated world n :pudiatcd the account given by Heroditus of the riches of the Nile; there was a time when the expedition sent out by Pharioh Necho to circnnrnavigate Africa was doubted, because the explorers stated that when they had gotten so far south the sun was north of them, a fact which proves that they did double the cape of Good Hope, and thus anticipated by over two thousand years, Vasco de Gama. There is nothing extravagant or inconsistent in the history given by Plato of Atlantis, as he received it from the Egyptians, who, being the first colony sent out by the Atlanteans, preserved an accurate account of this unfortunate land, Plato's story can almost be paralleled by a description of Egypt and Peru. In his description of this land you will find no stories of hobgoblins and giants, but the history ofa plain people, who lrnilt houses, carried on commerce, and were well versed in agriculture. He says that these people aggressEd wantonly against the Egyptians on the east and also subjugated the nati<:mson the west, which Donnelly claims to be the Mexicans and Peruvians; and he also s_tates, that by a terrible convul~iop of pature 1 this islancl was submer~ed 1

This map of the Atlantic bed coincides with the topography of Atlantis as given by the Egyptians to Plato, and by him to us. Thus situated, it would form a highway between the two continents, the points of union being on the east at Northern Africa, and on the west at Mexico or Northern South America. There was, undoubtedly, at one time, land-communications between the two continents 1 as sµowp ip the !},nalogies of

ATLANTIS, OB "THE LOST C6NT1NENT.'' their fauna and flora, and also in resemblances between the manners ancl customs of the nations on both sides of the Atlantic. The national religion of Persia and some other Oriental countries is sunworship. That was also the religion of the Peruvians, huge temples being erected by them to his Majesty the King of Day; both employed sacrificial offerings to appease the anger of their gods. Both the Egyptians and Mexicans were well versed in the science of astronomy; both calculated . the year's length at nearly its present accuracy; both divided the years into months aud the months into weeks; and the discoverers of America found Indians, acquainted with the great northern constellation, .Ursa Major, which they called the "G_reat Bear," the same name by which the Egyptians knew it, when the constellation has not the slightest resemblance to a bear or any other animal. The similarity between the languages of the Me:xicans ancl Peru via us and some branches of the Inda-European family, as related by Prescott in the "Conquest of Peru," is truly remarkable; statues of negroes with flat noses, thick lips, and all the negro characteristics were found by the Spaniards amoug the ruins of the · Indian City of Mexico; while statues of red men have been found in the historic land of the Nile. Now, how could an Indian imagine a Negro unless, at one time, he had carried on intercot1rse with Africa and had seen one? and, also, liow could the Egyptians ha Ye concci\·ed of nn Indian without knowing something of Indian characteristics? vVe fi11dthat the Mexicano and PernYians possessed a civilization not excelled in some respects by many European nations. Let us look for a few moments at the

j!)

analogies between the •animal kingdoms of the two continents. These resemblances show that at one time there was uninterrupted land - communication be- . tween the East and West, by which the animals of both countries mingled freely with each other. We find that the horse originated in America and travelled east,, across the Atlantic. Fossil remains of the camel are found in India, Africa, South America, and Kansas. The remains of the cave-bear of Europe are fomJd to be identical with our Rocky Mountain grizzly. The Norway elk, now nearly extinct, is found to be identical with the moose of the United States. The European cave-wolf is found · to be identical with the, American wolf, while rem•ains of elephants are found in both continents. Let us now compare the flora of the New-World with the flora of the East. Of the three thousand species of plauts, ferns, mosses, &c., found in. the fossil beds of Switzerland, the majority of them have migrated to ' America. The extinct flora of the Miocene age now grow wild in the forests of Virginia, and include the ma.ple, tulip tree, evergreen oaks, and others. The banana, which grows wild in Asia and Africa, was also cultivMed by the aborigines of our country. This plant is seedless, and must have been transplanted by the hand of man. 1t could not have come over by the Pacific, for that ocean is three or four · times as ,Yide as the Atlantic, and the lianana is a plant that cannot stand a Yoyage through tl1e temperate zone. Is it not reasonable to suppose that it wai, brought over by the hand of man by the way of Atlantis, which was supposed to unite with our continent in this squthern latitude where it is cultivated?

RICHMOND COLLEGE MESSENGER.

Prof. Gray tells us that · of the one hundred and fifty-five species of flora found east of Rocky Mountains only seventy-five have made their way west of it. This seems to prove that the dh ;ersity of species entered from the east and travelled west. There is the Cotton plant, spoken of by Heroditus as the tree of In•dia, bearing a fleece more beautiful than the fkece of sheep. This plant is found in both continents, but is thought to be indigenous to our country, because plants transferred to Eastern soil invariably degenerate, while brought from the East to America they as constantly improve. These are a few of the facts which I

now remember as brought forward by learne-d men in proof of the Atlantis which Plato describes so vividly to us, as he obtained his· narrative from the Egyptians ; and they preserved a correct account, as they rame originally from that country. While this is entirely theoretical, as based upon facts, yet it is the only plausible hypothesis which has ever been brought forward in regard to the intercourse which, at one time, must have ei:isted between the two continents, ai:id if not entirely satisfactory, it is something over which we can ponder with interest in the future. S.

It is a ·curious fact that the wild animal known as the candid man, is never able to see your good qualities, but he snaps at your bad ones like a hungry trout at a fly.-N. Y. Herald.

cipated were the most ravenous and gluttonous. They ate incredible quantities of flesh, and at the close of the feast carried off all the bones that had not beeu picked clean. Hunger was not their motive, for they fod every day on antelope and white bear. They prefer the flesh of a white person to that of a negro.

Edgar A. Poe wrote a remarkably legible hand with a steel pen, and was extremely careful to introduce all 'the needed commas, semi-colons, and other punctuation marks. Each page of the manuscript was a small 12mo, pasted carefully to the next page as soon as finished, so that the result was a long sheet of ·matter which looked like a scroll. A gentleman well known in this city has a beautiful example of Poe's penmanship, which he prizes highly, and for which he has been offered a large sum.

Virtue is nothiilg but a just temper between two propensities, any one of which if indulged in to excess becomes vice.-Lord Macaiday.

A German traveller in Africa, who witnessed a cannibal feast of the Paubins tribe, says the yonug women who _parti-

The talent of success is nothing more than doing what you can do well, without a thought of fame.-Longjellow.

Hope is, indeed, a deceitful enchantress, but she sheds a sweet radiance on the stream of life, and never exerts her magic except to our ad vantage.- Wm. Mathews, LL. D.

SOlENTlFJC NOTES. !

SCIENTIFIC A Society for the Advancement of Sci:-

NOTES.

is expected to get up and make the cofence has been formed in Bergen, numberfe_e. Such an apparatus, if trustworthy, ing about a hundred members, the Presishould be -a great conveniimce, but it dent ,being Dr. Danielsen. , would be hard to think of anything worse than for a contrivance of this sort to nudge Prof. Huxley has, offered his resignathe wrong person, after having struck the tiqn as President of the Council of the match in vain. Royal Society. Prof. Stokes has conA remarkable case of color-bliQdness sented to allow himself to ,be nominated has been noticed in one of the employees • as Prof. Huxley's succcssqr in the presidential chair. of the Lake Shore and Michigan f$outh~ ern railroad. Experiments have lately been made by The patient, a man about 40 years old, Dr. P. Isberg to determine with the gal- is a fireman. He was subjected to three vanometer .the limits of elasticity mid the tests. First, colored glass globes · were absolute tension of iron wire of different placed over a gas jet, and the man, at a thickness and with varying contents of distance of 20 feet away, asked to tell the carbon. colors. He named the red globe correctly when it was first used, but on secThe engineers , of the French Service are establishing a telephonic comJ;llunica- ond trial declared it to be green. Then rail way-signal flags of different colors tion between Paris and Rheims, 160 kilwere waved before liim. He called the om,etres from Paris. The Paris terminus red flag green, the g1·een flag red, and of the line will be the Exchange. A sum when two flags, both l'e<l,but of different .· of .one franc for each five minutes will be shades, were waved, the fireman insisted charged f0r conversation. that they were green. The next test was As soon as this line is finished the made with a small rack, in which lmug work will begin of connecting Rouen zephyr worsted of different colors. · The with Paris, 126 kilometres. Rouen has standard color of green was pointed out bee~ already connected with Havre, 78 tQ the mar1, aud he was asked to select kilometres distant, by telephonic line. the worsted in the rack ~f the same color. Conversation between these two cities is very e!\sily held. It is th(;!success of th ls He immediately picked out bright red, systep1 which led to further extension on old gold, and light brown bunches. It is found that about four men in longec distances, every hundred are defective in their eyeA mechaniq in this town, it is said, has sight in tliis respect. W ~men are seldom put together an apparatus which at acerfound color-blind, as they are constantly . tain hour in the morning scratches a training their eyes in selecting colors in match and lights the kitchen fire, and ribbons and dry goods, and in discrimihalf ~n hour fo.ter nudges the person who nating between delicate shades arid tints.

RICHMOND DEATH

Âˇ,

'COLLEGE llfESSENGER. OF Dr.

Our community has been most painfully shocked by the sudden death of Dr. Brown. The sa<l event occurred on Friday the 27th Nov. at 9:20 P. M. Dr. Brown was on the streets on Saturclav the 21st in his usual health, and was e1{gaged to preach the next day at the First Baptist church. But with the day came the last .sickness that was to cmwulse his already wasted and feeble frame. He was too unwell to preach, or even to attend church. No serious apprehensions, however, were entertained until a few hours before the fatal issue. Indeed, he was cheerful and talkative on the afternoon of his last day on earth, greeting bis friends 'with a grateful smile, and begging them . to prolong their stay. But his vital energies had been well-nigh exhausted before sickness came, and when it came he fell, therefore, an easy prey. We shall attempt no sketch of the life of our departed friend and instructor. That task we leave to other and niore competent hands. We shall speak of him only as a college professor, and as he appeared to us in his daily work anti walk. Dr. Brown was indisputably the most intellectual man we have ever known. His mind was always actively at work. We believe that his physical system was weakened, and, at length, undermined by his high intellectuality. He belonged to that noblest type of philosophers who seek knowledge at all times and everywhere because they love it. To stuqy and to learn was a necessity of bis nature. The truth was lovely . in his eyes, ai1d he sought it eagerly because he loved it with a burni,ng passion. Whether his intellectual achievements would bring him fame, or wealth, or dignities were matters that did not occur to him. Not these did he seek, but simply and only what was true. And when he discovered Truth, he clasped her as Goddess fair, and was thrilled and electrified by the embrace. Though he might not hear, yet in his inmo'3t soul he felt, the "music of the

A. D. BR0'1'N.

spheres." To discover the causes of Âˇ things, to trace the connections and dependencies of events, to huild solid theories upon established facts, were the constant and necessary occupations of his mind. And when an intellectual triumph rewarded his labor, what warmth, and glow, and ecstacy suffused his face and tingled along his nerves! What seraphic joy must thrill his now unfettered . soul as it sweeps the boundless Universe, and contemplates, in its multiplied relations and magnificent amplitudes, the truth he loved so well ! Wilh a mincl so vigorous, so inquisitive and active, and devoted through life to scholnstic pursuits, Dr. Brown was, as mu'st needs be, a prodigy of learning. He was at home in the ancient and modern languages, in belles-lettres, in history, in philology, in sociology, in metaphysics, in the positive and exact sciences, not excluding the abstrnse mathematics. Nor did he simply make forays into all these fields of learning. His acquisitions were not only varied, but accurate, thorough, and profound. His aim was to know, not to seem to lrnow. Hence when he grappled with any su~jecL, he did it exhaustively, never relaxing his grasp until he had conquered it. Hence when he wrote, or spoke, or lectured, he pnt the whole domain of leaming under tribute. Facts, illustrations, principles, from every department of science and of literature, came troopi11g in marshalled nm ks, and ready for effective service. His difficulty was not what to say, but what not to say; ' not what to take, but what to reject. And whatever his theme, and how familiar soever with it, he threw into it all his powers at their utmost tension. It was impossible for him, when before an audience, to think slowly ,or to think languidly. Facts and arguments which, falling from other lips, would seem stale and dull, in passing through the glowing alembic of his mind, came out warm and throbbing with life, and rich and radiant

DEATJI OF DR. A. B. BR-0 WN. with beauty. And when the efl<n·t is over, he is left pale, limp, exhausted. He could do nothing except by doing it with all his might, and hence the prostration which attended all his intellectual efforts. His body sn:fferec}in these fierce convulsions, and finally succumbed to the terrific strain. Dr. Brown never made money. It was impossible for him to do it. His thoughts were too intent on other and higher · things. He made fame, it is true, but equally without intending it. It followed him; he sought it not. To his intimate friends he was known to be shrinking and tremulous to a surprising extent, and hence he souglit no occasions of display. He had none of that vulgar ambition which seeks the front and thrusts itself into notice. ,vhen he appeared before the public, it was with a worthy purpose, and was. satisfied if only his object was successfully accomplished. With his towering intellect ·· and his great learning, Dr . Brown was as simple, as transparent, as artless as a' child; "an Israelite indeed, in whom there was no guile." In his dre'3s, manners and conversation, he was utterly unpretentious, and was as accessible, therefore, as the plainest man in the work-shop or the field. Men, and all sorts of men, talked with him freely on all sorts of subjects. There was nothing repellent about him; but his unassuming manner and wonderful resources of thonght and knowledge made him a delightful companion to all classes of people. Nor was it difficult to find his guileless heart, his tendei· sympathy, his overflowiug generosity and love. He practised no tricks, he knew no arts, he never deceived nor betrayed a friend. fo what heart has ever arisen, from what lips has ever fallen, a sentiment unfriendly to Dr. Brown? He is gone; gone to the bosom of his God, whom he served. We have · lost our "guide, philosopher and friend." A void has been made in our midst, which none can fill. In the lonely vigils

of the night, we recall our friend, and bemoan our loss. Quis desiderio sit pudor ·aut modus Tam cari capitis. At a meeting of the Faculty of Richmond College held on Saturday,28thof November, the following resolutions were unanimously adopted: Whereas in the providence of Goel our beloved and honored colleague, Dr. A. B. Brown, has been removed from us by the hand of death; therefore, . . Resolved, 1st. '!'hat we bow with unquestioning faith before the wisdom of the divine will. 2d. '!'hat our deep sorrow for the loss of a beloved brother, a learned and able colleague, a distinguished scholar, a gentle and loving friend; and a noble man, ·with the qualities of bead and heart that eminently fitted him for all the relations and duties of life, is only on behalf of his family, of ourselves, and of the friends of tbP college, because we know that the change .for him is again beyond all words or thoughts of ours. 3d. 'l'hat we extend to his stricken family our sincere and heartfelt sympathy in this their great bereavement. 4th. '!'hat these resolutions be spread upon a page of the Record-Book of the Faculty, and that a copy of them be sent to the bereaved family of the deceased. E. HARRISON.

Secretary of Faculty. Richmond College, Nov. 28th, 1885. A Tribute

Croin tl•e Students.

Wh ~reas It has pleased Almighty Ood to remove from eart.h to heaven our highly-este1>med and de11,rly-beloved teacher and friend, Dr. A. B. Brown; 11,ndwlwr e11,swe keenly feel our great atllictton In the death of one who has always m1mlfested for us the kindliest feelings and shown even a father's Interest in our welfn1·e: and whereas we have lost a counsellor in whom there was united the qualities of a profound scholar to those of a noble Christian, and who was to us a most ennobling and Inspiring example: Resnl'ved, That we. the students of Richmond Col• lege, feel humbly grate!ul to a kind Providence that we have bPen permitted to know and sit at the feet of such a Christlike and inspiring instructor, and bow with submission to the dPcree of Infinite Wisdom and Love in severing the tie that has bound us together here, for ·• we know that all things w01·k together for good to them that love God." R esolved, That we tender our hearty condolence to the bereaved family in their heavy and irreparable loss. Resolved, That these resolutions be published In the Richmond College Jfessenger and In the Religious Herald, and that a copy be sent to the family of the deceased. W.A.BORUM,

0. L. STEARNES,

R. D. TU0KER, J.P. MASSIE,' L. J. HALEY, Jr., Oornrnittu.

RICHJ!IOND ' COLLEGE MESSENGER.

EDITORIAL TiiE

PROHIBITION

QuESTION.-The

recent contest in Atlanta between the Prohibitionists and the Liquor Dealers has attracted much notice frqm the newspapers generally. Whether the sale of liquor should be prohibited by the laws of a State or Town where there is so small a majority as in Atlanta is a question of grave importance, and even of serious doubt.. . If the peopl e are not impr essed with the horrors and the degrading inftnence of the Barroom, and if pnblic sentiment be noteducated to look upon the traffic with disgust and loathing, there is little use of passing a law to compel these pe~ple to stop their selling poi son. It may even increase crime to pass such a law, for ·men who will not hesitate to sell liquor under the protection of the law will have no scruples about breaking the law. Look at the Sunday-law in Richmond. It forbids traffic on the Sabbath day; still, what observing man is there who cannot go on the streets . and see that there are a vast number of the 19rog-shopswith side doors, and that these side doors are _strangely familiar to some classes of men and never closed on Sunday? And so it is likely to be in case of Local Option or Prohibition. The letter of the law will hardly be enthusiastically carried out unless there be 'instilled into the minds of the people a little more of the spirit of the law. Let the people be trained to look down OU this traffic; let them be educated in the fact that they are responsible and not the law) teach them .conceming the mul-

CHAIR. titncle of evils springing from this source; then there will necessarily follow Local Option, Prohibition, as well without the interference of Legislature as with 'its interference. THE

NEW MINISTER

TO SPAIN.-The

appointment by President Cleveland · of Dr. J. L. M. Cnr'ry to the Spanis~ mis .. sion, and his recent sailing from this country to his new post of duty, has· temporarily deprived our college of one of its most adive friend ·s and ardent supporters. Ever since Dr. Curry gave up his '1rnti ve State of Alabama for Virginia ' he has been zealous in all that pertained to the interests and well-being of his State by adoption. His patriotism and public spirit have won for him the respect and · ailmiration of all. He ·was for about thirteen years professor or' E11glish and Philosophy in our college, ha;ing resigned to accept the superintendency of the Peilbo~y Fund, a position for whi'ch liis clear "head and wide acqi1aintance giv'e him .peculiar fitness. He has, perhaps, addre,ssed more legislatures than any other man in this country or ~my other. Sin'ce the death of Mr. Jas. Thomas, in 1882, Dr. Curry has been the president of our Board of Trustees. He is universally belo\'ed by the students, a_nd they greatly disl _ike to have so good a friend so far away. The President, however, is· to be congratulated for the great wisdom shown in .the appointment ' of Dr. Curry: , He is a representative of 'the best sentiment of the people, a 'represei1tative of that ele~

EDITORIAL ment which is what it is, from principle and for no otlier reason. Dr. Curry is ·no politician, but an American. The appointment of sueh meu to public office looks toward a better day for the health of our civil-service. The office sought the man, and not the man the office. Which remihds us to say, that if instead of the scores and ht~ndreds of office-seekers with which our country is constantly flooded, we should find the office going out seeking the man, a grand stride will hlwe heen made toward national perfection. Our country wants men of broad and liberal statesmanship, men of high moral character, integrity and worth, to fill its positions of honor and trt1st. There were some nanow-minded men, foolish enough to raise objection to Dr: Curry's appointment, on the ground that a ma!l of such Protestant predilections shoulrl not be seut to Catholic Spain. But-excuse the expression-such talk was all bash. The day is past when a religion rt•commcnds a man to, or debars him from political station. The spirit of Roger Williams is too strongly folt in the minds and hearts of the American people for them to have countenanced sueh nonsense. Dr. Curry's friends were very reluctant to give him up, even for a-season. One of the members of the Board of Trustees after his appointment facetiously remarked that the best and only way to get him to obey the wishts of his frie~ds and remain in .America \Yas to get up a Lig banquet in his hono1·, get him to make a big speech, and something would crrtainly be said which would be so construed as to keep him at home. But , Dr. Curry is a man cautious in speech, and no one .feared a repetition of the experi-

CHAIR.

tnce of our good friend and much-abused Ex-Minister-to-Italy-imd-to-Austria~inrapid-succession-and-then-to-neither Mr. Reiley, who, simplj, for sometl?ing said in a speech once, was relegated to his own 11ative land. Dr. Curry was tendered a banquet by his fellow-citizens of Richmond, but was compelled to decline for lack of time, as he was pressed by business engagements and preparations for leaving, up to thG very day he sailed. The students were very much disappointed that they could ·not have the pleasure of hearing Dr. Curry's address on "The English Government," before his departure; as they had expected. But an unforseeu. call to Washington compelled them to forego the pleasure. Before leaving, Dr. Curry added a large number of valuable things to his already numerous gifts to om· library and museum. Besides a number of books he also presented and loaned quite a ha11dsome collection of natural cur,iosities, and the productions of the hands of men, both enlightened and savage. Among them are found instruments of war, such as a shield of rhi11oceros hide, as impenetrable as steel; a sword: relic of the Franco-Prussian war; rock .from top of Mt. Sinai, Eastern idols, toys, and crockery; the autographs of all the Presidents except Washington, Harris~n ~nd Taylor, also of Patrick Henry, John C. Calhoun, W. L. Yancey, Alexander H. Stephens, George Bancroft, James Russell Lowell, Joseph Cook, C . .H. Spurgeon, ,John Bright, and many other celebrities; the ritual of the famous KnowNothing party. There may also be found among the collection Andrew Johnson's receipt for three dollars and fifty cents, for making a coat, giYeu when Andy · was

RIOHJJIOND COLLEGE MESSENGER. not President Johnson but an humble tailor. But it is impossible here to mention all the interesting and cnrions things , among the collection·. Good luck to Dr. Curry in the discharge of his newly-assumed duties. He writes that he has arrived safely, and has been . well received. V{ e are confident he will be as successful a Minister Plenipotentiary and Envoy Extraordinary at the court of the little Metcedes as he has been a preacher, educator, lawyer, and statesman, ' in his native country.

No,·ember 27th our College was visited by Rev. R. T. Bryan, recently appointed missionury to China. He met many of the students in the chapel• and addrrssed the!u in an informal way on the subject of Foreign Missions. His . earnest tulk was much rnjoyed, and did, we think, real good. We much enjoyed seeing and hearing Mr. B., a)l(l shaH follow him with much interest and l:'yn1pathy to his distant home amo11g the heathen Chinese.

LOCALS. How much holiday Christmas? Did you invite me home with yon ? Foot-ball and mashing, then comes the " Killer." Besides Dr. Curry's donation tlie Library received, a day or two ago, some handsome donations from New York.

" J

Why ~s it that the Executive Committee of the Gymnasium Association will let those small down-town boys overrun and b~:eak up our gymnasium? Did :we have the gymnasium fixed up to be torn to pieces by outsiders? Professor of Greek to Mr. _M.: "What means daugter." - Mr. M.: "Thugater." Professor: "Very well; it's painful for me to say so, but I must ask you to decline her." Mr. M. (after a complete failure): "lt's very pleasant for me to say I can• not d~cline her,"

During the week of the Assotiation there were registered two hnndred and three visitors, among them mmiy distinguished personages, SL1chas: 0. L. S., of Rome, Italy; C. T. S., of Berlin, Germany; B. R..B., of London, England ; C. B. T., of Paris, France. • Si11ce sawdust has been put in the gymnasium it is now a place for pleasure as well as for recreation. . The Mu Sigma Rlio_Society will have its annual public debate on th~ 13th of December. A pleasant time is anticipated, and we hope that many "fair ones" may be present to inspire the boys. The Philologian Society will have its debate some time after Christmas, but' the fixed time will be mcntioneJ hereafter. .

A pleasant sensation was produce<l some short time ago upon minds puzzling in mysteries by the sound of Dixie undrr the window by a hand-organ, to which was attached a gallal1t monkey. Bnt,

LOCAJA. ,. 'Here ! Here ! That'll do," ·by one of the professors, soon persuaded "Mr. Morgan to take his organ And play in another street."

Mr. T., ·one night during the Association, while sitting very comfortably on the floor in the gallery, by some mistake or other fell into a gentle doze; but sud~enly he was aroused by the speaker striking his hand on the table, when Mr. T. was heard to exclaim, "I can't get the co-ordinates of that point to save me." Mr. T. had evidently been raeki1w brain ":ith Int. Muth. b his . Not long since Mr. B., anxious to send his girl the Jfesscngcr (as he .said), wa'l put to some trouble to know her address, as she had just left for school, and no one but her parents could give him the desired information. Now, this was a delicate question for Mr. B. to ask, but so uncontrollable was that desire to sc,nd not only THE J,fessengerbut the white-winged messenO'er to that fair one, that he reigned up his °energy and soon found himself asking that stern pater what was the address of .Miss --We cannot tell what became of Mr. B. when he was informed that the old gentleman did not know, but we sympathize with him (that is, Mr. B.) and would he grateful if some kind friend would tell him "where, oh! where, she has gone." A few Saturdays ago several of the young ladies from the "0 \ F. I." were in the city under the care of one of _!,he teachers, and in passing through the "Capitol Square" they saw some of t~e convicts stooping over fixing the grass, when Miss L. turned to Miss V. and ex-

claimed, "Oh, look at those zebras; they are just too cute ,.wr any th'mg. " Prof. Willoughby Reade, b.esides seve-:ral clnsses in the city, succeeded in getting up quite a good class of the stlJden~ i1ere at College. He gave a course of ten lectures, and from the "bursts Qf applause" whirh followed duriug the after:noons in the chapel the : lectures : were quite enjoyable, besides instructive. Oo.e of the lectures was on Facial Expressions, and if you had been allowed that "exqui. site pleasure," as we were, of looki:r;ig through the window, and had ·notiG!ld Mr. W .'s expression, "it could n~'er be forgot." On Tuesday night, ~ov.ember 17th, he closed his series of lec.tures with an entertainment at S.anger Hall, given bv himtlelf and his class here at College. The Professor delighted his audience with severai humorous selections, but we wern all disappointed that be was so suffering with a cold as to be unable to give a recitation of" Poe's Raven." At the .conclusion of his recitations there was a reading con test for a gold medal given by Prof. Reade to bis class at College. There were nine or ten contestants, and each gentle. man showed himself thoroughly conversant with bis piece. In fact, we don' .t think that we ever saw or heard a set of young meiJ'.,onthe whole do so well. At the close of the contest the judges retired, and after a few minutes returned, and Prof. Reade announr.ed the result by callin(J' forward Mr. 0. A. Folk, of. Tennesse:, and awarding the medal to him. The audience . thl'Oughout was very attentive, and thus close(] a very pleasant enter__. tainment. Accortling to agreement, on Thursday, No\'ember 26, (Thanksgiving Day,) the

138

RICHMOND COLLEGE MESSENGER.

boys from Ashland arrived on the morning train, ready to play a match game of foot-ball. They eclipsed us in some degree by having holiday, but uevertheles_s our Chairman allowed us to " dine " at 2 o'clock, thereby cutting off one hour of our recitation time. After a hearty repast the boys attired themselves in "foot-ball armor" and repaired to the field of battle~that part of the cam pus on Broad street. The sun was not shining, but it was a cold, crisp afternoon -- one especially adapted for foot-ball. The game started by giving the Ashland b<iys the "buck." Now it comes with all kinds of gymnastic performances - scrambling, crawling, rolling, tumbling, falling-and our boys actually turned the campus into a "skating rink," from the manner in which they cut the figure '', 8 ." But I will say here ·that the last-named performance was occasioned by our bo"ys not having spikes, while the Ashland boys did. Well, after a short contest the game resulted , in a victory for the visitors. It now looked as if our boys had a poor chance if you looked at the size men on the two clubs; but as soon as we saw I. captain throw down his cap and " wink" his eye we knew something "was up.-" And . thus we found -it so, for our boys won the next three games, which being the best three out of fonr, they did uot have to play another; so · we were declared the winners of the regular championship game. The games ha'ving been played in , such a short time-it lackecl a good deal of being dark - so the two clubs decided to have another "match game." The first match game was played with our ball, the second with the visitors' ball. In the second match game the first round was won by Randolph-Macon

and the second by our boys. No\V comes the tug of war, IVhich,after a heated contest, was won by the visitors . . Our boys · were m~ab1e to manage th_e visitoxs' hall, it being a size or two . smaller than they had ever played with. Thus was played two ,·ery exciting and interesting games. The visitors are a fine-looking set of young men, affable and pleasant, and to whom we always extend a r.ordial welcome. We expect to play the return gnme in a week or two, The following composed the "eleven": Captain, W. A. Harris ; goal-keepers, E. B. Hatcher and R. A. Cutler; backers, R : A. Will.rnr and H. H. Ha~ris Jr.; . in enemy's goal, B. R. Bostick and 0. L. Stearnes; rushers, J. L. Brown, A. J. Dickins<m, A. H. Hill, L. J. Haley, Jr. On Friday afternoon, November 13th, dnriug the week of the holding of the " June Meetings," occq.rred one of the most pleasant occasions eve1· witnessed at our College. It was a reunion of the old and the new members of the Mu Sigma Rho and Philologian Literary Societies. It was a reunion in fact - a reunion of heart arnl soul. The venerable fathers, as they stood once again under the walls of their old Alma Mater, seemed inspired with their very stu~·om1<lings,arnl, caliing up past recollections and forgottet1 memories, they stood with their faces radiant with pleasure as they spoke in glowing terms of their assoeiations in the "happy long ago." These old colleagues stood, shook hands, and embraced eaeh other on the very floor where once they had . stood as bitter opponents on some momentous question, and whose eloquence will long be remembered. The afternoon was cloudy and rainy, greatly to the dis-

LOCALS.

fJ9

Then followed ¾r ·. James, the father appointment of all, but notwithstanding of the Mess Rall, who met with the all that it was made to be as bright and warmest applause, as all of us could beautiful as any one could imagine, and sympathize with h1m in the highest dethe meeting was one long to be rememgree. · bered. The reunion occurred in the Phi·Rev. H. M. ·Wharton, · of Baltimore, lologian Hall from the fact that the last who, though not an alumnus, folt as if meeting of this hind was held in the hall of the Mu Sigma Rho. Rev. Dr. Mc- he was a relative of Richmond College, Cown, an old preside11t of the M. S. R. gave some 'splendid remarks, which were · Society, presided over the meeting. On roundly applauded. Rev. ,Jolni R. Bagby gave a fo~ interassuming the chair he made a very pleas' · · ant address, telling the members that he esting remarks. Rev. Mr. Cook responded fery .plt:afelt as if transported into the fields of the santly and happily. · past and once more among brothers. He Next followed Rev. A. E. Owen, who then called on an old collegernate of his, Rev. John Ryland, who led in a feeling gave us a verr, witty spee9h ou his first arrival at college aud the experie:i;icesof prayer. After this, Mr. A. J. Dickinson, on behalf of the two societies, made the a '' country la<l." Rev. R.R. Acree follo\ved with a very welcoming address in a very happy and "taking" speech by alluding to the pleasant style; after which Dr. McCown threw open the meeting and said that he scrapes he used to be a participant ii1 when here at college,· closing with a very hoped all would feel free to speak and graphic description of 1a night when he give forth the feelings of their heart. was caught by our honored Professor of Rev. Mr. Winfre ~tarted the '' ball rollGreek with bis "tin horn" ready and his ing," and in a very pleasant speech spoke of the benefit he derived from being a twine already "looped." His i;;peechwas very witty and spicy member of the Literary Society, it beiug indeed, and was euthusiastically received. more or as much good t~ him as any After a few remar'ks by Rev. J. M . . school in College. Luck, Judge Swann, of Botetourt, folRev. M1·. Dargan, of Petersburg, gave ns a nic~ and spicy speech, which was lowed with some timely remarks. Dr. Sydnor closed the meeting with warmly received. some sounq and sensible words, and thus Rev. Mr. Donaldson, of Ports;uouth, adjourned a most pleasant meeting: · said that one of the happiest mo;nents of The meeting could have continued his life was when he was permitted to much longer with pleasure, but on acenjoy the advantages of these societies. He said that ir' he had the time to. go count of the meeting of the Association at over again there are three things which night, we were compelled to 'separate. A large number of Mu Sigma Rhobe would do: (1.) That he would throw his whole mind and soul in every de- .nians and Philologians were present, and ·• the occasic,n will long be remembered bate. (2.) Never miss a class. (3.) Never miss trying for a medal offered at Col- with wishes that a similar meeting is not · leg~. ' far distant.

RICHMONJJ COJ)LEGE MESSENGER.

A'mong the 'many letters received by our •Chairman since the death of Dr. Brown, few are rtiore te1Hler or truer than the following ·from Dr. Massie; formerly Professor of Modern Languages here and no\v in the University of Tennessee: KNOXVILLE,

TENN.,

Nov. 30th, 1885.

My Dear Hm·ris : \Vhen I came home to ,dinner to-day, the Dispatc-h of Saturday morning had just heen delivered, and on opening it the first thing that caught ·my eye was the 'anno1tncement of our dear friend, Dr. Brown's death. I was shocked into complete bewilderment, and all the afteri10on it has borne in ur,on me as a terrible burden . . I have so keen a sense of personal bereavement that I foel that my heah \votild burst, if it be riot allowed to titter a wail of larr1~ntation; and for this purpose I turn to you who ha,,e stood in closest relatio1is with him so long, and with whom sb much of my· own striving and achieving is so intimately associated. He was the truest, purest, noblest, lo\'e-

hest of men; at1d I admired, hot1ored, revered-yea, I loved him. In him the simplicity of cliildhood was beautifully, sweetly blended with the might of a developed giant. Who ·,could fix a limit to his hur1gering and thi11sting after knowledge, to his intem;e and de,~oted love of sweet learning? · or who could measure the minuteness ·an·d profoundness of his -varied ·a·cquiremeuts ! He was a grand man, and yet •his grandeur did not prevent one's getting dose to him and loving him. I thank God that I was permitted to know him and be thrown wi,tn. him. Row the links that hind us to this earthly life are smipping; and as each breaks, how much closer :rnd stronger the remaining onrs Lecome ! You and I, my dear old friend, are fast growing -to be vete1'ans, . and we see the regions of younger life thronging and crowding with oul' juniors. May we_ be found faithful ahd true to the end, as was he whom we mourn. Truly and sincerely your friend, RODES

MASSIE.

PERSONALS. 'Just as we were looking around for personals, who should drop in upon us but J. D. Garrett, of session '80-2, looking liright and happy. We did not 'wonder at hi:s·brighbnd joyful looks as soon as we ascertaiued ·that he was passing through Richmond with his bride. We are glad to see he has started out so well, and we e:;i.:tendour hearty congratulations.

cipal of a high-school at Modestown, Accomac county. J. F. Slade, of sessi<:>ns'82-4, is ,now one of the "Meds" at the University of Virginia. How is foot-ball, "Slide"?

A'lfred •Bagby, Jr., 'df '84-5, is teaching school at 'Mechum's river, Albemarle county. J. W-. Hensrm, of '8'2~4, 'is ·now principal of an acadetny in Louisa county. G. C. Bundick, of '80-4, is now 'prin- . W. F. Gunter, '82-5, is now in the

EXCH<A 路NG ES.

county clerk's office of Accomac county. ,TohniBarker, of session '83 ,-A, is now professor in the Chester Female Institute. How are the girls, John? M. L. Wood, of '82-4, is prearhingin New Kent county. A. ,1.Montague, of sessions '80-2, is

now p11actici11gI law in Danv.ille, Va. Come up to see us, Jack. R. H. Tucker, of '84-5, is now teaching in Amherst. How 路 do you ,like it, "Rat"? J. B. Lemon aml E. vV: Stone are now attending the Seminary . at Rochester,

N.Y.

EXCHANGES. Ouv exchangE:s,this ~month, have many good things to say of us. The following are a few of the numei:ous comments :

worthy of commendation. Co.me aga.in; you are always welcome.-Ala;io and San JacintQ Monthly. :

The OctoLer number of The Messenger contains, as usual, some interesting and instructive matter. Its opening poem, "A Query," has a rythmic flow, beautiful and atlracti ve - sentiments corresponding. Among its articles, " Men of Letters" evinces considerable thought and research on the purt ' of the writer . . The v.isits of The Messenger are always looked forward to with pleasure, since, as it sayi,, our re$pective colleges are connected by strong ties in the persons of two of our ablest profossors.-Georgrtown College Magazine.

The , Jfess~nger, from. Richmond ,College, excites our profoundest admiration. We can.remember the time ,;yhen we had a partiality for, the village band b~cause the drum made the most n~ise J but in this day and age we are tempted to say, "Who is this that multiplieth words without reason?" In , this case we will admit that we found interesting reading which if told in fewer wor:ds wou Id have been really creditable.-St. 0 hades College Gazette.

'The Richmond College Mes8engff hae a promii1eilt place on our table. We consider it one of the best of onr exchanges. College Banner. The Messenger, a literary monthly, Richmond College, Va., '' is in the vigor of youth." With the puesent issue it enter~ upon its second year'~ labor with fair pr,ospects. It ii, teeming wjth interestfog essays on live issues. It is ~ well-timed and neatly - arranged i;n.agazine1 and is

The University Voice, (Wooster, 0.,) though in appearance more like a thirdrate county sheet than a college journal, is a very interesting paper, its frnture being a large amount of college news. Its "Student Life in Munich." is very interesting. As winter approached路, the young ladies of W ebleyan Uollege have clothed 路their Portfolio with an outer garment (a longneeded piece of ~pparel) which, though rather a "freak. of f:;lshion," i~ neat 1

,, '

' '

RICHMOND

COLLEGE

unique, an<l ,unusual, and adds much to the style of the "Port." We congratulate Miss "M-ina' .' upon her "Adversity and Pr<?sperjty." were,m uch pleased with the piece not only because many of its sentiments struck . rer,;ponsive chords in our own heart, but __we think it really meritorious.

MESSENGER.

sdf-5ustaine<l in tone, and indicates sensible editorship. The article on "Ham- · let's Madness" shows literary research and a lively imagination on the part of the author. The Exchange editor bas a proper conception of what the Exchange column should be.

The University (Va.) Magazine is noWe welcome the University Mirror as ticeable for the breadth and scope of the ( _valuable acquisition to our exchange topics throughout. Subjects upon educalist. It is" sprightly, terse, and attrncttion, upon art, and upon literary themes i ve." Its cover is a_d'eep green-we supare equally well discussed. The e<litopose in honor of the verdancy of its . rials take · for their basis current affairs, '' Freshies." and express their sentiments in a pleasing manner. The Blac·kburr1:iande.,·otPs too much space to dry locals and , too _little to , liteThe Peddie Iristitute Ch1·onicle,one of rary matter. Its only literary artiele is our new exchanges, is printed in clear au oratio11, (entitled ," An Unfinished type upon heavy paper. Its articles are Task," in which the orator becomes en- short but numerous, thus making it i:nore thm,ed over the negro imd says, "What breezy and inten-'sting. It .s chief defect shall we do with him?" is the great prohis its unattractive cover. lt•m w-hich should engage the attention of Among onr weeklies, we welcome the Amerfrm1 statesmen. . · prim little Reporter, from Athens, Ga: It The Bethany C"ll1gian comes to us in is a sparkling and breezy littl(l sheet, bristling with wit and humor. Considered bright and 'attractive garb, and its intefrom a literary standpoint; it is rather rior is quite as attractive as its exterior. It only lacks an Exchange column to unassuming. make it an excellent paper. We acknowledge the arrival of _the

College111) :ssage(Greensboro Female Col-

We read with infinite delight in the

·Speculum (St. John's, N. Y.,) a piece on " Mistakes about the South." In a very

praiseworthy manner the author attempts to show what an erroneous idea the masses Among the numerous new visitors to of the Northern people have of the South. our sanctum we welcome with special de- For the vile purposes of party capital they have heard abnse of the South from light . the Wabash. It is a highly interesting ·and instructive paper.from :Froni'is- every stump-speaker aud ramp~ign orator from the ti.me of their earliest recollection. piei,e to Finis. This unworthy practice has been followed The Qqll.iop ~qn Clarion is a good rep- · by all the 1~ew .s, papers and magazines, and resenfa'tive college paper. It is firn1 and (shame on them!) has beeu ' indulged m lege), a pleasant !:md readable sheet..

OOLLEGE 'N.EWS AND FUN. ·tty mm1y college papers. It is 1i?L strange, tli'en, that the musses believe the South 'to be a " barbarous country, scarcely worthy of being called civilized." When the clouds of prejudice and hatred shall have been dispersed by the light of truth, the glorious South will be seen in lier true light us the representative of preciot1s memories, happy childhood, noble manhood, knightly chivalry, patriarchal hospitality, beautiful women, Italian sunsets, balmy atmosphere, · musical streamlets, crystal lakes and rolling rivers. Then will capital flow in upon her, and this fofr bnd of ours will blos:,;omas the rose. An exchange tells us that a young Indian has applied for admission at West Point. We think this sho 11 s that if ·he knows anything about the life of that institution that he has no desire to becomecivilized. "The weakest and least elastic wood is the fe 1us aiirea.;' We suppose tliis 1s

COLLEGE

Ohio has more colleges than all Europ1• ·: John S. Wise, the defeated candidate

the kind of wood of w'hich tile pfo'tfo'rtn of a:certain political party ii1 this 'State w:is constructed. "Cornell ' b9asts of a mummy 3,000 years old." Richmond College beats that by 500 years. "Sixteen collrge presiflencies a:re vacant." These will all be filled wHe1rtile annual Virginia ,crop is ripe.-I)ispatch. Nine tenths of college gradbates a,re Republieans.-Ex. \\' e def)· you to produce the figures. An exchange has discovered that W. ~nd Jay Gould never go to church. This emphasizes the need of a church where the wllection plate is not passed around. ·

H. Vanderbilt

An exchange ·prints an articl _e entitled '' Dressing for Photographs." Judgi1;g from the photographs of famous actresses, they apparently <lon't dress for theh1.

NEWS

Although we already have charge of ·1 three de_imrtmen:s, we desire with this month's issue to mtroduce a uew department, which we are confident will ndd .to the merits of the MESSENGER. We approve n proper quantum of solid matt.er, but think it should be il1terspersed a11d seasoned \\'ith interesting news and spicy fon.-[Ex. ED.]

AND FUN.

for Governor of Virginia, belongs to Beta Theta Pi. '' There is a college to e,·ery h'undred square miles in the United States. There are five lady law-s'tudeiHs at Michigan University this year. At least one fourth of the students m German universities are Americans. The University of California has an endowment fond ·of $4,000,000. There are bnt three eollege daili'es · i11 existence: The Yale News, the Hcirvard

RICHjyfQND

COLLEGE

.llfESSENGER .

.()·imson and - the Cornell S-wn, founded \ as cross as a bear." ,He-" Is that so'? -respectively in 1878, 1879, and 1880. Well, then, I guess we ought to be caged, The P.rincetoni1m is publishPd every for I'm that way too." She-" You other day, but the project of issuing a wouldn't scratch, would you?" Hedaily at Princeton is now being agitated. " No, indeed, bears don't do that; they Vassar alnmme are trying to raise hiig, don't they?" Exit. rep01;ter.- Und ergrachiate. $20,000 for a new gymnasium. Horace rode along the sacr ed way on a mule, but the modern sophomore follows him on a pony.-Ex. Soph. · (in debate): "Cmsar says all Gaul is divided into three parts. My speech is not all gall, but is divided into three parts." The first American college paper was publised in 1810, at Dartmouth College; name, Dartmouth Gazette. Advice to Freshman: Honor thy professors in the days of thy youth, that thou mayest be Mlid before thy Senior year.-Ex. Profesc;;or in Systematic Theology : "Where is the lesson to-day, gentlemen?'' Student : "It begins at good angels and goes to the devil."-Ex. "Adieu," she said sweetly, as he kisi;ed her good-night. '' He's adieu'd, ain't he?" sang out her little brother, as he vanished up istafrs.-Ex. WASHINGTONUNIVERSITY-- The senior class has learned the philosophical definition of a door-"A partial negation of the totality of a mural structure." Seven thousand and two hundred volumes have just been added to Brown's library, bringing the total up to 63,000 books and pamphlets. Freshie remarked as they met on the stairs : " Good morning, Miss --; how are yon this morning?" Sh~-•' 0 1 I'm

Alleghany College (Pa.) has adopted the Monday holiday, and the system is gi\'ing satisfaction. Tlie Monday holiday is fast gaining ground. A good college paper is worth 1J1ore for the moral anJ grntlemanly tone of college life than a whole library of bylaws and an army of fac11lty spies.N. Y. Inclepenclent. ·

1\'li:,sMaria Mitchell, the well-known professor ' in Vassar College, received upon her 67th birthday, not long ago, a jelly cake of 67 layers. What ,~ill the Vassar girls do next? Professor (holding up a written exercise) : " I perceive that this one w.as copied from outside helps. The man who handed it in will remain." A half-dozen remained.- Yale Record. Fresh (reading Virgil): "And thrice I trietl to throw my arms around herthat was as for as I got, Professor." Prof.: "That was quite far enough."--

Ex lliYPONY.

My pony, 'tis of thee, E rn blem of liberty, To thee I sing. Book oi my Freshman clays, Worthy of fo11dest praise, W Ol'thy of poet's lays, I'd tribute bring.-Ex.

Illustrated lecture in· General Chemistry.-Professor: "I ,villnow trent," &c. Smith (who hus been clozing under the

( COtLEaE NP:WSA.NJ) FtJN.· influtnce of recent potations, half aroused by thr. fami liar sound): "Good f'r yon,

ol' boy."-Mich.

Argonaut .

"Does your family play ball?" was asked of a little shaver. "Me and mother does," he replied. "I bawl and Rhe make s tlie base hit s ."

" N o, I'm the pearl that \vas cast before swine." There was a long silence, broken only by the buzz of flies in the milk~ pitcber.-Ex.

She had just returned from Vassar, and papa was stroking her hair fondly. "I hope, my dear," said the old man, "that you haven't acquired any of the A sweet girl-graduate writes to her old vulg ar, slang phrases which so many of sehoolmate: th e Vassar young ladies are said to us·e." • ''Deer· Sally,-The weather whare we 1I haven't, papa,., she replied, "You bet is air hot, and I suppose whare you is it air hotter. vVe awl is wee1, and muther ·brightly; "when . anybody catches me talking slang he is especially invited is gott the histarracks, and brother Tom slu g me in the seventh rib." has got the Hoppin Koff, and sister Sue "That is right, my daughter; ~never inhas gotta Lahy, and hope the se few lines dulge in slang. It gives a young lady willJ ind you in tbe same condishun. dead away."-E ,echange. · , "Rite suue.

"YouR

APHECSHUNATE

KusIN."

-[Ex. A couple of estimabl e y~~ng men entered the lndi:ma •¢ ;1iversity as Juniors this year, and the Gi•eeks at once marked them for their own. t l1ey put '.tlie1n on .the pinnacle and showed' them, etc., but they w·ere still obdurate. Finally, the ,Juniors feeling death to _be about to approach them unless they could '' kill" off the frat. men, they wrote out this , placanl : "\Ve have positively decided that we will uot join any fraternity-This means what it says-Don't "fool with us--Hands off." They then signed the card, drove a nail through it into the wall, and hung a revolver on the nail.-Reporter. " So you are the new girl," said tlie boarder to the new waiter; ': all(l by what name are we to <:all yon?" "Pearl," said the maid with · a saucy toss of her head. "Oh!" asked the smart hoarder, " are you the pearl of great price ? "

"I think your moustache is lovely, Mr. Smith, and I only wish I had it on my face," she said as the gazed into his face with a sort of gone look. And the infernal old dolt didn't catch on, but only remarked that he thou ght it was very good for a thr ee-months' growth. The good-humored Dr. McCosh, whose gray hair s seem about' to be brought in sorrow to the grave .by the , Princeton · boys, has smiled scores of times when told tlrnt the secret and sepulchral midnight password of the students was ",Timmi e McCosh, by Gosh ! "-Ex. vVar seems to be in the air at Kansas U niversi .ty over some trouble in the publication of the college paper. The Coiii-ie1" has for its m~tto, "Frat ernity rule must be bi:oken." Pr esident Noah Porter, (if Yale College, hns tender ed his resignation, to take effi::ct at the close of the present collegeyear. Although he declines to give the reasons which ha\ ·e induced him t~ take

¾', •,

RICHMOND

COLLEGE MESSENGER. {

this step, one can rPadily foresee that it may hnve some important ~011seqne1wes. ·Just now, w he11 snch vigorous attempts are making to overthrow the traditional

educational policies Qf our leadi1~g colleges, any change inrtheir chief -execnti ,vt•s is a matter of con iiclerable solidtu<le.-

Ex.

SELECTIONS. One day a flash of lightning struck a mortal, The ghost he didn't yield; Above his heart, a11clill'his bosom pocket, A Bible was his shield. A marvellous deliverance, and 1yorthy Of any poet's rhyme; Bitt just suppoee that mortal haclbeeri reading His Bible at the time.-Puck.

"A young literary man in Portland recently had the fingers of his right hand cut off at_ the first joint. He will now write in shortltand.1' '' The gold<:>nmoments in the Ftrenm of life rm,h past us, arnl we see nothing but sand; the angels come to visit us, and we only know them when they are gnne."-

Geo1'ge1;tiot. A d(•licate little girl just retunwd from a farm where she had bc('ll i:;ent.to i:;pencl the summer for her health, said : "The pump out there gives milk." " lt does ?" asked her mother. "Yes, I rnw the forme~· pump into a can: and I lookPd in .it and , saw nothing but milk."-Ex. A Georgia darkey prays with di s<'retion. '' If I ask the Lord to send me a turJ,;ey I won't get it; but if I ask him ' to s~nd me after a tu'rkey I ~lways get one before day break." A liaclielor, returning from n Lall in a crowded coach, · declared witl1 a groan tlint he had not the sligl1test objt•clion to "rings on his finger:,;," b11t he had the

most unequivocal objection to "belles on his toes." The King of Dahomey has over 3,500 wives. In Africa, the punishment ·of po• lygamy is left to the conscience. Three 0f President Cleveland's Cabinet are cr,llrge graduates : vV. C. Whitney, of '63, at Yale; W. 0. ·Endicott., of '47, at Harvard; and W. F. Vilas, of '58, at the Uuiversity of Michigan. A Chi11ese stude ·at, Van Phan Lee by name, recently toofo~ ¥l1e fi1·st prize for English cornpositiow~t Yale.-..bx.

In 1925 the Rn :;; sian Acetr.ll'mywill give $1,000,000 for the best work on the life and reign of Alexandt•r I. Shortly after the death of Alexander, in 1825, one of his favorite ministers offe1·ed a prize of 50,000 roub!t,s 10 be given n century after his dtath. At (·ompound interest this will, in 1925, make the brgcst premium, in all probability, ever offered for liternry work. "THE FRESHMAN FENCE "-AN OLD YALE CUSTOM.-The fonce cir<.·ums<Tibing the front part ,of Yule's campus, being of two rails, furnishes n comfortable loitering place. There, Yale men me wont to squander much of their time dawdli11g over the current gossip or (liscus~ing the rnore sober college questio11s. 1n these sacred precincts cite Freshmen are allcmed to stand, but not

SELECTIONS. down the long street, in sile.nce and 路.precision, the Clas:- of '88 rnarehes with the proud team in adva11ce,and with blue banners flapping triumphantly to the ,breeze. "Their arrirni is hailed by a yell from a thousand throats and the plaudits from the foi1路ones in the balconies. On they come till they are opposite the Senior fence. 'Halt,' cries their leader, and the column comes to a rest. Then the Seniors rise, and at the command of their "A grntle~an who Yisited Yale with the '88 nine lust spring gives the follow- chief gave three hearty cheers for '88, ing account of this unique custom, \\'bich who responded Ly three equally strong may be of interest to the Harvard men ones for '85. Acknowledging this c:ourwho have not witnessed it-especially to . tesy, '85 .gives three more cheers for the the '89 men-who, it is to be hoped, will Freshmen, wl10 d0ff their hats and move not witnesss it at all. * *路 * on to the Junior fence, where the same The 23d llf May last-a <lay famous in scenes are repeated. As they round the corner of Elm street and stop opposite Harvard :1thletic annals-was a gloomy enough one from a Freshman point of the Sophomore fence their impatience increases, an<l scarcely has the final cheer view; apart from the fact that the day itself opened in clouds and rain, the game been given when the words ' Break whith followed seems to have partaken of ranks' iR heard, and &n indiscriminate the nature of the weatlwr, and the en- rush for their precious fence ensues; the semble was truly dismal. The line of first, in their eagerness to set upon the covete<l fence, are thrown pell-mell over herdics which had taken hopeful '88 the other side, and a strnggling mass conmen to the field, returned a brisk trot tests for the honor of being the first seatwith all their crimson banners cnrefully put out of sight; the Yale Freshmen all ed, fully five minutes elapsing before order is restored. this time, however, were howling them"'When comparative quiet at last reigns selves hoarse on the field, and waving great blue banners with wild enthusiaRm. there, one loud voice calls for the '88 glee "On reaching the New Ha Yen House, club, which now, hoarse with cheering, Harvai路d men fouml the New Haven balbegins to sing the Yale anthem with laudconies filled with the fairest of New Haatory Hrses to '88, '87, '86, and '85; all ven beauties, and the streets crowded. egotiE:tic references to Freshman exploits The celebrated fences were occupied by a being received with howls of derision by strnggling throng of upper-dass men, the upper-class men. The song leads to who pushed and jostled each other in others, and long after the darkness has truly frutemal mam1er, waiting for the shut clown on the city the Freshmen reonly victorious Yale team of 1885 to ap- main seated on their cherished fence, disconn,ing sweet music till the hour arrives pear. A shout, then a roar, from the unfor going to the Freshman banquet. Such washed announced their appearance; to sit until in May, when they must earn their place, if ti1ey can, by vanquishi11g the Harvard Freshmen in . their annual base-ball match. ' If they are succe~sful, they are allowed to take p.ossessiori of the mm,t outof-the-way portion of this much-coveted fence, and with the ceremonies described in the following article, which was clipped from the "The Daily Crimson":

at.

R1CEM6ND COLLEGE ME8SENGE11. is the reward they earn for defeating a Harvard team; may the next Freshman Class be forced to relinquish their fence and their laurels to Harvard." f

Sam Jones is credited with having said that he '' would rather be in heaven learning )1is A B C's than m hell studying Greek." So say we.

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