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The Messenger, Vol. 16, No. 6

Page 1

VOL. XVI.

MARCH, 1890.

NO. 6

EDITORS: E.

Mu Sigma Rho,

w.

GREA N ER,

II. T. LOUTH AN, { B. B. ROBIN SON. . .. .

Philologian,

J. E. Hu'rCHINSON, D. H. RucKER,

{ H.F.

WILLIAMS.

Bu sin ess Manag er- w. OWE N CARVER. Assistant Busin ess Manag er-:--W. E. FARRAR. Long ·lna-,

Down in the valley enshrouded in gloom, Dreary and sad are the wearisor i10 days; Far, far away towa.rcl the mountains that loom, Distant and restful, I longingly gaze. Longingly look to those Round whose summits Breez es that drive away And render delightful

lovely, blue heights sweet breezes perpetually play, mist-laden nights, · the long summer day.

Brightly the sun in his glory and pride, O'er towering summit and calm, gray peak Pours his rich beam s, while storm-clouds glide Far down below, and o'er the vales break. Glorious mountains! so free an·d enchanting! My spirit i'n fancy o' er rock-cliffs would roam, 'Mid scenes that forever my memory are haunting, For there-hallowed spot-is childhood's sweet home. There dw ell the friends who in yout-h's early morning Wer e bound to my heart with tenderest ties; Ever suspicion and jealousy scorning, Our friendship was pure as the star-ligpted skies.


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RICHMOND

•

COLLEGE MESSENGER.

And when from my labors a respite I find, A lull in the battle, a pause in the strife, I would seek, amid loved ones so faithful and kind, Fresh courage and strength for the conflicts of life.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

*

Down in the valley of earth-born care, 'Mid the din of the battle through wearisome days, Far away towards the height s so radiant and fair, To the hill tops of glory I longingly gaze. Longingly look for the light that will come, When labor is ended and burdens laid down ; Anxiously wait for the summons, "come home," For the victory song and th e glittering crown. Brighter than splendor of day's king unclouded, The glory of God and the light of the Lamb Illumines the faces and forms ne'er enshrouded In gloom, but forever resplendent and calm. Glorious heights ! clad in beauty immortal! Your sunny, green slopes by and by I sha11roam, When high on your summits shall ope He:i,ven's portal, And voices of vanished ones welcome me home. For there dwell in glory unspeakably bright, 'Mid heavenly harmonies, rapture untold, Many a loved one, the joy and delight Of my life in the days that are gone--,-days of old. And when from this turbul ent, toilsome scene Of battle and strife aud mist-laden nights, I shall pass, may lthen, in triumph serene, Join the glorified band 'mid immortal delights.

Richmond College,Feb. 15th, 1890.


RELATION

OF FICTION

"Relation

oC Fiction

Charles Dudley Warner was born at Plainfield, Mass., . September 12, 1829. When he was five years old his father, a man of strong intellect and liberal culture, died. In his boyhood he had access to but few books, and those were mainly theological works; but he was fond of reading, and managed in various ways to acquire a good stock of general knowledge. He has published a charming little book on "Being a Boy," in which he has recorded many experiences of his youthful days. He was graduated at Hamilton in 1851, with the first honors of his class in English. While in college he contributed to " Knickerbocker," and ' 0 Putman'sMagazine,'' In 1853 he joined a surveying , party on the Missouri frontier, witn essed and experienced the various phases of Western life, returned to the East in 1854, and graduated in the law department of .the University of Penn sylvania in 1856. Shortly afterward he entered upon his popular and successful career as editor anq. , writer; spent several months abroad .in 1868-'69, and has travelled extensively since that time. In 1884 he became co-editor of "Harper's Magazine." Several series of interesting and valuable papers" Studies in the South," '~Studies in the Great West," " Mexican Papers," &c., have characterized his connection with that periodical. Yale University conferred upon him the degree of A. M. in 1872, and Dartmouth the same honor in 1884.

TO LIFE.

to LiCe.•

3

1

Mr. Warner bas long been interested in questions of social science, and was for severa l years' a member of the National Prison Association. He recently addressed a large and representative audience in Richmond on the subject of Prison Reform. This brief sketch brings us to the ' main object of this article-viz., to notice an address delivered · by this justly distingusihed and popular author and lecturer, ·in our college chapel, before the Faculty and students of Richmond College,and a number of cultivated ladies and gentlemen from the city (the audience would doubtless have been much larger had the weather been favorable ,) on the · subject, "Relation of Fiction to Life." It was a comprehensive and popular discussion of a grea t and important topic. We can only reproduce a few of the many striking ' thoughts - presented in the lecture, without attempting to give the author's own language. He first referred to the tendency of modern :fiction toward naturalism, or realism. We all start at nature, and never, without an overwhelming sense of bewilderment, get far away from it. Yet we are not satisfied with natur~. Man, not satisfied with forest and prairie, wantf! gardens. This tendency, if carried too far, leads to artificia lity . Awork of art must be natural,-that is, it must correctly represent nature. The desire of art is in-born. It is shown in ·the rude attempts of the savage, as ·'well as in the splend id achievements of


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RICHMOND

COLLEGE MESSENGER

the cultivated artist. It is natural to adorn language with pleasing rhyme and rhythm, and the measured cadences of ·poetry. Longing for the idealis manifested a]so in the drama. As man seeks to idealize the landscape by turning it into a garden, so he desires to idealize his life; and hence fiction. The clamor for the wonderful, the ideal, begins in early childhood. The child also demands realism,-wants to know concerning each story it hears,-" is it 'true?" At the same time, th~t which is too wonderful to be true most delights · us. We do not love falsehood, but we love il1usion. Narrative, whether real orimaginary, has always been popular. Human nature is the same to-day that it was when our first parents told to their astonished offspring _the beautiful yet tragic story of Eden. Human hearts are a]ways the same. The novel · of qaturalism is false. Fiction should treat of common thiugs, but not vulgarly. It is not by the exhibition of vice that the world is made better. There is no more excuse for an indecent picture in a book, than for an indecent picture on canvass. On _the other hand, no good is likely to result from reading such fiction as is usually found in SundaySchool book~,-stories of scrofulously pious chi1dren,~impossible combinations of inte1lect, human nature, and perfection. AU life ,has its seamy ride, and most life is hard and grim. ,The office of fiction is to lift us out . of our immediate surrounding, and divert our mind from the wearing work of life. It would be cruel to deny to tbe poQr work-girl an occa-

sional hour with some charming romance, when she can forget her bard lot, and dream of an ideal life. The judge on the bench, wea1;y with endless contentions and pleadings, is · helped by being transported, in imagination, to some enchanted spot, "where the suitors cease from pleading, and the lawyers are at rest." · Thus the true novel-writer is a benefactor of men. He has the ability to see and the genius to interpret real life. But something more than stern facts is needed to elevate life. And so . by helping lis to see more clearly our circumstances and environments, and by p1acing before us ideals that are at once lofty and attainable, the novelist enables us to grapple more successfully with the . perplexing problems of our _existerice. Fiction naturally takes the .color of the times {n which it is prodticed. The moder~ novel is more complex than that of any former period. it has been made the ;ehic]e of theories and . opinions. It is idle to quarrel with this tendency. We _ may long for pure romance, but the age must have its way. Thyre i~ much in the fiction of the present day that deserves severest censure. It is better for th() child not to know how to read at all, than to read only that which teaches crime and insubor(lination. The com jJlex charaeter of the novel of to-day is I'arge]y due to the fact that half the fiction of modern times is produced by women. It is unsatisfactory because they write for men,for men who are most familiar with ' the seamy side of ~ife. Again, there . is very little display


PERSEVERANCE. '

of intellectual force, · or rhetorical finish, in the popular 17ovel. Very few people car·c for the li'tcrary char_acter of what they read. The book that stirs the emotions and excites the imaginatio~ fo most popular. And the book that most faithfully portrays ' nature and real ·life, has mo'st power to stir th~· e.motio _ns. : . . , Before us hangs a .beautiful painting .. . represents a ,country home- ·

It

5

stead. All nature reJOICes in the freshness and . beauty of the early ,morning. In · the dqor of the neat cottage stands a fair young gir1. We ai:lmire the many interesting ancl attractive objects to which the artist's pencil has imparted additional charms; but at last' we decide that the loveliest thing in the picture is .tlrre,morning smile on the face of the •gir.J. .. · .w.B.L . . !

Per,.,,ev..,rance,

,,

If .we ,go .back:'to ' som'e :of the great due to tra'iii.ing. You may note this hero-martyrs , we find tnat ' when they in oaf marine ' service ;.the ,sea qaR had .well considered their duty ,they riursed the most ·..valbrolls •..of 'men. would carry out' their co'nvictions, The dangers ,of sea-faring life educate . though the co1,irse ~vasalmost ofnebes- meD' in courage, and ,not only in sity a very difficult one. He who would conrage, hut in a profoun.d , sense of succeed by perserving has much op·- ·· duty. , An · example of , ,ti;ue perseposition and many difficulties t0 vera·nce ,should , ever . qe shown in Be ready to perform surmount '. We may have the sagacity Christianity. to see, but not the strength of ptir- whatever you can . with a willing pose to do. To the irresolute, there heart; and amid all .doubts, ever the · Lord's command, is many a lion . in the way. To per- remember severe there · must nut onlybe a con- "Watch.'' ·. Ag~in, itisonlybyre:fl.ecquest of liking a_nd · disliking, but, tion that we derive a just appreciation · what is harder to attain, · a triumph of the value · of persev(:}rance, when over ·adverse repute: The man whose we sec how much any per$on of l)ut first questioti, after a right course of average _ability can accomplish in any direction if he resolutely perseaction has presented itself, is "What .will people say?" may sail finely with .veres in -the course of action adopted wind and tide, · but ·when those op- as the ruling purpose of his life. We pose, will i ~ al1 human ):)robability go then arrive at a just estimate of the down. But, · it having ' asked ,himself · value ·of perseverance as a roacl. to "Is it my duty?" no matter what it success in life. The . old fable of the costs, he can . then proceed in his : hare and the tortois .e is a case in moral pa1ior1ly, and be ready to incur point exemplifying a truth which all men's cemmre and even to brave their are ready to admit. Then all achieve -, ridicule. Perse ,verance is in some men ts of human · skill at which w_e look: thunder-struck are evidences of cha.rai;tcrs in-born, ju others largely


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RICHMOND

COLLEGE MESSENGER.

what perseverance can accomplish. It is by this that the rock-quarry becomes a monument. It is by this that the magnificent cathedrals, grand and instructiv!:) to the eye of the beholder, were erected. It was by this that the Chinese empire ,vas inclosed by that great wall 1of rock. How many men, whom the world calls geniuses, can exclaim with Franklin that they owe all their .honor to persevering struggles, and whatever they have been able to accomplish more than ordinary men has been solely by perseverance! They were once as weak aud helpless as we. Once the very alphabet of that language w4ich they spoke :fluently was upknown to them. They toiled long tq learn it, and longer still to obtain the secret of its high charms, but when they once obtained this by long perseverance, they swayed the world in astopishment, and made noble reputations for themselves by that untiring perseverance which they possessed. "Now letthis spirit so animate us in our life's struggle" that we may ever keep our hands to the plough in all we attempt. " Talents are desirable, but persever·ance is more so." Perseverance conducted in the right directioµ and continually practiced, even by the lowest, will seldom fail of its reward. He who perseveres in business amidst hardships, trials, and troubles, will always find friends in time of need. Go to the meq of influence and business, and ask them what ·kind of a man they want as their helper, and the answer will be, "The men who falter not by the w~yside, who toil

on in their- calling ' against every barrier, whose eyes are upward, and whose motto is 'Excelsior.'" But take care for the lazy man. They would as soon trust the wave of the sea as such a man. If you wish to gain friends stand by your engagements and character, then others will soon see in you a noble trait in which they can put confidence. Society is often drawn down to low startd,ards by the blusters of nien who officiously and boastfully offer their services in any and every case, but when it comes to a test of their metal they are never equal to the emergency. "We must learn to tur'B sharp corners quickly, or we will be · continually hurting ourselves." Firmness of purpose is one of the most necessary things of character, and one of the surest qualities to insure success. In times ' of distress, to give up is a sign of a weak characfer. Oppoeition gives us, or it should at least, a greater spirit of perseverance. To win in one trial gives us greater ability to win in the next. When trouble falls to our lot, instead of succumbing, it behoov~s us with perseverance to stand firm, to breast the storm, and never despair of better days. So many 0f us on thinking of the immense work . lying between us and the object we desire to reach are ready to give up in despair. It has been well said, "It is cowardly to grumble about circumstances." And lastly, when we reflect on the magnific~nt results that perseverance has worked out we are led at once to believe that the man who resolves, wills, and pers~veres can do almost


A MIDNIGHT RAMBLE.

7

anything in this life's struggle. Then, pyramids of Egypt. Can you imagine regardless of his. situation, he should a more enduring monument to the set his aim high, and resolve to remit triumphs of perseverance than these? . no labor that is required for its reali- Commune with natur 0. Sh e will zation, but cheerfully take up the teach you to persevere. " There is burdens that life has iu store for almost nb limit to what you can him, and carry his high purpose at achieve if you thris govern · your actions, and make all your exertions once, if possible, to a gloriou s triumvh. If we could only but learn to carry a contribute to the ful:filling of some thing through in all its details, we great purpose of life, which yon took we would then have the key to sue~ with a brave heart, an.d with a detercess. We should ever have the per- mination to persevere therein until severance to do that which is right success should crown your efforts." and to undo that which is wrong in Let us, then, learn a lect:iuu from face of opposition. Let us ask our- nature's master mechanics, the ·little selves the question "Are we perse- coral, and emblazon our banner with vering in .our life's duties as we _ the motto ." Persevere." should? " and then go forward as our R. W.H. conscience per~its. . Look at the

A Midnight

It was Saturday night. The week's work was done : and the weary world had retired to rest. The new moonfair harbinger of nights less darksmiled serenely npon town and country, making all the world · brighter and happier for awhilc,smiled a soft" good-night" and sank to rest behind the distant hills, leaving the lovely stars to keep silent vigils through the long, dark night. A friend in the country had requested me to ~ome out and preach at a certain church on the following day. I had arranged to go on the late train, leaving 'the city 3:t 9;: 15 P. M. Accordingly, having jdeposited a few necessary articles, including an emaciated skeleton of. a sern)on, in a

Ra-.nble.

small valise, just as th e young moon was preparing to hide her fair, blushing face behind the picture sque hil1s along the historic Jam e;;, I , stepped out from under the shadow of the old college. Ah! little did I 1!1ink what strange, dark and dive1i;itied expe. riences would cast their ghostly shadows across my path, before my feet should again trenrl thnt paved arch-way. Soon I found myself on board the train and being rapidl y borne away from the noise and bustle of .the city• The moon had disappeared; the stars were too far off to take much interest in terrestrial matters, and the world sank into profound repose. So did I. After the trying tasks of the week,-


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RICHMOND COLLEGE MESSENGER.

grappling with problems too hard for my precarious brain,-it was sweet to · sleep, and dream of the delightful privilege of spending a Sabbath in an unprethe country-addressing tentious and sincere congregation of worshippers, feasting upon an oldfashioued Sunday dinrier, drinking real sweet-milk, enjoying the company of kind fri~nds, and all the various delights of country life, for one day, ·' .. at least. How . loug I slept was , a matter · of no consequence, except that when I awoke I discovered th.at the train had alrea<;lypassed the station at which I was to stop. · Fortunately I ha<l sufficient presence of mind .to get off at the next station, where, to iny relief, I learned that it was only three miles back to the place where I should have gotten off. . There was no way of getting there bu,t to walk. I resolutely set out tu accomplish the task before · me, and about midnight found myHelf at the proper station. But I failed to .find anybody el:;;ether(). ·with some diiiieul,ty I sL1eeeeded iu arvusing ,a colored man, from whom I obtained the infurmation that I was just three miles frqm the house or'my ·d that I Mr. 0--an fri.eud,-Rev. wouhl have no difficulty in finding the way. I was not ti.red, so concluded I could easly walk the ne.cesAary distance. By this time, however, a thick, unbroken curtain · of clouds shut out the star-light, aud the darkness was intense; but with the prospectofreaching the cnl1 ofmy journey . in a short time, wi tli a hopeful heart I took the route indicated , by the colo.r-,d man.

After travelling, as I supposed, about two miles, I o~served a light in a house near the road, and decided to stop · and ascertain if I was on the right road. Approachiug the house , I c'alled several times, and at last sue- . ceeded iu arousing the dogs; but as I had no special business with them, and there seemed to be no prospect of getting a response from anybody else, I quietly bade the dogs goodnight, with flincere regret at · having disturbed tqeir repose, and went my way. When I had gone some distauce farther I began to think I 10 nst be near the place I was looking for, so I stopped at 'the next house 1. saw, and, as there were no dogs there, I boldly went up and knocked at the door . ·r soon sueceeded in alarming the entire family, im<l the good man of the house appeared at a window and in a frightened voice inquired "who that might be." I gave him the desired . information, and meekly asked that, in return, he would direct rne to the house of my friend. Relieved, doubtless, by the thought of getting rid of me so quickly and easily, he cheerfully told me it was only about a mile, and gave me all necessary directions for :finding the way. I ha.clnot gone far, however, before I came to a place whe're several roads seemed to have ' come together for the purpose of giving me extra · the one that trouble. Selecting suiterl me best I went on and on until I was satisfied that I had gone farther than . the gentleman referred to had indicated. Then I stopped. It was


A VISIT

TO ST. PAUL'S

CHURCH, NORFOLK.

9

dark,-very, ·very dark. I seemed to feel inclined to debate the point with be in the midst of a large forest. I was him; and so, early or late, I gratefully tired. But it was not a suitable place accepted· his kind invitation. In a to rest. Several times on the way I few moments I was snugly tucked had unintentionally made a decided away between snow-white sheets on a impression on· the community by · real feather-bed; and with a sweet stumbling over some obstacle in the consciousness of having done my road, and leaving a life-size portrait duty to the extent of my ability, of my attenuated fratne in the mud. sank into peaceful slumber. After several hours of refreshing My Sunday suit was . sadly soiled. Each timid star modestly hid its sleep I was called to a nice, warm blushing face, and refused to witness breakfast; and when the morning meal was over I bade adieu to the my deplorable plight. Sadly I turned and retraced my kind · family, arrd sought, this time steps to the place where roads were successfully, the .home of my preacherabundant, and chose another. Follow- friend. Here I was furnished a good ing this one a short distance, I came horse and .buggy and a most agreeable to a neat dwelling, which I thought companion for the journey, and might be the place I was looking for. arrived at the church in good tirpe. After satisfying myself that there Here, in th(l delightful services of the were no dogs around, I went upon sacred hour, I forgot the dark expethe porch and made my presence riences of that gloomy night. It was known to the inmates. Pretty soon with peculiar pleasure that I dwelt a gentleman came to the door, and I on the glories of that )and where gave him a brief account of my cir- clouds and darkness never come, and cumstances and prospects. He readily where the weary pilgrims rest from . took in the situation, and while, he their wanderings, and never again said, it was only a short distance to lose their way. Brighter than virgin my friend's house, yet as it was getting splendor of morning sunlight shines late, kindly insisted that I should the prornise,-sweeter than far-away spend the night with him. Now, I echoes of celestial music sounds the was d(;)cidedly of the opinion that it assurance: "There shall be no was quite early, as upon looking at night there." · my watch I found that it was just W.B.L. half-past three A. M., but I did not

A Visit

to St. Paul'lil

On a recent visit to Norfolk, while the rest of our party were gone Oll' an excursion to Virginia Beach, some of us strolled around · the city sight-

Church,

l'WorColk.

seeing. FoHowing the path of the tourist we come upon St. Paul's Episcopal church. Here we saw and heard many things of interest. Think-


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RICHMOND

COLLEGE MESSENGER.

ing that some facts about this historic Okeason twenty years, ago and from place might be interesting to others, those the land is now full. Here he also poiuted out to us probably as little acquainted with this quaint old church as we were three species of holly-Japanese, a large cedar formerly, we offer to them some Iri sh and English-and account of our visit to this pla ce. This of Lebanon, from all of which he gave church attracts many · visitors on each of us twigs. He assured us that account of its age and the many the cedar was the same variety as that historic events which it commemorates . of which Solomon's Temple was built. It is situated in the central part of A striking feature ot the Irish holly Norfolk, on the west side of Church is its white-bordered leaves. The street. The ground allotted to the Japane se and the English have sleek ohurch-yard is half a square, extend- J.ark-gr een lea\·os, and very much re semb le our American variety. As ing full length along the street. As we entered the grounds, the we moved on ·around the old str ucpolite and courteous sexton hastened ture onr g uide proceeded to give us to meet us, and began his oft-perform- its history. He said that the present ed and apparently pleasant duty by owners claim that it · is next to · the :first pointing out to us on the right olde st house of worship, now standof the main walk, a few yards . from ing, in the United Sta tes (the cathe . dral in St. Augustine, Florida, being the entrance, the grave of Nathaniel Bacon's wife. This is cover ed by a the oldest). There is, however some marble slab bearing the date, 1739. difference of opinion on this point. The grave of Bacon him self, who Th e original building was of wood, was the first to show that American which was afterwards replaced by the rights could not be disregarded, while pre sent one of brick, both brick and it is not designated, is supposed to be mortar being brought from England. near by. The ehnrch -yard is devoted . The design is that of a cross, · and the exclusely to colonial tombs, with the entrances are at each end of the single exception of that of R ev. Mr. horizontal beam, which extends north N. A. Okeason, a faithful pastor of and south. Passing around at the the church. The keeper of the southwest corner we saw :fixed in the grounds began at once to direct our wall a very ancient stone, which was attention to the English-lik e appear- taken from the ruins of a ehurch at ance of the place. Before we advanced Wineoak on th e James. It bears farther he told us that the seed of the date 1687. Oi1 it are carved · a grass on which we stood came from scull and cross-bones. A few feet England, and that the first, if not the from this iu the corner, is the oldest only English sparrows brought to tomb in the gronnd;,, bearing the this country were put in that yard. date 1673. From hero we Aaw in the Twenty pairs were sent to Mr. southern extremity of the yard a


A VISIT TO ST . PAUL'S Chinese magnolia in .full bloom (February 17th), but entirely without leaves. It blooms only during the winter and drops this before it begins to put forth its foliage in the spring, which it wears only during the summer . We were told that it takes its name from the fact that it is different from other magnolias, just as Chinese are from the rest of mankilld; for the_v hold all tools in an inverted position, read up nnd down, approach our shores from the opposite direction to that ot ~LUother immigrants, etc. Proceeding a, lit tle farther, we stood in front of the southern entrance, where a singular sight met our eyesa cannon ball planted in the southeast corner of the building, about three feet from the eaves. 'l'his, we were told, i_f;l.the first ball fired in the war of the Revolution, from the fortification at Norfolk. It was fi..redfor the purpose . of getting range on the British in order to shell them as they passed, advanciug on Baltimore. The ball entered where it now rests and fell within upon . the rostrum. From here it was taken and bricked up in the breach it had made, and has since been kept in view by keeping trimmed away the English ivy which

CHURCH, NORFOLK.

11

everywhere covers the house. Here we saw 'also, worked in the side ' of the bui lding with bricks of a dark color (two figures being on each side of the cross) the date, 1739,' which marks the erection of the present building. Our guide now took us within, entering from the north. To the left in the recess formed by the cross stands the pulpit. A ¡ galle ry extends entirely around except direct ly opposite the pulp it on each side . In the choir gallery, which is that to the left of the speaker, is a small pipe organ. On the pulpit we saw a child 's font which is more than two hundred years old. Just in front of the platform we were granted the honor of sitting in the chair in which John Hancock sat when he signed the Declaration of Independence. It has the same up,holstery as when used by that illustrious gent leman , and is in perfeet preservation . We now considered the ¡height of our privileges attained, and exp ressing our hearty thanks to our very kind guide, we departed from a place rich in beauty and antiquity. C. S. D. March 7, 1890.

'


12

RICHMOND [Editors-J.

COLLEGE MESSENGE!t.

E. RU'.J .'CHINSON, D. I-I. Ruc1crm.]

SCIENCE NOTES. The Boston · Advertiser says that the latest Krupp gun weighs .135 tons, is 44 feet long, throws a 2,600 pound projectile 12 miles, requires a charge of 700 pounds of powder, aud costs $1.500 every time that it is loaded. The first submarine telephone line has been opened between Montevideo and Buenos Ayres . The whole length · of the line is 180 miles, of this 32 miles pass under water. Five intermediate stations are situated along the line, all of which telephone simultaneously with all the other stations. The Thonison-Houston Electric Company of Boston are constructing several large electric locomotives, a street-railway · company in that city . Each locomotive will be powerful enough to draw a train of cars.

is absolutely fire-proof, and also impervious to the action of the elements which render brick, stone or wood unsightly or unsafe under prolonged exposure.

S.J . PERRY.-The saddest news in connection with the late solar eclipse is _the death of the Rev . Father Perry, chief astronomer in cha rge of the Eng lish Government expedition to Cayenne . The story of his death reveals extraordinary devotion to duty . He was seized with dysentery shortly before the time of the eclipse, and while suffering greatly and hardly able to walk, supervised the operations and secured perfect exposures for photographs of the eclipse. He persomtlly conducted the work at one instrument . After all was over he gradually grew worse, and was taken on board the ship, which set sail for Barbados. He died on shipboard before the island was reached, and was buried there-a true mart.yr to science . Death oc-curred at sea on December 26tp.,at 4:15 P. M. By his death England has lost one of her greatest astrnnomers. The amiable character of the man and his devotion to his duty are Rtrikingly revealed in the detailed accounts of his death that have re1;1,chedus. For many years he was a professor in . Stonyhurst College in England, and his work brought the coll'ege observatory, for -twenty-five years under his charge, into high reputat ion in the

for

Augusta Victoria, a magnificent ship, and one of the finest vessels in the world has been added to the fleet of great ocean steamers plying between New York and Europe. This vessel has nine boilers is 17 feet 3 inches long, and the material used is steel. The experiment of constructmg a large building chiefly of paper has been successfully carried out at Hamburg, where an immense hotel, with the front and other important parts composed, of that mat(ilrial, has been erected. It is claimed that the building


SCIENCE astronomical can.

world.-Scientific Ameri-

NOTES.

13

injured, said gloomily, "It is my kismet" (fate); turned his face toward Mecca, and gave up th~ ghost. There can be no doubt that love of life and vigor of will have been the means of restoring to health thousands of patients who but for these mental characteristics must have perished.-New York Ledg er.

Loni OF LIFE.-Phrenologists have assigned to a protuberance under the ear the faculty of "vitativeness," or love of life, and . some of them assume tha.t in proportion to the size of the bump is the strength of the vital element in the individual. However this may be, that the love BEAVERs.-TmnR SAGACITYANDINof life is intense in some minds, and DUSTRY.--Probably more has been scarcely exist"s at all in others, nobody, ·written about the industry of the honey of course, will deny; and it is no less bee and the saga uity of the beaver thtin true that persons who earnestly desire about any other two members of the to live can keep a mortal disease at bay animal kingdom. A recent issiie of much longer than those who are com- the Boston Journal of Commerce gives paratively indiflerent to their fate. a most graphic description of the The tenacity with which some men iutelligence and industrous beaver as cling to life is marvellous. \Ve had an follows: instance of this in the case of a noted "Beavers live in famili~s, like human pugilist, several years ago, ·who was. beings. The male has one wife, and shot in the breast during a bar-room the children stay at home until they scuffle, and his condition was pro- are three years old, when they go nounced hopeless by the surgeons. abroad seeking companions of their But he scofled at their opinions, and own and set up housekeeping for actually lived several days with a ball them~elves. If by any reaaori. a genin his heart; keeping his hold upon eral break-up of the "lodge" takes life-so it seemed-by sheer force of · . place, the young beavers go down will. stream and the old ones up, as it is A resolute determination not to · easier to build a dam up-stream, where succumb iR, as every army surgeon the water is shallower, and generally knows, the salvation of many a wound- bark from small trees is more easily · ed soldier, who without it would as- obtained. suredly die•. In the Crimean war the The lodges, if not broken up by mortality among the wounded ~Turks man, remain in use for a long series was much greater than among the of years, and are admirably adapted wounded French and English. The to convenience and safety. Each latter wrestled stout'y with death and lodge on the bank of a stream has three often baffled him when :: their doom openings, and sometimes more. The seemed inevitable; but the pred ·esti- first entrance slopes up · gradually narian Mussulman, when dangerously from the bottom of the stream to .the


14

RICHMOND COLLEGE MESSENGER.

chamber where the beaver3 live. By this eutrauc e they brin g in their food, which consists of sho rt sticks of wood covered with bark, cut short enough to be turn ed or handled any way inside ot the livin g room. Another entrance, or way of egress rather, goes straight down from the ehamber to a level with th e bottom of the river, wheu it turn s squar ely and comes out in the ¡bottom of the stream. Down this hole they drop the sticks when they have eaten off the bark, and then drag the white nak ed pieces of ~ood out to th e bottom to tloat away. 'l'he . thinl entran ce is from beneatl1 also and is sinuous, turning in many ways ,' and serves a good purpose when besieged by a11 enemy. All these entrance waye are arched over with sticks aqd plastered with mud and grass. The bottoms o_f th ese entrance way s are also laid with short sticks like corduroy. The lodg e or chamber itself is a h~use from six to eight feet equa re, laid up against the wall with stic ks like a log cabin. When a stick in the wall of the cabin rot s, it is carefully removed and anotherput in its place. "The beaver exercises great dilig enee and wisdom in procuring and storing its food. Thick bark on the trunks of large tr ees is not suitaule for him and his family, and so they cut down the tree for the smaller limb s, on which the bark is more tender and nutritiou s. Two nights' work is sufficient to fell a large tree, each family

being left to enjoy tho fruits of its own labor. It is said they prom ply kill all soeialists, trouble breeders, and those who are too lazy to work. When a tree on which they are working begins to crackle, they desist from cuttin g till it begin s to fall, wlien they plunge into th e water one after another, , "plunk,"" plunk,"" plunk," till all are in, where they wait with great caution lest the noise of the fa.lling tree might attract some enemy to the place, maybe some fool with a gnn. Nor is this all. Th ey know how Lo regul ate the cutting of a tree so as to make it al ways fall in the water. This is done so as.to enable them to transport their short sticks by water to the lodge. Master beave r places it under his throat aud pushe s it before him to the place where it is to be sunk at the mouth of th e.entrance way to the lodge. "A book might be written on the beavers' dam. This is, without doubt, th e most ingeniou s and scientific structure built by any creature save man. The pbject of this dam is to raise and to hold the water so as to cover the entrance way to his chamber. This makes the beaver both comfortable and safe. The dam is constrncted of sticks, mud, and stones gathered together with great labor. The breadth of the base and top of the beav .ers' dam ~s always in exact proportion to its height and .length and the volume of water to be held.''Scientijic Ametican ..


[ Editors-J.

EDITORIAL DEPARTMENT. E. HUTCHINSON, D. H. RucKER.]

EDITORIAL

15

DEPARTMENT .

Many have looked upon co-education as imt>racticable, and the idea has been sneered at by some. But to-day the d'rift of sentiment i.s in favor of it, and many of the best _in_stitutions of _our land ham thrown open their doors for the matriculation of students regardl ess _of sex. But some institutions protest against it and claim that ,,.,here one woman is admitted two men will leave, b~it why should such a prote st be made? Is it because the brutality of the average college hoy has not be en entirely exterminated by the enlightenment of ,the age? If su<;h i.s the obj ect ion, and such it seems to be, why should the iustitl1tions of our land he the la st hi.di_ug-places of the barbarisms of past ages ? They should be places of . enlightenment-free from unmanli. ness, college trickery, a11d brute force. If our collegiate institutions have no.t reached that ~ivilization that will admit the presence of women, then they are . not places suitable for th e¡ young men of our land. Some produce th e weak argument that co-education leads to vic;iowmess. But is it to be suppose,d for one moment that _young men and young women, comi.ng from hom es where virtue -re1gns supreme, ,vil.l throw aside their virtue when brought in contact with each other in the lect ureroom and on the campus and become vicious and untrustworthy? The writer has had the plea sure of beiug a student in an institution where

co-edu':ation has been rnaiutained for years, and never did he see anything else b1Jt modesty, honesty, and true manliness and womanliness manifested among the students. Hazing and brutalities of every cle.:;cription were unknown. That the stanard of edu~ation wi11 be lowered by the admission of womeu is no argument at In hunall. It has no foundation. dreds of institutione ha:s a practical genuine eo-education _been maintain(;d, and we trust that. the day is not far distant when Ri, :hrnond College shall adopt co-education and women shall be granted equal rights with the men . in all its departments. Owing to the many complaints which have been heard among the students of the decliuo of the .Messengerit has been proposed in ¡ a joi.nt session of the literary societies to.at an editor-i11-chief be elected. vVe wish to express our hearty approval of this pla ,n. We ca:1)Jot deny that the JJjlessenger,is not as goo,l a~ it should be or has been iu past se,ssions, and we think that its deeli110 i,n lit.erary merit may be attributed to several causes. Undoubtedly, the ehief reason is to be found in the lac k of interest in tbe paper among th e ~tuclents themselves, and the very foehle manner in whieh it ha s been supported by them. A very erroueons idea is eurrent in the college as to the .<luties of the editors _9f this paper. It should be generally understood that these


16

RICHMOND COLLEGE MESSENGER.

editors, six in number, are elected by the societies for the purpose of editing but not of writing the Messenger. Of course these editors are to furnish editorials, locals, personals, etc., but it is no more their duty to contribute to the literary departmeut of the Messenper than it is the duty of every other member of the societies. Importa:it as this is, however, it is not the poin:t which we wish to emphasize at present. The one thing that the Messenger needs now more than anything else is a comp~tent Un<ler our , present editor-in-chief. management we have six equal and independent editors, each assigned to We do not his special department. wish to imply that their individual work has not been well performed, but we think that more unity and equality in the work could be attained if we should have some single person whose duty it should J;ie to supervise and direct the work of the whole editorial staff. The errors, misstatements, etc., whieh from time to time have found their way into our columns are a disWho is graee to college journalism. . responsible for them? One editor throws the blarne on another, and from him it passes to the business manager, to the printer, etc, etc., and so the matter goos. That many of these errors might have been seen ¡ and eorrected by an efficient editorin-chiof is quite obvious. Nor wou 1<l that indicate any great superiority of his over the other editors, for it is much easier to criticise than to construet. By timely advice such a man might greatly assist the individual

editors iu their work, and, moreover, he would be the one person responsible for a11the avoidable faults that might be found in the Messenger. The duties of the editor-in-chief .won 1d not be light, but would involve the expenditure of a good deal of time and labor. We do not propose, however, that his labor should be unrewarded. We have a business uu1,nagerwho receives a stated amount for his services, and we think that we might have an editor-in-chief ¡with assigned duties and regular pRy as well. The election of an ¡editor-in-ehief would be no pioneer i--tep. On the eontrary we are behind the times in not having bad one before. The majority of the leading college papers have a superior editor, and the system seems to be successfnl wherever in vogue. ' Ought we not, then, by all means; to abandon our present plan whieh is proving so dismal a failure and adopt that which seems, in a measure at least, to ensure success? We hope .that this project, from which we think much can be gained and to which there should be no reasonable objection, _will be carried by out as soon as possible-certainly next session. When we have the co-operation and support of the members of the societies, the patronage of the students at large, and an e:ffieient editorin-chief, we believe that the Messenger will rise to its. proper place among the foremost of college journals.


EDITORIAL

DEPARTMENT.

It is the custom, we believe, of authors· to so entitle their productions that the name alone will indicate the character of the article. The author who disregards this precaution not only shows neglect of good taste, but also is guilty of an injustice done those who, attracted by the deceptive title, favor the article with perusal. These remarks may be taken by a c~rtain author as a sort of critical advice on his unhappy selection of the title . " Co-education" for his article in the last issuE! . of the . Messenger. The title " Co-education " certainly implies that the author means to say something for or against co-education; yet he avowedly writes merely to criticise an editorial . in the January number of the Messenger. The piece is evidently not an article o~ co-education, but a criticism on an editorial, and as such should have received a name appropriate to its i,oport, and not been allowed to sail under false colors. It is not our busi~e ss to give advice; yet sometimes we deem it proper for us editors to notice articles which appear in our paper and pass judgment upou their character and style, both for the benefit of the author and of the magazine. The article which enga ·~es our attention happens to be a critieism on one of our editorials. The criticism is tolerably good in some respects, but inaccurate and weak in othel's · In the first place, the author is attacking a position which we honestly <li~claim to have assumed. He quotes us as intimating that a majority of the students at

,17

college have a decided objection. to the adoption of co-education. ou ·r words, however, do not substantiate thi s. We distinctly confined our . "decided objection" to " several students " and not to the majority : Surely, there can be a "decided objection" to a question among the students without necessarily invo.l ving a majority. The objection which the n'ine meri of the first base-ball team would have to a law forbidding further play, would be as truly decided as that which would be evinced from the whole college under general restrictions. So we still maintain that there is among the students a decided objection to the contemplated adoption ·of co-education at Richmond College. With due respect to the " wellmeaning " ·purpose of this self-appointed critic we politely refer his " misapprehension " epithet to his side; for he it is who has misapprehended, not we. At our assertion that the College, by the adoption of co-education, would lose several students, he affects some surprise, and attributes th e cause of this loss to " fear of the harmless girls." His surprise, we are inclined to think, is fezqned; for the matter is so public, that it is highly improbable that any student is still ignorant of it. He wonders" who those 'several students ' are who would be frightened away by the -presence of harmless girls." Here the author further errs in allowing his vein of humor to cause him to impute the nonsensic .al motive


15

RICHMOND

COLLEGE MESSENGER

of fear as the cause of these students' anxiety. The climax of his argument is reachecf when he claims we admit the efficiency of cb-education in general and yet deny its advantag es to Richmond College, without showing some distinguishing peculiarity of our college, saying that we " make a distinction without difference." Let us look at our words: "We do not deuy that there are benefits accruing from the system in its entirety." From this he draws the conclusion that we admit " co-education is beneficial" in its effects, a good system. Was reasoning ever so fallacious ? Can't we admit that there are good things in the system without owning it to be good as a whole? The gentleman's logic is shaky. He does not see the peculiarity which eharacterizes our college-a characteristic which we particularly noted, and upon the verity of which rests the validity ·of our whole argument. We distinctly said that the opposition to this innovation was such that several students would leave on its adoption. Doesn't this sufficiently particularize Richmond College? · The practicability of the system certainly depends to a large extent on the desirability or non-desirability on the part of the students. Of course, then, the opposition of these students is sufficient to particularize our college, when it clearly affects the expediency of its adoption here. It's too plain. He cites cases of co-education adopted at other colleges as

reason why we should adopt it. He says: "Mary $harp College, in Tennessee, will compare favorably with any institution in the country, and yet it has been .seen fit to adopt coeducation . at Vanderbilt University." The mere fact of the adoption of the system does not at all prove that there was a need of co-education felt in the State. It might have beer) adopted at Vanderbilt from reasons quite different from a need of higher female education. , In fact, tho high standarcl' of Mai:y Sharp College would rather indi9ate this. We persist in denying that the adoption of co-education in New York and Tennessee is any reason why Virginia should adopt it. Simply because Vanderbilt bas coeducation Richmond College must have it. This · to me seems to be nonsense. The Chinese ladies black their teeth, and the Hottentots tatt00 their bodies, and most likely they consider their beauty much enhanced by these devices; but just because such practices are pleasing to them, is no reason why we should also adopt them. If women are to share all th~ duties of men, we unhesitatingly say they should receive the same kind of an education afforded to men. Granting that the eomiug woman is to be a mathematician, an engineer, a lawyer, coroner, preacher, a,id what not, granting that the domestic empire of woman will become a thing of the past, still this does not prove that because women and men should be


i9

LOCALS. educated alike they should be educated together.

We have written this to correct the

loose i<leas of some unknown friend as to our position : we hope we have 1mcceeded.

LOCALS. [Editors-HENRY

T.

LOUTHAN,

Field Day! The tocsin of the soul-the bell.

dinner

"Our .sensibilities are so acute, The fear of being silent makes us 1nute." Where does Mr. Scantling room? Mr. G.: "We had an old gobbler for dinner the other day." Miss K.: "Is a gob pl er a duck?" Managing your own liberty is a great privilege, but a fearful responsibility.-Dr. Thomas. Institute Miss: "We have an examination on Medieval History tomorrow." Mr. II.: "What kind of history?" Institute Miss: "Medieval." Mr. H: "Please speak English to me. I never studied Fr¡ench." Here in our own land the country girl listens for the slam of the gate upon the hill, the city girl listens for the rattle of wheels upon the street, but the Venetian girl sitting in her

B. B.

ROBIN SON.]

palace which rests upon the indestructible charcoal pillars listens for the splash of the oar and the song of her lover as he glides over the still, quiet waters of the Adriatic.-Carbon. Have the bell rang ?-Hollins Echo. " For thee I dim these eyes and stuff this head, ¡with a11such reading as was 11ever reacl.'' Mr. R.( at Norfolk reception, looking at his chicken salad): " Indeed, boys, I can't eat these crabs." Mr.W. of Hampton: "Say, old lady, what is the singular of sheep ? " Old lady: "Goat." Mr. C.: "I had rather be Meyer-ed than not to be ' stuck' at all." Mr. D. ( looking at a squirrel in Capitol Square, eating a pea-nut from a man's hand): "Yon couldn't get that fool thing to do that in the woods." Mr. M. of Pittsylvania (in Society):


20

"Brother drink?"

RICHMOND President,

COLLEGE MESSENGER.

may I get a

" Love is an itching at the heart where. you can't get to scratch it." "Why is France like sous~ ?-It has lost its Bonaparte." "Ten P. M.!" the girl exclaimed, But useless did it prove ; He didn't seem to understand That"P. M." meant"Please move." Mr. R., of Maryland, goeth to see ye sweet Miss, but he sitteth in ye parlor for some time and ye sweet Miss appeareth not, but sendeth him word that she beeth busy. He soon after taketh his departure and his hat and leaveth, so he getteth not left. Afterwards Mr. R. remarked that he intended to apologize the next time he met her for interrnpting her. "Lo, the poor.Indian!" High School Miss, No. 1: " Do you know Mr. C., who attends college?" No. 2: "Yes, slightly." No. 1: "Well, don't you know I think he's crazy ? " No. 1: "He cameto our house the other day for some Foreign Mission Journals, and when I met him at the door he asked me for The Messenger." No. 2: We11, I didn't know he was so easily excited by girls." Mr. W: " The tail end of the Greek alphabet certainly has been abused 1ately."

Mr. M. of Louisa: "Stringy, old lady, I can't even see the grate when you hold your little foot up before it. Hurry up and get it warm." Neglect your soul and the brambles of iniquity will overrun it.- Dr. S. A. Goodwin. Loss

AND GAIN .

I sorrowed that the golden day was dead, Its light no more the country-side adorning; But while I grieved, behold! the east grew red With morning. I sighed that merry spring was forced to go, And doff the wreaths that did so well become her; But while l murmured at her absence, lo! 'Twas summer. I mourned because the daffodils were killed By burning skies that scorched my ear ly posies; But while for these I pined my hands were filled With roses. Half broken-hearted, I bewailed the end Of frendships, than which none had once seemed nearer ; But while I wept I found a newer friend, And dearer. And thus I learned old pleasures are estranged Only that something better may be given; , Until at last we find this earth exchanged For Heaven. -Sefrc!Pd.

The atmosphere is even changed by the smiles of the littl e infant in re_ sponse to the whispers of au angel.Prof. Puryear.


LOCALS.

21

路 Training has already commenced in the most of these and we expect followed by ten good results on April t};ie 10th. Prof. . 路 Harris and Dr. H,ylancl have ever taken an interest in onr athletic sports, and we thank them most heartily. a at (looking Madis.on Mr. L. of man putting carbon into an electric With our new colors, new jerseys and arc): "Hello, that fellow's putting a caps, strong muscles and light hearts, we expect to have a Field Day such wick in that thing." as has never been known from " the Mr. D. ought to have a blue silk time whereof the memory of man satin coat, a white silk satin vest, a runneth not to the contrary." pair of ring-streaked striped breeche.s (socks not exposed), United States "Were I one of thos e ' late inventions,' I'll tell you what I'd dohemmed-down stiched-toed Congress.gaiters, 路 and a hickory mahogany I'd crawl into gimblet hole And pull the hole in too." cane with a gold brass button ou the bottom, to correspond with his pewter Mr. G. (at Portsmouth ferry): Waterbury watch.-Br er H. "Mr., Mr., will you please tell me "Will quickly where the ferry boat is?" Waiter (at Portsmouth): Old Tar: "You are on her steaming you have oysters fried, stewed, or scolloped?" Mr. H. (of Petersburg) : across the Elizabeth." "I don't know what in the world Two of our boys recently found that last thing is, but that's the "vay themselves in what they thought to I'll take 'em." be the Hebrew Temple. They were Now let thy servant depart in gently informed by the janitor that peace since he hath attained to a little they must immediatel,y depart,as they upper-room with the Greek alphabet were in the chapel of the "~- F. Institute." They got. upon the window shades there-of.Prof. W.: "What atom thus gotten?" Mr. McG.: "One naughts."

is the size of an

Mr. At Last. "Ye Local Editors" have grasped Field Day is corning, and we are hands and vowed by their manuscript preparing for the i;1teresting and en- . never again to think of "those little joyable occasion. On the 6th instant angels that steal away the heart of year this have to we mot and decid ed man." When the one returns to the a more interesting programme than we golden shores of the Pacific and the Committees have been ap- other hies away to the valley of the hsd last. pointed to arrang e for foot-ball, base, . silvery Shenandoah, they have decided ball, tennis, running,jumping, hurdle- to 路 pitch their wigwams beneath racing, gymnasium dri11, the sack_ the silent pine and live forever in bachelor blessedness. race, a1id several other features.


2:2

RICHMOND

COL~EGE

Mr. N . : "!How do you spell de. cision?" Bro. H . : "Dis-sis-sion." Mr. K.: "Whit, why don't you join one?" Mr. W. : "N othing's ]eft of the Greek alphabet now." The royal East was just warmed by the blush of morn when athwart the sky the curtain of night was drawn and "Ye Local Editors" passed from duty. But for "truth 路 and some other things " at such a time as this, grief would gnaw our 路 heart.strings in twain. We al ways tried to act honestly and truthfully, and when we failed in this endeavor, we were always ready to acknowledge it, but never did we, nor will we ever acknowledge that we are wrong when right . " The race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong," but we must speak from our hearts now. We love this " Old Alma Mater" and all in connection with her, especially the Local Department of The Messenger. Con~e.rning this department we have many times been condemned for being lengthy and sometimes for misquoting, but we rose up and mastered fate. How quickly the months have passed! It seems but a littl-e while since we stood before the rostrum of the "Old Mu Sigma Rho Society" and had the editorial robes thrown abont us . Now as we stand upon the threshold waiting to greet the new-born editors,

MESSENGJtR.

]et ns take a retrospective glance to note our failures and our successes, that we may in the future avoid the first and continue the latter, for one must be dull indeed who will not profit by that best and severest of all teachers, Experience. A DOUBLE-BARREL SUNBEAM .March came in with a tempest of wind and rain, with au occasional display of snow and ice to give variety to the performance; but it a]so brought to our college commuuity a sun-burst of intellectual splendor . , Notwithstanding the stormy weather a large audience assembled in the college chapel on the evening of March 1st to hear a delightful address by Mr . Charles Dudley Wamer, of Hartford, Conn., on the "Relation of Fiction to Life," of which a more extended notice appears in the literary department of this issue. At the close of the lecture, Dr. Curry made some appropriate and thoughtful remarks, and moved that the audience tender a vote of thanks to Mr. Warner for his excellent address. The vote was unanimous, hearty, and enthusiastic. A few days later came another intellectual feast. One of the most 路 popular of the series of popular lectures given by the Professors was that by Prof. Pollard, on "Historic London," delivered before an unusually large audience, in the college chapel on the evening of March 4th. It is impossible, in this brief 路mention, to do justice to the lecture . "It has been said," remarked the speaker, by way of introduction, "that one who


I

I

LOCALS. trav els needs to hav e a hundr ed eyes. vVhen I went to Europ e, last summ er, I tried to make sure of taking with _ me at least two,-an hi stori c eye, and a literary eye." .Th e lecture gav e ampl e prooi of th e fact that h e bad mad e good use of both eyes in hi s tr avels. Th e hi story of th e En glish peopl e centr es in London. Th e Tow er of London, . a huge mass of irr egular building s, is perhap s th e most int eresting obj ect in the city. Th e area within thos e grim walls may be call ed "the bloody ground ," of England. It has served variou s uses ; -at on e time the stat e 'prison-at anoth er, th e royal resid ence. It is now used as an ars enal. 'l'he Whit e Tow er is the oldest and most int eresting part of the structur e. It was h er(i th at the ancient knightly armor fell off,-h elmet, shi eld, and g reaves,-f ell into" inoccu ous desuetud e." We stmin st er H all was . also onc e a royal r esid ence. It form erly occupi ed th e g round 011 whi ch th e hou se of Parliam ent now st and s. It ·was here that William W a11aee vvas condemn ed to di e, as a re-ward for hi s devotion to hi s oppr essed and down-trodden country- Scotl and . It was here that thre e qu eens, on th eir kn ees, begge d of th e r eignin g rnonach. th e lives of four hundr ed in sur ge nt s. Th eir r eque st was g rant ed. " That was once that wom en go t th e best of H enry VIII." H er e Cromw ell was declared Lord Prot eetorat e of E ngland, Scotland, and Ir eland. The speaker also conduct ed hi s audience to Battl e Abbev, built on thi spot w·bere thg N orma·n Conquest

23

wa s achieved in a single day, and by a single battle ;-and to Canterbury, wh ere the go spel wns first preached on the island of _Britain. It was here, too, that, in consequ ence of a quarrel as to which should be supreme, king or pope, Thomas B eeket was murdered by som e of the king's friends, in 1170. In St. Martin 's church was Becket's shrine, where for centuries pilgrims by th e thou sand went to worship. But our limit ed space forbids further attempt to outline this int eresting lecture. It is evident that th ese lectures by our professors are becoming more and more popular, and we sinc erely hope they will be a permanent feature in th e college. Ye Local ~di tor::;, tak e a stroll through old Richrnon<l and look at some of her many pleasant and historic _seeneries and points of historic int erest. W e start clown Franklin street, at th e western end of which the Lee monum ent now stands , wh ere the · zephyrs me et and kis s a11d arc wafted down over this hi sto r;-: eit_y, kissing th e flowers into new life, a sure harbing er of an early and beautiful spring-tim e. It is jnst 4 o'clock of a beautiful an emuo11, the air is as calm as a sleeping babe, an<l the scenery, looking to ~h HLl the setting sun, is grand and picturesque. Carriages and num erous other vehicles · roll by in rapid SLH :cession . This is now the most pleasant street for driving, and the elite c,f the city are out for a driv e. Most auy evening Gen. Fitzhug-h Lee and hii family


24

RICHMOND

COLLEGE MESSENGER.

may be seen driving out this street, beautiful poem and the old battlebehind two clashing milk-white steeds, men ts on the Rhine and the vineinto the country. .As we see the ex- clad hills of Bingeu. Governor handle the reins, we recall To Reservoir Park we next proceed. the days of yore, when upon some It is situated in the western suburbs noble ._charger he led his comrades of the city. It is a beautiful resort, against the ranks of the foe. being adorned with much shrubbery. We continue our stroll down this · The road ways present a fine drive, street, upon which is the residence of both on the banks of the reservoir Gen. R. E. Lee, and of many of the and in the grounds. There is a welthiest citizens of Richmond. The lovely lake situated in these · grounds greater number of the houses are of and upon most any clear evening or brick, some have fronts of granite moon-lit night, parties may be seen and brown stone, while marble is boating. • rarely seen. We soon reach Capitol Square, Just as the snn's disk disap]Jears which is the oldest park in the city. below the horizon, we find ourIt is oblong in shape, and contains selves to be in Hollywood Cemesome sixteen acres. The grounds tery. This lovely burial place, overare adorned with various forest trees, looking the historic James, surp .asses and beautifully undulated and trav- in natural beauty and picturesqueness ersed with serpentine walkfl. The any other in the United States. Its squ irrel ti which have their homes area is about one hundred acres, here, frisk over the green unmolested, shaded with trees of its own growt.h, and are not at all backward in receiv- _diversified with hill and dale, and i ng a nut from yon. threarled with silvery Rtreams. Here N umerons seats invite the pedes- in this solitary section lie the retrain to rest i 11 the sballe, and watch mains of 12,000 heroes of the late the play of the many fountains. war. A pyramid of rough granite, The Washington group and Jack- ·ninety feet high, erected inmemury son's statue are situated in this park. by the ladi es of Virginia, stands m :Near by is the great City Hall, which their midst. has been building for the past three Among the notable graves m years, and now most, completed, is Hollywood are those of Presidents indeed worthy of admiration. Monroe and Tyler, Geu, J. E. B. Changing our course, we next come Stuart, A. P. Hill, one of Lee's most to Gamble's Hill, which is: laid off in trusted officers; Gen. John Pegram tenaces with circular walks and and his brother, Col. Wm. R. J. drives. Here is a beautifui castle, Pegram; Gen. Geo. E. Pickett, the and as one looks far off upon · the hero of Gettysburg; Thomas· Ritchie famous James, and the country on known as the'' father of the Demo-' the south side of the river, one's cratic party," and the poet John R. t,houghts will voluntary turn to · the Thompson. There are many costly


) LOCALS.

25

monuments, tombs, and vaults of Ah! could pen, how ever prolific, describe beautiful design. passed we nature of such enraptured college The to return our 路on blithe, through Monroe Park, iu the western end of the city . . It is surrounded by To behold a maiden, so fair as mine, Takes from th e " nu t-b r o w n handsome private residences, and maiden " all the shine. grows more attractive each year with shade increasing and its shrubbery R.H. WHITE. trees. Just as we open the college oue mile SOLDIERS' IIoME.-Just campus gate, "Curfew" tells us that west of the college, situated in a it is 7 o'clock, the hour which grove of lofty oaks, is the ex-Confedeall students greet with joy. Ye rat e Soldiers' Home. Here from Local Editors did not stop their stroll every part of the South, .gallant here, but kept on until they were veterans that gave their best days to seated at Mrs. Luck's bountiful table. the defence of our firesides, have 路 come to spend their declining years. The crutch and armless sleeve can be "MY MAIDEN." seen here and there, while others heMaiden, enraptured beauty, fair, roes are in such a condition as to be Nature's type, with silken hair, unable to leave their beds. Th e maOh, for one kiss I would impart jority, however, of the 'Boys in Gray,' If magic Cupid doth brave my heart. although disabled in some way, keep their faces bright and bodies moving Refrain, I did with trembling lips, There are as in the day s of yore. At first, to ask for one dear kiss; generally about one hundred and five But her fair form, to the moonlit rays soldiers at the Home. Awaken Eros, my soul gave way . . Gen. W. R. Teny, of Pickett's Division, is Supe rinclent. Here, under The balmy air through her tresses hi s command, our noble defenders played, have camped. No lon ge r are they As I stood bewildered and dismayed; compelled to seek protection from Nestling Cupid, in my soul repos e, the c.old by ;,tretching their tent and Anon! awoke me to speak compose. spreading their blanket, but hy the motherly cat'C in the shape of $10,000 It was au autumnal eve, so very fair, a year from Virginia, and by gifts When music, so gentle, was wafted from generous hearts, oue main buildthere, ing, six cottages, a mess-hall, and _a By the soft zephyrs, from the war- beautiful chapel with a sea ting cabling brook, 路 pacity of 365, have been erected for That, in, bending post1ue, we both their comfor t. Th e main buildiug: betook. contains the Supet路intcndont's ofli.ce, a


26 路

RICHMOND

COLLEGE MESSENGER.

library, a reading-room with periodicals and the daily papers, and the hospital. The cottages are called "J eb . Stuart, " "Babcock," "Appleton," " Downey," " Corcoran," and "Stonewall," and contain abont seven rooms each. At the mess-ball they do not receive" hard-tack" as of ol<.1, but get a good old Virginia meal. In their neat chapel, on each Sunday moruing some of our boys meet with those who still wear the " gray" and speak to them of " life's warfare" and of the rest that is just ahead for the faithful "soilder of the Cross." In -the chapel which is dedicated to the Confederate dead are four magnificent memorial windows, upon which cannon, sabres, and Confederate battleflags are worked in colored glass. 路 The Home owns thirty-six acres of land, a good stable, and three horses. . A farmer is employed and the place is. made to yield most of the vegetables used, as well as the grain for the horses. Fowls are also raised, and with all these surroundings the place 路 presents quite an attractive appearance. Two cannon stand on silent duty, as the national flag gently waves over the peaceful scene. Here, the "Southern Boys" of 1861-65 "can in thought fight their battles again," . and at the same time rejoice in the restored Union. HAIL TO 'l'FIE CHIEF'rAINs!-When these lines go to press the contractor will be at work on four handsome buildings intended for Professors' residences. These new houses are to be on the rear of the Campus in line with the Gymnasium and the " Presi-

dent's 路house," now occupied by Prof. Puryear. Two will be erected near Broa<l and two near Franklin street, with double fronts toward the college and Lombardy street, respectively. We learn that the Professors are pleased at the idea of being near the students and believe they will be able to help their'' boys" far more than they cau now. We think we can speak for our fellow-students and say Welcome, Professors with homes and households! We will mp,ke room for _yonand have a regular "house warming" iu your honor . When these homos are opened on our campus all of our meetings will have increased iriterest infused into them, and the social life of the college will be greatly broadened. Incident to this great advance in the life of the college we hear that the old cottages are to be pulled down and new ones erected on an improved plan. Only think, each fellow, or set of fellows, to have a " heel-room and a parlor." How civilized and genteel we shall all be !

1N

PROF. EDWARD B. SMITH.-The first part of a communication printed in our las.t number reads thus: "It is, I believe, a practice of the press, which . The Messenger ought to observe, to submit before pubiication any personal notice that is intended to be complimentary to the victim himself for revision." And immediately thereafter is added, "l mean, of course, in the rare case where the person interested does not write the uotice himeelf. The latter .is so general a practice that one can REl'LY

1'0


LOCALS.

~~~-----------

------------------•-·---·

27 -----·

eommonly very ·well tell the author "local," and as such necessarily came of a puff by noticing the name puffed. under our department, though perSometimes this is made a little diffi- haps it should have been put under cult by a practiced hand." The notice the" Sci'?uce Notes ." It is perfectly to which reference is made in the plain, as you say, that we did not first sentence above quoted, we sup- write thes e notices. You then add, pose, is the following: "A hyperuola "But is it not just as plain that you is an ellipse that has run around in a ought to have revised _ them?" The wash-tub until it has broken itself iu . gentleman who wrote the ai·ticle has two, and then turned wrong side . been declared by a Math~matician, a outwards." Since we did not intend Philosopher, and a Scientist to be the it as a "compliment," but merely as "Best Writer" within these "classie a piece of humor emanatiI)g from the shades "-you being one of the well-known humol'ist of the faculty, number • who awarded to him the it is difficult to see why · it should "golden wreath." It would then have been submitted " for revision," have been presumptious in ns to even upon the assumption that it is , attempt a revision of his production. customary to so submit complimentary To prove that it is not our Gustom to notices. But we were not aware that revise articles from such a pen, you it was "a practice of the press" to have only to glance at your commusubmit a complimentary notice to the nication and you will see that we did "victim himself for revision." If not change a single word. Againthe " victim " revises the notice, (it our names appeared in the article being submitted to him, as yon say, to which you refer-as did the names for that purpose) how can he escape of the other gentlemen who took the coudernnation of the second quo- pµrt in the exercises of the eveningtation above as being himself the not as "Editors," but as members of author of his own puff? Rest assured, the Mu Sigma Rho Society. however, that in the future any notice We are always glad to make a corof yourself, be it complimentary or rection when we find we are ,vrong. otherwi£e, will be submitted to , yo\1 We admit that we made a lapsus for revision, though of course, if it be pennae when we had the Vestal of the first class, it will be sadly Virgins buried six centuries before mutilated before leaving your hands. they died, and that we had the wrong" Notices of public institutions," you preacher pronouncing the funeral say, "sometimes cover a private oration over the wounded and bloodpuff." * * '' You, yourselves, gentle- stained body of Cresar. To the men, know something of this matter. ghosts of the "ladies in white" we In your own department of TheMessen- left our hats, and to the ashes of the gtrforJanuary,youhaveinsertedfirst·great warrior we make our most prorate notices of yourselves." The found obeisance. ·vve have consulted article to which you refer, "The Mu the chronicles, however, and :fiud that Sigma Rho Public Debate," was a Prof. Harrison is of age, all(l might


I

28

RICHMOND

COLLEGE

have been allowed the privilege ·of speaking for himself. As to the "hyperbola in the '"'"ashtub" you say that you are sure th e laundry addition to the witticism is ours. This is the point upon which our " doctrines " differ. Let us see. On the morning you gave utterance to the express ion our pencil took it immediately down into our note-book. It was at least three weeks before it appeared in print. Now, which during this time would hav e been more likely to forget the expression ?-the note-book which had llothing else to think of, or yourself, who had the quadratics of Jr. I. Mathematics, the solids 9f Jr. II., th e conics of Intermediate, and the calculus of Senior to think upon at one and the same

MESSENGER.

time ? We are also told that inventors center their entfre thought upon their work. We now see how you entirely forgot the expression attributed to you, while trying to invent" some fog-horn . attachment to a long-distance telephone," by which to" rouse an audience on the Congo to a sense of their condition." We would have no objection to being consiq.ered the originator of so brilliant a witticism, but "in the interest ,of truth and some othe.r things" we are compelled to disclaim it, and give the credit to whom it belongs. THE LOCAL EDITORS. "Oh, mister, see them girls turning summersets."-Co-Education.

Y. M. C. A. NOTES. [Editor-HENRY T. LouTHAN.J Po R ·rs Mou 'l' R CoNVENTION,___:Onsoon after, we reach Newport News As · Thursday morning, Feb. 13th, part of and take theboatforPortsrnouth. our delegation boarded tqe C. & 0. we crossed Hampton Roads, sails train for the State Y. M. C. A. Con- dotted the horizon, the wild duck rose vention at Portsmouth. The others and sank with the rolli 11g waves, the had gone down the morning before on white-winged sea-gull flitted across the the boat. As the engine flew on great waters, and all was as sublime Blue Ridge and over Old Virginia's historic soil, the as the "rock-ribbed" Lynchburg and Roanoke College del- as pleasing as a summer's morn. We were met by the brethren at the egations gathered with us, and then we sang some of those sweet gospel Portsmouth wharf, and given a most hymns which we all love so well. The hearty welcome. We were taken to word s floated far out into the still air, the well-fitted up Y . .M. C. A. hall and on we sped. The old colonial and soon after were assigned to our town of William sburg is now at hand; homes. Right here we . "'7iH say that


29

. Y. M. C. A. NOTES. 1

fall the brethren were as royally entertained as we were_:_and no doubt they were-they will never forget the little "city by th e sea" with her noble sons and her fair daughters. The Convention opened that afternoon with a special prayer-service of '' Thanksgiving," coudueted by Secretary H. 0. Williams. A prayerful spirit and intense earnest;ness continued through the whole Convention. The motto of all was, " Christ for the Young Men of Virginia and the Young Men of Virginia for Christ." The State Secretaries of Kansas, Michigan, Connecticut and Pennsylvania were present and did rnueh to make the meeting profitable and interesting. Hon. A. H. Colquitt, U: S. Senator from Georgia, delivered a most excellent l:!,ddressduring thesess1011.

The programme was indeed a model one-every minute was filled in with wide-awake work-Bible Readings, Reports from Associations, How we may best provide for the physical welfare of young men, Prayer · Service, Our Railroad Men, Systematic Giving and Systematic Saving, were "vell and earnestly considered on Friday. On Saturday our souls and pocketbooks were touched as we listened to a plea of G eo. S. Fisher, State Secretary of Kansas, for the 160,000 unsaved · young men of Virginia. As the speaker drew . the touching picture we seemed to see the greiit procession passing before us Fathers arose and said, "Last year my boy was in this procession, but now he is saved. I want to give of my means that others may be brought from the dark way of

death and led to the bright land of eternal life." Those who are in the work are indeed in earnest. Assistant State Secretary · E. T. Dadmun pledged himself for $300-this is one fifth of his salary. Nearly $4,000 were raised for State work. Fellows, let us ~pray most earnestly and work more zealously for the salvation of the precious souls of those who touch elbows with us in the class-room and talk with us on the campus. The receptions to the delegates on Friday evening by the Ladies' Auxiliary of the Portsmouth Y. M. C. A., and that of the Ladies' Auxilary of Norfolk on Saturday evening, were indeed most pleasant aud delightful. The halls of both · Associatior1s were elegantly fitted up. After " supper" work was commenced again with a

Vlill.

.

.

On Sonday morning we attended Dr. A. E. Owen's church, where we heard an exeeHent sermon from a former Richmond College boy, Rev. A. G. Loving, now of 'Winchester, in the Shenand9ah Valley. It almost made us feel like we were back beneath the shades of the Blue Ridge, sitting again beneath the roof-tree of our old chureh. In the afternoon, meetings were held in which there were to.o conversions. At 9 P. M., we sang one of those good old gospel hymns, grasped hands, and said, "Farewell." On Monday morning Vi:e went to see the Atlantic, and in the afternoon paid a visit to the · Y. M. C. A., at Fortress Monroe. At 5 o'clock, Tuesday morning, we said "goodbye" to our kind Portsmouth friends


so

:iUCHMOND COLL EGE MESSE::N"GER..

and started for the "Ariel." As we went down the street we thought of what history says: "Of all natural objects the mountains and the sea have ever been the most powerful instruments jn moulding the intellectual character of a people." We were convinced of the above, and then concluded that the "sea breeze" at Portsmouth is i 11 cl e e d a moulder of beauty and of greatness of heart~for it makes the " roses and lilies contend for a home in the maiden's cheek,' anrl :qiakes the heart of her young men most kind. As our boat steamed towards the Jam es, we could but look at the "twin cities by the sea" and say, " God be with you till we meet again." FORTRESS MoNROE.-On Monday afternoon, February the i 7th, a happy party of us boarded " The Luray " at Portsmouth, steamed down the Elizabeth and across Hampton Raods to Fortress Monroe. A delegation of Uncle Sam's brave fellows dressed in " blue and gold," met us in front of the Hygeia and took ns towards the Fort. We passed over the deep moat upon a bridge, next under the massive stone archway, and then \Ve were standing within the wa11s of tho great Fort. As welookcdaround us, we seemed to be ¡within a village, and so we were. ,Ve are especia1ly indebted to Messrs. Britt and Waring, members of the Fortress Monroe Y. M. 0. A., for their kindness in showing us the interesting points. We went into the casemate where Jefferson Davis was confined after the war, and looked

through the same window through which he so often looked. Now we are standing upon the strong walle of sand and stone, andlookat the mighty guns as they command the waters to the most distant point of the horizon. We see the rnanceuvres at the evening drill, hear the boom of the sunset gun, and then retire towards the casemates. vVe see over one of the doors in large letters, " Y. M. 0. A." We enter and are standing within the rooms of the first Y . . M. 0. A. organized in the U.S. Army or Navy. It isjust about three months old. Its organization is due to the efforts of Colonel Byrd-a Christian gentleman of fine physique and commanding appearance. 1'here are seventy-nine ¡ members, and they are in earnest. They have five room 's-the parlor, library, reading-room, recreationroom, and service-room-all of which are we11titted np. We attended two services while there, and rejoiced to see the soldiers of our nation standing up as soldiers of the Cross. God bless the Colonel and these yonng men in their great work. Thirteen students have organized themselves into a " Mission Band." It meets the second and fourth Saturday nights of each month. The object which the Band has in view is to learn more about Missions and to arouse more interest in missionary work. At each meeting paper concerning some particular field is presented by some mom ber of the Band. After the reading of the paper that particn1ar field is discussed

a


Y. M. C. A. NOTES. generally by the members. Each member of the Band is a subscriber to some nnss10nary paper. They are all trying to become better acquainted with the Lord's work in other lan<ls. 路 Every member of the Band is looking forward with a view .of entering the work in foreign field.

31

their bequest to the coming Hollins girls. For themselves they 路 expect to have several able lectn rers to speak before the school in tbe near future."

We were much ple::,t,seclto have with us rece,itly brethren W. D. Smith, Jr., and Robert Massey, of the Episcopal Theological Seminary at 路 "Y. W. C. A."-We are glad to Alexandria. They r~present a body see that the Christian work: of the of young men there who have organyoung women of our Son them schools ized for the purpose pf getting more is being pushed forward - with such young men to enter the g-oRpelministry. earnestness. Read th e fol1owiug from They are earnest and fiueqt talkers and no doubt are doing a good work. The Semi-Annual, of Hollins: Mr. Massey said : " This is a work " The progress of the Young vVothat will last. Man may tunnel men 's Christian Association in its mountains and bri~ge river s, but the 路 short history of two years at Hollins has proved that suhool girls are work of the gospel is higher than that. neither all brains nor all frivolity, The ore will pass away, but the other but are capable of apprecit~ting oppor- will last through all ages. If God tunities for growth in spiritual life. furnishes us with great . store-houses These quiet, reverent meetings in the of coal and oil, think _von he will redusk of the evening have brought all fuse to furnish the spiritual need? who attend them-and the Mtendanue 'Men that are needed for the gospel was always large-i11to closer and are men strong in rniud, iltrong in sweeter relatiot1ship. As the funds body, strong in courage, and strong of the Association in1:rease, plans are in love to God. Such a rnan was John being made for enlarging the library, the Baptist as he acuuse1I Herodand the members of this year hope to such was Martin Luther :1s he stood leave a valuable collection of enterest- :firm and unshaken before the Diet at ing and ,~orthy religious books as Worms."


32

RICHMOND

COLLEGE

MESeiJENGER.

PERSONALS. [E ditor-B.

B.

ROBINSON.]

S. T Di ckin son , '87-8, ha s secured a position as Pullman Car conducter over th e R. F. & P. R. R.

S. W. Huff, '84, is a student of electrical engin eering at Cornell University.

A. M. A ustin, B . A. '87, is in business at Brown sville, .T enn., hi s old hom e.

J. S. Sowers, B. A. '88, will return next session for his M. A.

R. A. Cutl er's , '87-8 , nam e app ears as one of th e editor s of th e B ethany Collegian, W. Va.

J. G. Paty, B. A. '86, a successful and popular profes sor in th e Soule Femal e College, Murfr eesboro, T enn. W. S. Catlett, '87, who ha s been studying at Crozer Seminary has been compell ed to giv e up his studie s on account of ill-health. W. T. Creath, '89, · is t eaching at .Win t:lsor Ac ademy , Va. .Jno. H. Smith, '8 8, is at R andolphMa con, studying for th e Methodist ministry.

R. P. Rixey, '88, is a clerk rn a bank at Culpep er. F. G. Grov e, '8 7, is now in Luray, in the gr ain bu sin ess. Frank was our "sc ientifi c" man whil e her e; we learn that he ha s invent e<lone or two useful mech anical deYices. H. R. Hundl ey, B. A . '88, is prin cipal of th e Bate sbur g High School, Bate1,buri" S. C.

Car ey A. Folk, B . A. '87, is principal of the Hatchie Ac ademy, Orysa, Tenn. L . J. Haley, B. A. '86, is practicing law at Birmingham, Ala. Charle s Pury ear, M. A. ·81, is professor of mathemati cs in the Agricultural and Mechanical Coll ege, U niversity of Texa s. John 0. Long, Jr., '81, 1s farming in Am;her st connty, Va. J. W. Norwood, '85,.i s president of the Gr eensville Savings Bank, Greensville, S. 0 . Will 0. Tyr ee, B. A. '87, is pastor of th e Bapti st church at Fincastle, Va. Ja00b 0. Aldermau, B. A. '86, who obtained best debater's and writer's medals, is teaching at Darlington, S. 0. M a xcy G. Fiel<l, '84, is clerking in the Orang e County Bank, Gordonsvill e, Va.

W. A. Harris, M. A. '86, is a· postgraduate student at J ohns-Hopkinr. University, Baltimore.


EXCHANGES.

EXCHANGES. [Editor-E.

W.

GREANER.]

The Fordham Monthly comes to us brews, Nimrod of the Assyrians, Theseus of Athens, . or Romulu s of regularly, and always contains matter · of an instructive and interesting char- Rome." S ic trans it gtoria mundi. Ye acter. The article," Is the Merchant Humbu_9ge is right. There is undoubtof Venice a Tragedy?" deserves com- edly too decided a tendency in thi s mendation and while we do not entire- . direction. ly concur with the author's views, still .we must admit that many of the leadThere has been ,a marriage at the Kansas Wesleyan University. The 1noevents are of a decidedly tragic e, character. A careful perusal, also, of contracting parties were The Wesleyan "How we Get Out our Paper," will Advoc:ate , and Th e TVesleyan Lan ce. prove of value to. many of our ex- vVhile yet the orange blossoms retaiu changes. It is due the Monthly to state their freshness we hasten to ofter our that ~its Literary , Department is far hearty congratulations and to bestow our fraternal blessings. The new paabove the average. per is · known as The Advan ce. vVe There is not much (quantity not wish you success and the progress quality) .of Ye Humbuggc, but what which your name implies. there ism ust after careful examination · The College Journal, of College Sta_ be rated '· first-class." By a pretty tion, Texas, comes to us as a new vis_ example of reductio ad absurdum, "the efforts put forth by scientists and itor. We give you greeting, and wish historians from time to time for the you that freedom from adversity and purpose of relegating to the realms of exercise of energy which must surely culminate in success. idealism leading events of the world's history are shown to be themselves but 11he Sp eculum , of Sing Sing , N. Y., flimsy pretexts of a pr~jndiced intellect." The Archmologist of the year contains a very readable editorial I upon the publishing of matter other 3000 A. D. w·n decipher the records of Am erica/ a ,'d comment thus : than that which relates to college life. " George WJs i ngton belongs to the After dwelling upon th emany advanthernic age t i United States. It is ages accruing to young men from litnow doiiui e y ~ittle<l that no such man erary efforts, the editorial pen further ever lived. is simply the personi- inscribed these words: "Do not think by this that school paper s fication o he nat10nal ideal of patriot ism, hero C e fleavor, . public and do- should contain only out side matte!'. Far from it. In a ·well-regulated · mestic vi tue. He may very properly b• •omp· ed,[ ith Samson of the He- school paper there should be a depart-

t

"


34

RICHMOND

COLLEGE

ment, in charge of one of the staff of editors, containing on ly school items . There shou ld be "alumni notes" in which shou ld be pub lished artieles pertaining to the boys who have been graduated, for thus they are enab led to keep track of one anoth er, and their interest, too, in the paperiskept. The remamrng pages shou ld contain ,.;ketches and int eresti,ng articles wh ich will interest its readers .both in the school and out. " Good advice, we say, beyond a do.ubt. • Fo ll ow it, · is our advice and the Speculum will become a more interesting exponent of college li fe. With the next issue of the Messenger a new exchange editor will wield the keen-edg ed knife of criti cism. vVe have been obliged both to give aud to rece ive severa l sharp thrusts, but it has been i.n the interest and for the im6f college journalism. provement May the good work continue so that each paper may be able to endure the pure and perfect li ght of true crit icism radiating from an educated peo11le. Ten dollars paid for drinks creates . a market for corn to the value of a Ten dollars fraction over 11 cents. expended for pork, even with the pr esent exorbitant profits of butchers, creates a market for corn to the value of $3.75. Every buehel of eorn used by the distillery, therefore, cuts off the market for over 30 bushels of corn made into pol'lc-Ohio State Grange. The above has the merit of being an essay, and about the briefest as well as the mo st pointed on record at

MESSENGER.

that, in both temp erance and econorni.cs.-Post. MATHEMA TI C CLASS.-Teacher:

" What do es th e word poty m ean, and g ive an example?" St udent: "It m eans many; for insta nc e, polygon means 'a figure of many sides.' " Teacher: "Oh, thi.nk of an exa mple not so Wl)rn out.'' Student: " Well, poll.I)parrot! a bi.rd that says the same thin g many times." YouNG

AMERICA.

My Pony, 'tis of thee, ' Emblem of liberty, . 1'otheeI~-~d" ~ Book of my F~an ~ays, r.r Worth y of fonde st prai se , · Worthy of puets ' lays, ) I'_cl tribute bring. My gallant Pony, th ee, Help to th e wearied be, When "Ex." is nigh. I love thy well-worn look, Thou gentle little book, Down in some shady nook, Sil ent ly li e. .:~

Harpers and Bo hn! to thee, Authors of liberty, . To thee we sing. Horace Demosthenes, Taeitnfftiophocles, L ivy and Homer, these, 'The horse is king !-E x. Of the 15,781 words in Johns~~ Dictionary th ere are 6,732 Latin, 4,812 French, 1,665 Saxon, 1,148 Greek, 591 Dutch, 116 German, and the rest from tw enty different source s. It _is evide nt that a knowledge of Latin, French, and Greek must be of great value in th e ascertainment of what we call our own lang,uag-e.

\


ADVERTISEMENTS. She ( of Boston): " Have you read the story of ' Ben Hnr? ' If so, you remember those wonderful characters . the three wise men from th e East?" He ( of Uhicago) : " I have uever read the book, but I'v e had the ple asure of meeting two of the chractors you mention-John L. Sullivau and Mike. Ke1ly."-E x. American college p apers exhibited at the Pari s Exposition exc ited great interest in foreign edu cat ion cirel es, as college journalism is almo st unknown in Europe. " 1'here are three kinds of men in the world-the 'Wills ,' th e ' W on'ts,' and the' Oan'ts.' The former etfed every thing, the latter oppo se everything. '.I will ' bi1ilds our railr,)ad.s and steamboats. 'I wou't ' do e,m't believe in experiments and 'nou sense ;'

35

while 'I ean't' grows weeds for wheat, and then whine s about bad luck." A well-inform ed tai·l<1r in Now York adv er tiaes "Pants for gents aud trousers for ge 11tlemen." The fir tit coll ege paper was issued by the st udents of DMtmouth in 1821, and was called th e GazettP. Daniel Webster wa s a contrilrntor under the pse udonym of" Ica rmi.".-E .c. Over $10,000 has already been sub scrib ed for- the Columbia athletic field. ·' Is marriage a failure? " he asked of a rriaid, Who clung pretty dose to his side; "I'm sur e I ean't tell, sir," the young lady said, " Uutil you hav e made me your T.:xas Sj~ings bride."

RICHMOND STRAIGHT 'CUT No.l CIGARETTES. ---o--CIG AREr.rTE

SMOKERS,

who are willing to pay a little more tha:i the price charg ed for the ordinary trade Cigarette, will find THIS BRAND superior to all other s.

---o---

THE RICHMONDSTRAIGHT CUT NO. 1 CI GA RETTES ' are made from the brightest, most delicate ly flavored and highest co.•t GOLD T,EAF grown in Virginia. 'rhi s is the OLD AND ORIGINALBRA.ND OF STRAlGHT CUT Cigar. cttes, and wa s brotwht out by us in the year 1875. BEWARE OF IMI9rATIONS, and observe that the firm name ·a s below is o.n every package-

ALLEN& GINTER, Manufacturers, RIOH

·:MOND,

ALSO MANUF A CTURERS

V ..P~-

OF

VIRGINIA BRIGH'rS aud DIXIE ClGARE'l'TES, RICHMON]) GEM CUY,LYCUT, OLD RIP, IMPERIAL MIX'.l'URE, And other high grade SMOKlNG TOBACCOS.


CoSHIRTMAKERS, • sialileHATTERS BANDP8illePS, FURNISHERS, 1

No. 419 EAST BROAD STREET. SALE SMEN :

F. L. ALLEN.

A. L. DAVIE',

CAN BE ~JADE WORKING FOR US.__:__Agent s prefem?d . who can furni sh a horse and give their whole time to the $250 a IVIOiltb to $75 busine ss. Spare moments may be profitably em ployed also. . A few vacancie s in towns and cities.

1

B. F. JOHNSON & CO, 1009 ,Main Stre et, RICHMOND. VA.

.

THE

RICHMOND

STEAM

DYEING,

SCOURING,

OAIIPl!l~OLIIANl11&WOBl:I

'. ~ANUFACTURER OF THEAC~ERENOVATOR M1rs. A. ,JI. fPJf~8,

Largest Works in the South. No. 315 NORTH FIFTH STREET (near Broad), · RICHMO~D, VA. FOR GOOD, CHEAP , AND RELIABLE

CLOTE:ING, GO TO

A.

GREENTREE 829 E. BROAD

.

STREE'f . .

W. A. Lambert& Bros. 7

Beef, Mutton,

and

Veal,

STALL No. 7, SECOND MARKET, RICHMOND, VA., 311 N. SIXTH STREET. SPRING LAMB A SPECIALTY. PHONE No. 511

J. E. ROSE tc CO.,

1512 EAST MAIN STREET.

'PHONE No. 574.

105 EAST BROAD STREET.

:StroYes, Tinware, lro1ker1r,

tllassware

TlNNING, PLUMBING, GAS-FITTING.

1•


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