The Messenger, Vol. 35, No. 2

THE lVlEssENGEa. VoL XXXV.

DECEMBER, 1908.

No. 2.

Star of tbe J6ast.

C. L. STILLWELL,

'11.

Heaven's youngest teemed star Hath fixed her polished ca.r, }Ier sleeping Lord with handmaid lamp attending.

-Milton.

I. Thou precious Jewel, radiant beaming Star, Divine and welcome herald of the East; Thou beauteous pilot to that love-lined crib, .Where lay the heaven-infant wrapt in peace!

II. The Roman tetrarch, trembling, saw thy light And felt the dire presage of coming gloom; He sought to shun thee; hide thee from his sight, And Him whose birth thou toldst he hoped to doom.

III. The wandering demons, revelling in the night, Enraged and irighled at thy sacred beams, Sped madly from tlie wondrous vision bright, And hied them to their haunts for fiendish schemes.

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RICHMOND COLLEGE MESSENGER.

IV. The shepherds, charmed by the heavenly choir And dazed by thy celestial dazzling rays, Amazed, left their restless flocks alone To browse unchecked with none to guide their ways.

V. The wise men felt thy soft rays' velvet kiss As o'er the gleeful hills they gaily flew, While thou shone on they could not go amiss, For softly thou their gentle steps didst woo.

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VI. And this was in the village, Bethlehem, And since that niglif two thousand years have flown; Thy light on Christian winds so far has spread, That now thou hast o'er all the world been borne.

VII. And still beneath the skies of Palestine The shepherds watch their listless flocks by night, And still the wise men worship at thy shrine, And hither thou dost ever guide them right.

VII. No Roman monarch tries to de1w thee now; The devils, shamed 'gainst thee, no more rebel; So shine ¡ thou far into the ages hence; Send forth thy rays with awful magic spell.

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HELD FOR DOWNS,

1Helb for JDowns.

SYDNEY JOHNSTON LODGE,

'10.

mHE noon express from the South, gradually slackening its ~ speed, wound its way through the outskirts of the city and . plunged into the black mouth of a tunnel. After a few minutes it emerged again into daylight, and finally, with clanging . bell and hissing exhausts, came to a standstill before the station at Rudolph. _ The scene upon the station platform was rather unusual for a town of Rudolph's size. A large crowd of young men, bedecked in fall attire, some very gaily, ot"li.ers in a more sober and sedate fashion, stood closely bunched together, with their attention, to a man, centered upon the steady stream of youths pouring from the express. Every few seconds some new arrival would be recognized and immediately made the subject of a hundred hand-shakes.

Suddenly the crowd became greatly agitated and a mighty cheer burst forth: "Rah, Rah, Rah !-Rah, Rah, Rah !-Rah, Rah, Rah, Burk!"

Down the steps of tlie middle coach, suit-case in hand, came a clean-eyed, stalwart y,outh, waving his hat at the cheering men. It was Burk, star end and 'Varsity captain of the Rudolph College 1 foot-ball team.

College had opened the day hefore and a body of upper classmen had come down to welcome their idol, for Burk was the most popular man in college, back again into their midst.

Once surrounded by them, he was plied with a hundred or more questions, poked in the ribs, slapped on the shoulders, pushed about, and in every way made to feel the sincerity of his admirers.

The southern flier pulled out from the station and rumbled away into the 'distance. The college men, in little groups .of twos and threes, turned their steps toward their respective lodgings, leaving the vicinity about the station deserted, except for a few towns-folk and the station employees. Yet .there remained another

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RICHMOND COLLEGE MESSENGER.'

person, who had not been seen, or, if seen, not noticed by the gay crowd of collegians, who had just departed. That person was James Barclay Simpson, of North Carolina, who had come to this Virginia town with fond hopes of standing the entrance examination to Rudolph College and of eventually winning a law degree.

At present one might have taken him for some poor outcast, bereft of his every relative or friend.

Seated upon his own little sea-trunk at the far end of the platform, fos head in his hands, fighting a strenuous battle within himself, he presented a perfect picture of despair. Twenty-four hours before the future seemed to hold nothing but happiness, ambition, and joy for him, but now-it was no use; he was defeated without having been given a chance. At the very beginning of his college career a stigma had been placed upon his name and a block in the path of his progress.

Why had fate put him in the same seat on the express with that droll-faced senior, Barry Atleigh? Why bad the conversation drifted to such a point that he was forced to lay bare his past an incident of which he coufd not â‚Źxplain, yet of which he was in no way ashamed? And finally, why bad he lost control of himself long enough to make, in the heat of anger and humiliation, a remark which had secured for him the everlasting ill-will of his companion?

James Barclay Simpson had always been a model of honesty and thrift, but-ah! that was what hurt, and the knowledge of which had several times nearly driven him to rashness.

Now is these moments of anguish, while the above questions seared themselves upon his overwrought brain, he carried himself back five years-to the time, when yet in bis 'teens, the whole northern part o:f the "Tar Heel" State was watching "Jim" Simpson, the youngest bank cashier in that section, with critical, doubting eyes.

But from the start he bad made good. At the end of one year he had gained the respect and confidence of all whom he met and the Carolina Banki g and Trust Company bad flourished under his skillful and accurate manipulation. Then had misfortune gotten in her handiwork.

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55

¡Now he thought of the morning on which, while busy at his desk, he had been summoned to the office of the Trust Company's president. For two hours he was closeted with the president and board of directors. The details of this meeting were never made public, yet it was known that at the end of this time he walked out of the front door of the bank, beside a stern-looking young man in black, minus a position and plus a pair of hand-cuffs. The sentence had been short, but-"Hello, old mail, thinking of 'Blue Eyes' back at home"?

Simpson sprang to his feet at the sound of a clear, friendly voice and strove to throw off the cruel lethargy o-f the interrupted reverie. He could hardly believe his eyes, for it was Burk, good old "Andy" Burk, as he was termed, who was speaking.

"Going to enter college this fall, are you"? continued the senior, noting the confusion of the other. '.'Well, I'm glad of it, old man.

Gosh, but you look as if you might do something in athletics. Ever play foot-ball? No? Well's it's not too late to learn."

By this time Simpson had gained enough composure to answer Burk's queries and to introduce himself. He felt a thrill of admiration for this new acquaintance and his heart warmed toward Burk for his kindly, sympathetic manner. Then a pang shot through him as he realized that Atleigh might already have spoken to the foot-ball man about the shadow which hung over the freshman. Nevertheless, he had about decided to take him into his con• fidence when Burk spoke.

"Had your trunk sent up yet? No, I see you 1iaven't. Neither have I. I came back for that purpose. Let's hurry. Dinner comes at one and we have just about time to make it."

Marvelling more and more at the interest that Burk was taking in him and at his whole manner and make-up, Simpson followed him to a waiting transfer wagon, where the matter of trunks was satisfactorily settled. Then the both set out at a brisk pace for the college campus, a few blocks away.

It was these very qualities that had won for Burk the high position he held at Rudolph. Kind and sympathetic to everyone, ever ready to lend the helping hand, whole-souled and true-hearted in every respect. That was Burk.

5.6

RICHMOND COLLEGE MESSENGER.

It was nearly a month after the opening of the c<?llege before Simpson broached to Burk the subject which was most detestable and soul-rending to himself. Then it was only because he was at bay, so to speak.

Atleigh seemed to have lost no opportunity to explain to his friends what he firmly believed to be Simpson's true status in life.

The friends had told others, and thus, little by little, the worm of unjust suspicion had eaten its way into the hearts of the student body and Simpson found himself ostracized from his mates. But "Jim" Simpson was no coward. Former years had proven that.

He held his head as high as ever and performed his duties with the same painstaking care.

Yet, despite the bravery with which he faced his trying situation, he realized that something must be done, or he should be forced to leave Rudolph. He needed advice, and naturally turned to Burk. It was _Burk who had helped him get settled, had p~t him at home, as it were, at Rudolph. It was Burk who had fought to squelch the evil report concerning his former career. It was Burk who had induced him to come out for foot-ball, and it was his individual coaching which had made those who doubted the freshman's strength of character, own that he was promising material for the 'Varsity. Indeed, Burk had been his only refuge from the unspoken yet powerful accusation of the student body.

Therefore one evening when the squad was leaving the foot-ball ground after practice' Simpson went up to the captain and asked him to call around to his room later, stating that he desired to speak with him upon a very personal matter.

"All right, Jim. I'll be around just as soon as I get my rub," replied Burk, as he sef off toward the gym.

Once behind locked doors in his unpretentious room in Lanier Hall, Simpson poured out his troubles to his friend and asked his advice.

"Jim," bega . "Andy," "no one knows better than I the extent of the trial through which you are going, the cruel injustice being done you, and no one bas more faith in you than I." He looked Simpson steadily in the eye for a solid minute, and continued:

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"Suppose you should be called in to play tackle for Rudolph against another college, and I should be on the end next to you.

Let the other fellows have the ball. We are on our three-yard line. -"'rhey try first to run my end, then to plunge your tackle.

What are we to do? Shall we simply step aside and let them conquer?" _Again he leveled those honest blue eyes upon his friend as if awaiting an answer.

Simpson sat with eyes riveted upon Burle He could not fathom the other's meaning. "Andy" went on: "It's the same thing, Jim. You have a great battle before you.

You ar,e right; you know it. Your line is strong. Your opponents think they are right also, and are going to fight hard. But you will not fight alone. I know y~1;1 for what you are. Together we will break up their trick .plays, and"-he moved to the door and put his hand on the knob-"in the end we will hold them for downs. So long, Jim." With this he stepped into the corridor and softly closed the door, leaving the freshman alone with hill thoughts.

The mont]1 of November passed very slowly indeed to the lonely freshman, yet he never lost his grip upon himself for a moment.

Time and time again he suffered severe anguish of mind on account of his associates' distant and frigid attitude toward him.

An incident which laid on the straw that broke the camel's back happened during foot-ball practice one evening. toward the latter part of the month.

On this occasion it happened that Atleigh was playing left halfback for the 'Varsity in a practice scrimmage with the scrubs. ~or ten full minutes had the latter fought the scrubs with the fierceness of eleven furies, and had succeeded in keeping the ball in midfield, although it was in the possession of the 'Varsity. Repeated attempts were made to run the scrubs' ends, but each time the runner was thrown without material gain. Then a furious attack was made upon the line with but little more success. Finally Barry Atleigh was given the ball for a croes-buck through Simpson.

The scrub tackle was on the alert for just such a play. With the quicknesR of a young tiger, he plunged' his shoulder into his

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RICHMOND COLLEGE MESSENGER.

opponent and by superior strength alone broke through in time to tackle and throw the runner for a loss of a few feet. Atleigh fell heavily, but was up in an instant, glaring at the freshman with a look of hatred. He called out to his own tackle and end in a loud, angry tone: "Wake up, you fellows. Can't two of you block that jail-bird?"

This was too much £or the long-per;;ecuted freshman to bear.

With a growl of rage he sprang at Atleigh_and dealt him a blow on the forehead. Taken completely by surprise and stunned by the blow, the senior £ell to his knees. Simpson was about to press his advantage when Burk caught him by the shoulder and :wheeled him around.

"Fellows," he cried, "this has got to stop. Simpson, &et in your place. All right, quarter, signals!" and thus the matter for the time being was dropped; From this day on Atleigh never let up an hour in his efforts to injure the scn1b t ackle. Two nights after the above incident the Carolina freshman was taken out in the middle of the night and severely hazed by a dozen masked men, Atleigh and eleven of his particular cronies. Simpson divined all, but said nothing. 'l'he autumn days rolled by and Rudolph added victory upon victory to her credit. Twice only had she been defeated, once by the State University and the other time by Sewanee. No college in • her class had so much as crossed her goal-line.

Simpson worked harder and harder, day after day, but as yet hnd not been in a single minute of play. Burk and the coaches began to pay more and more attention to him, though they knew that Barton, the regular 'Varsity tackle, was his superior in every department of the game. But foot-ball is a strenuous game, and goo<l substitutes are a1ways welcomed with open arms by those in c:harge.

The wisdom of the coaches in working with the freshman was forcibly illustrated when two days before the game with Warren on Thanksgiving }Jay, Roy Barton was carried from the practice field ,\;ith a liadiy fractured lmee . . 'rJi.is accident., coming at so critical a time, was a great blow to player.: and supporters alike. Warren was Rudolph's warmest rival,

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59

arnl the latter had held great hopes of taking this final battle of the sea:;;on. But now a new proposition had to be met and solved.

TLe following night on the eve of the great battle the headcoach posted the line-up for the morrow and Jim Simpson's name was in the place where Roy Barton's had been for years back.

The most conservative men in college shook their heads and said nothing, while the radical and pessimistic class came out point blank with murmurs of disapproval.

Thanksgiving Day dawned dark and foreboding, and a cold . dri~:t.ling rain began to fall at · six o'odock, but by ten the sun peeped through the clouds and at four, the hour of the game, the weather conditions were ideal for foot-ball. A goodly crowd wa:3 on hand and everywhere could be seen the purple and white of Rudolph and the orange and black.of Warren.

Tne Rudolph team a-ppeared first and received a rousing cheer.

A few minutes later Warren trotted upon the :field and were loudly applauded by the loyal who had accompanied the team. After a few minutes of signal work, the two captains tossed a coin and the choice fell to Burk. He decided to receive the ball · and the teams lined up for the kick-off.

Shrill and sharp sounded the referee's whistle·, and almost simultaneously the Warren full-back booted the ball straight into the arms of Rudolph's left end, who ran it back thirty yards. Then in quick succession play followed play until the ball was worked well up into the enemy's territory, where it was lost on downs.

Warren's line was heavier than Rudolph's, and for the :first few minutes the latter found it hard to stop the visitors' repeated line plunges. However, Warren soon had to resort to fake plays and end runs. Many of these were successful, and the Rudolph rooters began to grow uneasy. Steadily, yard by yard, did Warren carry the ball forward, while the orange and black section of the stand went wiia.

At last by a neatly executed forward pass the ball was .placed on Rudolph's ten-yard line. On the next down tlie Warren quarter, through over-anxiousness, fumbled, and out from the tangled mass sprang Burk with the ball tucked snugly un~er his arm. He was downed on the :fifty-yard line. Atleigh went through Simpson's

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RICHMOND COLLEGE MESSENGER.

tackle for eight yeards. On a full-back plunge through the line, the required distance was gained. Here the advance stopped, the ball going over.

Thus the battle raged, up and down the field, until, with but two minutes of the half to play, the orange and black's right halfback, ruuning the full width of the field and aided by superb mterference, skirted Rudolph's left end for a touch down.

Pandemonium reigned among the Warren rooters. The Rudolph flags were motionless. The try for goal was made at quite a difficult angle, and the ball went wide of its mark.

Again the two teams lined up for the kick-off, this time War. ren receiving the foll on their twenty-yard line and bringing it back to midfield. Here time was called. Score: Warren, 5; Rudolph, 0.

During the interval between halves the Rudolph coaches called their men into the dressing room beneath the stand and made a strong, beseeching appeal to them. When time was up they trotted out upon the battle-ground determined. to do or die.

Receiving the kick-off on the fifteen-yard line, Captain Burk carried the ball well into his opponent's territory. By line plunges, cross-bucks, fake kicks, and forward passes, all executed with a snap and dash, not shown in the first half, the ball was carried within ten yards of Warren's goal line.

"Bud" McCrody, the Rudolph full-back, tore tluough the line for six yards, and a few seconds later he was called upon again and responded by carrying the pigskin over for a tie score. Warren lined up beneath the goal _post and the little Rudolph quarter dropped out for tlie kick. He took plenty of time, saw that the ball was held in exactly the proper position, and at the signal of the referee took a step forward and---straight as an arrow, the ball sailed over the bar.

"Goal," cried the officied, and now it was the purple and white which moved, while its owners gave vent to spasmodic shrieks of joy. Score: Rudolph, 6; Warren, 5.

Again Ruaolph received the kick-off, and advanced the ball by steady gains within striking distance of Warren's goal, only to lose it there on a fumble. From this point on both teams played

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desperate ball, neither gaining materially. With but four minute;; to play, Warren's l>ack field executed a swift triple pass, netting forty yards. This gain put the ball on Rudolph's ten-yard line.

Realizing that apparent victory might be turned into defeat, Captain Burk exhorted his men to put forth every atom of their strength and skill.

The ball was snapped, and the orange and black full-back went tlirough for nine yards. Next the left half-back attempted a crossbuck play, but had barely gotten started when Rudolph's righttackle, Simpson, the freshman, dashed his man aside and tore ¡ through in time to bring down the runner from behind.

A steady, prayerful cry to ''hold" came from the stands. The Rudolph players dug their cleats into the ground and waited.

The visitors' quarter hesitat~d a moment, then gave the signal for the full-back to plunge the line. The_ instant the ball was 1:1napped every Rudolph man lurched forward to meet this final, deciding onslaught.

The full-back had just reached the line of scrimmage when he was sent sprawling, together with his halves. Simpson, with the fury of a wild ,beast, had again ripped his way through his opponent and dived leadlong at the feet of the three Warren backs in time to throw the play.

Warren's supporters sent up a great roar of applause, thinking the ball was over, but when the dust cleared away and the men had regained their feet it was seen that the visitors had failed to gain the goal by barely two feet.

Amid a great burst of applause from the Rudolph coilegians, the ball was brought out five yards to allow room for punting, and Full-back McCrody booted it far out of the danger ¡ zone. The runner had scarcely been thrown when time was called.

Hardly nad the victors finished their cheer for the vanquished when their supporters, mad with joy, were upon them. Around and around the field, and then out through the park gate and down the college street to the campus, they carried the heroes upon their shoulders, followed by a mob of cheering humanity. Then followed a night long remembered by the inhabitants of Rudolph.

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RICHMOND COLLEGE MESSENGER.

The folowing morning Burk burst into Simpson's room while the latter was still in bed. "Jim," he cried, "read this."

He hastily spread out on the bed a copy of the morning paper and pointed to an item on the first page. Simpson read with his color coming and going and his eyes glistening. The despatch ran thus: "ALBY, N. C., November 28.-Late last evening Sheriff Barber, of this town, was surprised by a call from A. P. Cromley, cashier of the Carolina Banking and Trust Company, who confessed to naving, four years ago, while a teller, stolen some valuable papen, belonging to the Widow J amesen, of this tO'Wn, and which were at that time in the Trust Company's vault for safe-keeping. Cromly explained how by criminal intrigue he had succeeded in throwing the burden of suspicion upon the cashier, James B. Simpson, also of Alby. Cromly stated that he could not bear to see an innocent. man suffer longer, and that he was ready to take the consequences of his deed.:" Without giving the freshman time to speak, but noting the joy which shone on his face and beamed from his eyes, Burk turned to the sporting page and put his thumb on an extract from the writeup of the game of the day before. This is what met Simpson's tearbedimmea eyes : "Rudolph's particular star was, without doubt, Simpson, the substitute for Barton, who was injured seriously a few days ago.

Twice did he break through and tackle the runner in the nick of time when the slightest miscalculation would have meant defeat.

The freshman is certainly a comer."

A wave of remorse for their blunder, and one of admiration for the silent sufferer, swept over th~ entire college. He was the hero of the hour and his name was upon every lip.

Truly had Jim Simpson held for downs !

SETTING OF THACKERAY'S "THE VIRGINIANS."

63

U:be Setting of U:bacllera1?'S "U:be Wtrgtntans."

E. W. ROBERTSON,

'10.

n,HAOKERAY represents Virginia as being a country largely ~ of wilderness with a very scanty population. He tells us that the people owned large estates and a great number of slaves to work their lands. Their chief occupation was farming; they raised tobacco by the hundreds of acres, and sent it to England' in shipload lots, receiving in return for it money and many other tliings of which they were in need.

Thackeray makes Virginia a ki:rrd of refuge for those weary of the strife and turmoil of English life; they came over the sea seeking a new land, and found rest in ¡ the simple agricultural life of Virginia. Those who came over were, for the most part, people of high rank, many bearing titles as lords, ladies, etc. They were mostly of _aristocratic families; many of them had held offices of high position while in their mother land. They brought with them many of the manners and customs of their former homes. Being men and women of high birth, they were not used to work, and so kept large numbers of African slaves to till their farms, and a private servant for each member of the household.

From the novel we get a clear conception of the time. It was during the French and Indian wars and throughout the Revolution. As in history, we see here the many hardships they passed through on account of the hostilities of the .Indians. We see, too, the bitter struggle between the Englis4 and the French, the battle between the two great generals, Wolfe and Montcalm. The English march bravely through many trials and hardships to Quebec, and there fight a heroic battle, in which their noble leader, General Wolfe, is slain.

Next we see the struggle of the colonies for independence.

Thackeray gives the primary causes of the struggle, and tells of the meeting of Congress in Philadelphia. The colonies secretly drilled their soldiers in preparation for war. The first blow was dealt at

j

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Lexington. The Royalists sided with the Britons and the Whigs with the colonies. The war went on until that glorious Fourth of July, when the "Declaration of Independence" was signed in Philadelphia.

In the character of "Harry" we have the setting forth of true patriotism ; he said he was proud that he was a Virginian. He volunteered to fight for his country, acted as a. colonel in the Revolutionary war, and long before the war broke out drilled, in secrecy, his men, doing all, as he said, for the sake of his native land, Virginia.

Thus we see that the conception we get of Virginia from Thackeray's "The Virginians" is largely the same. as we would get from history.

U:be lDtff~rence lSetween a lDramitttc lnctt,ent ant, a lDramattc Sttuatton.

A. L. SHUMATE,

'11.

-HE general definitions given by which we distinguish between ~ "Incident" :;ind "Situation" will hold good when applied to a dramatic incident and a dramatic situation.

An incident is an event, a casualty, while a situation is a plight, a state. An incident is that which happens aside from the main design-an accidental or subordinate event; while a situation is a state or condition as related to other things. An incident may, and usually does, spring out of a situation. Some striking incident is often the conclusion of a dramatic situation. Or it may take place, witn more. or less importance, at any period in the development of the situation. But tlie incident must always be of use in carrying out the main design.

By way of illustration let us refer first to the play of "Hamlet."

W.e have, very clearly, a dramatic situation, when Hamlet bring~ the king before the players, with the express purpose of ascertaining, hy the kinis countenance and actions, whether or not he is

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN DRAMATIC INCIDENT AND SITUATION.

guilty. The situation is related in various ways, both to the past arid the future, and withal, is complicated. It is concluded by a striking incident, which is really the crisis of the play. It is the moment when the king, flushed and confused, ;;uddenly rises and calls for "Lights! Lights!"

Another important dramatic situation is that in which Hamlet found himself, and in which the king unconsciously figured, when Hamlet's first opportunity came to kill the king. This situation differed from the one just mentioned, in that it passed off quietly and uneventfully.

An incident, which seems to be connected only in a broad and general way with any situation, is the death of old Polonius. Thfr, places both Hamlet and the king in ~ dramatic situation. It brings on new relationships and creates new attitudes between the king, Hamlet, and the people on the one hand, and between Hamlet, Laertes, and the king on the other. And this situation develops in a most interesting way, reaching a great climax in the dramatical and tragical incident,-the death of Hamlet, Laertes, the king, and the queen.

Other interesting situations and incidents might be cited in Hamlet, but for variety let us consider Marlowe's Edward II. The passionate and almost insane love of King 路 Edward for Gaveston brought about a 路 dramatic situation, for the lords of the realm were determined to separate the two. An incident springing from, but not relieving the situation satisfactorily, is the banishment of Gaveston.

The situation grows more critical on Gaveston's return, and in <:onnection with this situation is the exciting incident of Younger Mortimer's assault upon Gaveston, murdering him. This situation is due to Edward's moral and mental weakness, his lack of executive ability, his lack of dignity, and his unnatural love for Gave8ton, which is really an evidence of his weakness, and the immediate, direct cause of his overthrow.

This play, as a whole, may be considered one great dramatical situation, with the poor helpless king ( only in 路name) abused and ruled by his supposed suojects; and the eituation is concluded in 路a

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RICHMOND COLLEGE MESSENGER.

~atisfactory waY by two dramatical and tragical incidents:. Firstly, the final triumph of the lords over the king in the king's death, and i,econdly, the execution of the king's murderer~ by his son.

@n mr 1Rineteentb :fl3trtbbar.

C. L. STILLWELL,

'11.

'When I consider with remorseful heart The many ill-spent hours of nineteen years, 'Tis then with new-born pain and burning tears I think what might have been. 'Tis then that part Of life which well I know nor verse 11or art, Nor any earthly haunts nor heavenly spheres Can tnake me e'er forget the pain it rears .

Within my breasf~that misspent youth-a dart Of pain shall send through all my future life And cast ..a gloom o'er all my years of peace, And harden all my beds of velvet ease, And blend remorse with woe and woe with strife.

Swift-flown these years have been, and gone they are: My golden youth is past-bright morning .star.

ttbe megro )Problem.

WM. T. HALL,

'12.

" ~AY, Cap'~, ¡ ¡pose yolt don't care if I quit a little sooner ~ than common dis even', does you?" said Sam, a young heavy-set negro, who was plowing up tobacco stubbles preparatory to sowing wheat late one October afternoon; "wes'e ~winter have a new preacher at de church dis evening and I'd like

THE NEGRO PROBLEM.

67

ter hear him." "Of course not,' Sam, if you want to go to chunch,r said the farmer, a typical Southern gentleman, who had come out to the field to see how Sam was getting along. "I would like to have this patch finished to-day, but we must not let our wol'k get between us and our God, and we can finish it to-monow." "Dat's so, Cap'n," said Sam, "and I'll git up early in the mornin' and finish this in little er no time befo' you git the drill ready." "All right then," said Captain Dupont, as Sam clucked up the horses and started off singing an old negro melody. "Sam is a mystery," thought Mr. Dupont, as he turned to' go home; "if I will just praise and humor him a little he will work his head off to please me, but so soon as I get bossy or look dissatisfied, he is stubborn as the old Boy himself."

Captain Dupont, as he was called, was a handsome man. He was fully six feet. tall, broad, manly shoulders, and he had long iron-gray whiskers. The title of Captain had been conferred upon him in the late Civil ¡War, and his straight, soldierly walk showed that he was proud of his title. After the war was over he had settled on a large farm overlooking the Dan River in the old renowned county of Halifax, Virginia. Following the old colonial style, he had built a stately mansion in a pretty grove of oaks on the central hill of the farm. Around the house in all directions stretched a lieautiful lawn, in which stood here and there huge oaks that almost completely concealed the house frmn view. It was a favorite haunt for visitors from the city and hunters from the North, who were charmed no less by the exquisiteness and quiet solitude of the scenery than the beauty of the -Captain's three daughters.

As he walked home he stopped by the barn to see how Jim was progressing with the cleaning. As he approached the barn he heard a low, rumbling sound like bees confined in a jug. As he looked in at the door Jim. was slowly sweeping at a far corner. "Jim, dog take your black hide, why don't you get to work," said Captain Dupont, suddenly appearing at the door. "I could have finished this an hour ago." "So could I, C'ap'n, if the debil didn't keep g:itten in dat old cat over thar," said Jim, pointing to an old black cat in an opposite corner, which was evidently bent on catching a mouse.

"Every time I go near her," continued Jim, ¡ " she hollers 'meow'

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RICHMOND COLLEGE MESSENGER.

and spit at me same as I was er dog. I ain't gwine nigh' her no mo.' De debbil's in dat cat and he'll cunger me." "Jim, you are the biggest fool in the South," said Captain Dupont, as he went over to his favorite cat, and with a "scat" and "stamp" ran her out of the barn. "Now get to work and finish the barn to-night, or you shan't go to the meeting." "Alright, Cap'n, I'll have .h er clean befo' dat sun go down," satd Jim, going at his task with such a vim that he soon had the barn so full of dust that the Captain was glad to make his escape.

As Captain Dupont approached the house, he met Dick, his favorite son, a boy of sixteen, on the porch. "See that all the stock is fed and watered, Dick, before you leave the barn." "All right, papa,'' said Dick, as he bounded away for the stables. As he rounded the corner, he met Sam coming in from the field. The sun was not down yet, and Dick wondered what was up with Sam. "What's up, Sam, that you are in so early," said Dick, as Sam hopped off the mule at the watering trough. "Nothin' tall," said Sam, unconcernedly, "Cap'n sed I cud quit early to-night so's I cud go to the meeting. Wes'e gwinter have er new preacher tonight up -at Piney Grove." "That's so?" said Dick; "will you allow white people to attend too?" "Sho, man, dey'll be glad ter have you." "All right, then, I'll be sure to be there, Sam." After seeing to the feeding and care of the stock for the night, DJ.ck hastened back to the house in high glee. He met the girls on the porch. ''Let's go up to Piney Grove to-night and hear the new preacher," said Dick, coming into the midst of the group of girls. ''It'll be great. Sam says we can go and all sif in the back bench.

I never have seen a negro meeting, and I would just like to see a dozen or so get happy and knock down the stove, and break off the doors. When I go north, I want to be able to tell those Yankee girls h~w ridiculous the negroes are:" The girls, equally as anxious for something new as Dick, readily consented to accompany him.

So after an early supper they ¡all started for Piney Grove, the only negro church in that section. It_was a beautiful October night.

The moon shone full on the road, so that it took no eye of superior merits to see the crowds of negroes hurrying to the church. As

. THE NEGRO PROBLEM.

69

they approached the church the yard was filled with young negroes of all sizes, conditions, and almost all shapes. They had come from a distance of five miles around, and already the chu,rch was filled, with the exception of the back seat left for the white people. "Git out er de way, dar, nigger," said a burly black fellow, as he cleared the path for Dick and the girls. Dick led the way to the empty wooden bench at the back of the church, and waited for the sermon to begin. The church was a huge square wooden structure with no ornaments except some wall lamps hanging at intervals along the wall. The house was already filled. ¡ The minister, a heavy-set, short, black negro, was sitting solemnly behind the pulpit. He wore an old, well-worn Prince Albert coat, and spanning his spreading nose was a pair of silver rim glasses, over which he eyed every one present with a knowing look. It was a warm evening, and the fact that he constantly mopped his forehead with a huge red handkerchief showed that he felt it.

Every one in the cliurch was talking. About fifteen minutes after Dick and his sisters had arrived, the minister slowly arose from his chair and approached the pulpit. Instantly all noise was hushed, and every one turned to see the new preacher.

"De congregation will please rise and sing on the twenty-tooth page," said the preacher in loud, clear tones, at the same time eyeing his book over his glasses. The congregation arose as one man, and the song, being started by some one near ,the front, rang out as only the negro can sing. The music was delightful, having a peculiar tone not known among the whites. .After the song the preacher pronounced a long, groaning ".Amen."

The crowd being again seated, the preacher, with slow precision, removed and wiped his glasses, slowly opened his Bible, and, with a hand on either side of the stand, bowed low and said: ''Wall, I may say to you, my bredren, dat I'm not an eddicated man, an' I am not one er dem dat o'lieves eddication is necessary fer a gospel minister, fer I o'lieves dat de Lord eddicated His preachers jest like He wants 'um to be eddica.ted; and, although I say it Uow], I oughtenter say it, but in the State or Indiana,. whar I lib, dars no one as gits a bigger congregation nor whar I gits [moving to the

70

RICHMOND COLLEGE MESSENGER.

side] ; you see me here to-night, my bredren, all dressed up in fine close. You mought think I was proud, but I'se not proud, my bredren, an altho' I've been a preacher ob de gospel fer de last twenty years, an' aldo I'm Capfin ob dat flat-boat down at your landin', I'se not proud, my bredren. Dar may be some here tonight, my bredren, as don no what persuasion I'm uv. Wal, I may say to you, my bredren, dat I'm a 'hard-shell Baptist.' Now, dar's some people in de world as don b'lieve in de Hard-shell Baptist, but I say to you, my bredren and sisters, dat I'd ruther have er hard shell than to hab no shell er tall ! [Amen.]

"I'se not gwinter tell yer 'xackly whar my tex' is found, but s'fice i.t ter say it's in de Ieds ob de Bible, an' if you'll go and sarch the Scriptures from the fust chapter ob de book ob Genesus to de las' chapter ob de book of Revolution, you'll not only find my tex' thar, but you'll find a great many other tex'es, as ull do you good ter read 'um. An' my tex', when you fin' it, you'll fin' it ter read thus [ with upraised hands], 'An he played on er harp ob er thousand strings, sperits ob just men made perfect." [Amen. Amen!]

[With a long torn~ and swinging stride.] Now my tex', my bredren, leads me ter speak ob sperits. Now dar's a gre?,t many kinds ob sperits in de worl'. In de fust place, dar's the sperits, as some folks call ghosts, and den- dar's de sperits, as some folks call turpentine, and den dar's de sperits, as some folks call liquor, and I'se got er good article ob dem kind er sperits down on my flat boat as ebber was fotched down de Missi'ippi Ribber. An' he played on er harp ob er thousand strings; sperits ob just men made perfect..' But I'll tell yer the kind er sperits as is meant in de tex', my bredren; 'tis fire! Now dar's a great many kinds ob fire in de worl'. In de fust place, dar's de common sort ob fire, an' den dar's de fire you lignt er pipe er cigar wif, an' er camp-fire fire, an' er fire befo' you er ready ter fall back; an' er great many odder kinds er fire, fur de tex' says, 'he played on er harp ob er¡ thousand strings ; sperits ob just men made perfect¡' But I'll tell yer de kind ob fire as is meant in de tex', my bredren. [Here he dropped his voice and spoke straight at them.] It's Hell fire!!! An' dat's de kind uf fire you er comin' ter, ef you don do better'n whut y'av bin doin'.

71

THE NEGRO PROBLEM.

"Now de di:ffer'nt kinds ob fire in de worl', my bredren, may ~e I likened unter de different persuasions in de worl'. In de fust place, dar's de Piskerpaluns, and de Piskerpaluns are a high sailin', er high-ferluten set, and may be likened unto er eagle dat flies er way up in de are, and de eagle goes up and up, an' up an' up 'til he looks no bigger'n yer thum'-nail, and de fust thing yo' knows he's down an' huntin' round, ragin' ' fur what he kin tear up. 'An' he played on de harp ob .er thousand strings; sperits ob just men made perfect.' " At this juncture amens could be heard· all over the church, and some would now and then make a long groan with bowed head. · "An', den, dar's de Mefodists, my bredren and sisters. An' de Mefodists b'lieves in gwine on frum one degree ob grace ter another_. an' finally on ter perfection, and may- be likened unter er squirrel goin' up er tree. · An' de squirrel, he goes up an' he jumps froni lim' to lim' an' branch ter branch, an' de fust thing yer knows he falls, an' down he comes conflumux [with a stamp of the foot]; an' de Mefodists is allers fallin' from grace. 'An' he played on er harp uv er thousand strings; sperits ob just men made perfect.' ''Den, dar's de Baptists, my bredren. An' de Baptists may be ·likened unter er 'possum on er 'simmon tree, an' de winds miy blow and de yearth may quake, but dat 'possum clings dar still.

You may pull one foot luse, but de orther one's dar; you may pull all feet luse, and he hangs his tail [ sings the remainder] eroun' de lim', and he clings dar ferevet.

"Ef you want ter make old Satan run, Shoot him wid' de Gospel Gun. Play on the golden harp, Play on the golden harp, Play on the golden harp.

"Now, my bredren and sisters, ef you want ter sbout an' 'fess your Jesus, shout! Thank de Lord my sol' am saved. I got Jesus in my soul.'' ·

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

72

RICHMOND COLLEGE MESSENGER.

When he finished the sermon there was not a still person in the house with the exception of Dick and his sisters, ~ho sat motionless with interest. The preacher not only sang his sermon, but with his oratorical eloquence and . pulpit gestures conslllhed the whole stage-like platform, and towards the close stepped off the platform to the floor, and the more severe and sweeping his gestures the nearer Iie came to the people. During the sermon amens were audible ¡ all over the house, and frequently an old woman would whine and snip as Dick said his old hound at home would when he was dreaming. When the preacher came down from the pulpit the congregation became a ho~ling mass. One old woman, large and fat, gave a tremendous scream, and r_!;lnning against the stove, knocked it over, and all the pipes tumbled in a heap. One man leaped through a window. In a few minutes they became quiet, and as Dick stood up and looked he could see the preacher praying with a young negro girl. All at once she jumped up and said, "Thank Jesus," and :fled out the door and down the road.

There was no dismissal. One by one they left, and at last Dick and his sisters also started for home. They did not speak for some time ; at last Dick said, "Did you ever see a meeting like that, sister?" "I never did," she replied. "'I wonder what it will all come to," Dick continued. "I don't see how they can. get any good out of such actions as that. They certainly ought to know better, for they never learned it from any of the whites. 1f I were to write Cephas, up in Boston, about this, I'll wager he wouldn't believe me." No one spoke further until they reached the front porch steps. ''Why don't you speak, Dick," asked one of his sisters as they ascended the steps. "The negro is a problem," blurted Dick.

.

SHREWDNESS VS. EQUITY.

BY W. R. D. :MONCURE,

73

'09.

CM~ AKE SPRUCE, I hear, is again in one of his periodic l!lt' troubles, only this time he has the law of the land pitted_

C

against him and he has to clear himself before the county constable at the Crossroad's store to-morrow noon." This was the news related by the village school teacher of Prunesville to the aggregation of store-porch sages, who thought it their duty to gratuitously decide all issues which confronted the American people, both secular and ecclesiastical, questions ranging from Predestination, Close Communion, etc., to the politics of government and social ,econoÂľiics. This august aggregation had long ago, before the race question had become national instead of sectional, handed down the decision that the only solution of the race problem was the entire extirpation of the inferior race, and that those dunce university professors who were trying to construct an ideal white and colored race, who could live together in peace and harmony, were only doctrinaires and theorists with somnolent thinking machines.

"Well, sir, Mister Janeson, you's famous for your larnednei,is in the town; what is your-or what would you do if you were in Jake's place," asks Sambo Colless, the clever but painfully; illiterate blacksmith of the didactic and verbose school-teacher.

"Well, Sam, as you have so flattered my eruditeness from the magnanimity of your heart, I therefore in consequence hand down to your consideration the following ex]_qsition of ~ opinion, constructed by my rasiosination." ( ~ ~ . ) "By what?" asked the dumb-founded Sambo. "Why don't you lend that ar rasi-i-i-isomething, I don't knows what, to Jake; it will be mighty likely to help him."

"Shaw, shaw, you dummy; don't you know rasiosination means the psycological process of reasoning, and not any instrument, abstract or concrete, with which one could extricate himself?" ¡ Sambo was so impressed with the school-teacher's learning that

74

1

RICHMOND COLLEGE MESSENGER.

he thought it best ·to keep silent and look wise, so he allowed the teacher full play with his words. aNow the said .Jake .is accused of a misdemeanor, willfully committed, to •play upon the nervous system of an antique woman, whom Providence has seen fit to predestine to a life of singleness.

She, who is the complainant, according to legal terminology, appealed to the county constable against . the aforesaid Jake Sprue~ for infringing upon the peace and shocking the nervous system of a helpless old woman."

At this juncture the monotony of the school-teacher's descrip-, tion of the incident which had set the whole of Prunsville on fire was .very agreeably interrupted by the arrival on the scene of most of the Prunesville store-porch crowd.

"Hey, days and months, gentelsmen !" yelled Sambo. ''What's the crowd going to do 'to git old Jake out of the mush?" · The crowd had a ·representative of every occupation of the village, and at night was recruited by the farmers and all the hands of the territo:ry in a radius of five miles from Prunesville. Jake was the pet and hero of the bunch; with his native wit and endless schemes and, pranks he entertained the Prunesville aggregation.

The crowd was highly elated over his last feat and the scheme he liad invented to clear himself. Jake Spruce was a consummate loafer. His father, who was a plain old country farmer, being far inferior to his son in intellect, could do nothing more than fulfill his paternal obligations to his son Jake, who was just twenty-one years old, and suffer like a benignant father the wrath of the victims of Jake's pranks. This time Jake had gotten in just a little deeper than usual. Old Miss M\aria Lanks, who had been made peevish by age and had "suffered the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune," which is so common to old women who have lived single in this world, had suffered many wrongs lately from some unknown hands.

Some one had painted her dearly beloved white cat every color of the spectrum. Her white ducks had been converted into Muscovy by the paint brush. Her last grievance, and the one in which she had caught the miscreant, was the one she said had particularly racked her nervous system. Every night for the last week or· so she had heard a noise, about midnight, sounding like ·some one trying

SHREWDNESS VS. EQUITY.

. 75

to open her blinds. She would get her lantern and six-shooter apd I make an inspection, but nobody could be found. Every night this same noise would occur, and she in her night-robe, cap, and bed- . room slippers, with a lantern in one hand and a six-shooter in the other, would appear on her front porch, looking like an infernal apparition, to make her inspection. Finally, one night when it seemed to poor °old M[ss Maria that some one was making a special effort at her blinds, she determined to make a more scrutinizing inspection, and after waiting a £ew minutes she rose, with her wrath at £ull zenith, and went to the door, ·outside, and then to the window which had been the means of so much of her trials and tribulations. On examination she found a string wrapped around a pivot once, and then, extending nearly to the ground, upon the end of this string was tied a monk~ wrench. But the other end · of the string was what let the cat ciut of the bag. She traced it directly to the window of Jake Spruce. His father's house was not more than fifty yards from that of Miss Maria's. Every night for nearly two weeks he had come in about twelve o'clock from tho store, fixed up his device upon Miss Maria's window and would amuse himself to sleep by pulling the string. The monkey wrench would, when the string was pulled, clash against the pivots, and then its awn weight would bear it to the ground when Jake let the string out. Every time Miss Maria would come to the door he would let the wrench to the ground, and as it was night, the string was invisible.

Miss Maria did not wait for the crowing of the cock, but as soon as she could rig herself she was off to the constable and had a warrant sworn out against Jake Spruce. ' The next day when Jake was informed by the constable that he was bound over to the county for the maintenance of the peace, and that he had to answer before the constable for interrupting the slumber of a dame whose only misfortune was a . rather numerous collection of years and the characteristics which generally accompany persons of her circumstances, he looked the constable rather . sternly in the face, and with the deliberateness of a judge, wrinkling his forehead and drawing his lips together, making a very austere countenance, said: "Your Honor, I see I have been greatly wronged

76

RIC,HMOND COLLEGE MESSENGER.

through the viciousness and malignancy of some one. .It looks like a ease of foul play, and the blame is to be shifted off on the innocent. Give me your hand! I will bend my every energy in helping to whip .out the mystery of this procedure and bring the guilty one to his just dues."

"But wait here," replied, the constable. "You have first to vindicate yourself. Then your services will he acceptable."

"No doubt of that," returned Jake. "I have great confidence in• the sound judgment of the constable, your Honor, and I am sure under your hearing, the innocent will be vindicated. All I asl<: your Honor is that I will be allowed to defend myself."

The constable, who had been greatly flattered by being called "your Honor," and by the eulogy to his judgment, and being too dull to see, J alrn's policy in his suave words, granted the request.

Jake was then left alone to prepare to meet this ordeal.

"I will first," said Jake to himself, "tell the boys about it and get them to accompany me to the Crossroad's store, .where the constabie's court meets. I will arrange a sign to let them know when to applaud. I will go down and borrow the proper law book from Lawyer Jones, and if I don't give them some oratory, pathetic and sentimental, Jake Spruce's wits have forsaken him. I never have had ·much education, because I didn't want it, but I've never seen the time yet that when it was necessary for Jake to display himself he was not equal to the occasion right side of the educated man.

I've got now twice the wits of that old educated fool who teaches in that pigeon box down• the road. Well, 'all's well that ends well,' said somebody, and that's my sentiments precisely."

So Jake, after securing a Code and a copy of Blackstone's Coro mentaries, and some other law books which he knew no more about than a jay-bird, yet he knew with these lie could ,confound the judge and the whole crowd, exerted his· ingenuity to prepare a speech, using to good advantage some,hints given him by the lawyer.

We will see later wh ·t the outcome was.

But back to the store porch, where we left the pedagogue and .Samba, the blacksmith. The school-teacher had progressed a considerable way in ·his atte~pt to t~ll what was exciting the whole . .neighborhood, when the crowd came up. "Come on, boys," cried

SHREWDNESS VS. EQUITY.

one. "We _are going to the Crossroads to show the constable .how: innocent old Jake_Spruce is."

"Now, boys," said Jake, "you all go on ahead, and I will come on la:ter. You all must act like you are absolutely in sympathy with Mliss Maria, at first, and .hiss me when I first get up, but as I µrogre,;s becom'.e a little more interested in what I am saying, and' when I raise my hand with my middle finger extended that is a sign to applaud, and thereafter every time I do it applaud." · "All right, Captain Jake," yelled the crowd, "and the man that flunks gets a· bucking when we get back." · Silence had been ordered in the court. The constable, a twohundred JlOUUUer, was seated at the rear end of the store, with a pair of tortise-shell spectacles on the end of his nose. Of course, for the preservation of his eyesight he woum not have dared to look through . them, because they were his grandfather's and he wore them for the dignified posture which it gave him: So he was careful to look over them. Jake was seated in front of the constable to his right and Mi,-s Maria with her lawyer was seated opposite Jake. Bang, bang, went the hammer and the cqnstable arose and said: "Ladies and gentlemen: you knows why-with'.tl we are here assembled. Miss Maria Lanks charges ,a certain Jake Spruce with distnrbing her midnight slumbers by molesting her window~ sh.utters. The court will first hear from the defense. Mr. .Jake Spruce will be heard from."

When Jake arose looking very learned and flerious, the crowd, as was instructed, hissed. This gave a good deal of confidence to the complainants, and Miss Maria grinned from ear to ear. "i object, Mr. Judge," said the lawyer of Miss Maria. "Is it not according to jndicial procedure that the complainant have the floor first ?"

"Mr. Judge, this learned intriguer is trying to bamboozle you," answered Jake with a good deal of indignation manifest in his. countenance that such a learned judge should be insulted with a bamboozle. ''Look a here I did you try to bamboozle me? As accords to, judicial process you are correct; but as regards your insubordination in an attempt to bamboozle me, the Judge, I give the precedence to

78

RICHMOND COLLEGE MESSENGER.

J:ake Spr~ce. Hear that! And you try to bamboozle me again; I will fine you five dollars flat. Proceed, Mr. Spruce." ''My most profound, august, logical, ·rational, judicial, sagacious and learned judge, it is with peculiar humiliation that I arise in your venerable presence. But, all things considered, I have found it necessary, .by forced circumstances, to place before you what I have to say in the 'clearing of myself. Of course, your comprehensive mind will only have me to relate the fact and the consequence will be that my innocence is plain. In consulting the Code, Chitty's Pleadings, Blackstone's Commentaries, and Cooley's Constitutional Law, I find that I am u~doubtedly innocent according to the law of the land, oM Anglo-Saxon law, Mr. Judge."

"I'd like for the gentleman of the defence to give reference to the particular paragraphs in the books he l;i.as cited, upon which he bases his vindication; and .further, I would like to ask him, is not there a continuous chain of evidence against him," interrupted the lawyer of the complainant.

"No, sir, if your mind were not so crooked you could easily see that :it is a string: and a monk~y wrench of evidence involved in the case. M.r. Judge, cannot you see the difference between a string and a, chain? He is trying to bamboozle you again."

"Why, of. course, I can," said the judge. "And, sir, I fine you five dollars for a second attempt of bamboozle upon the judge.

Proceed, Mr. Spr:uce." .

When Jake finished there was an air of approval on the countenance of all except Miss Maria and her counsel,, but the occasion was too solemn for applause, so those who were -emotional· wept.

Then came·a long and technical harangue by Miss Maria's lawyer, but it fell upon the ears of the judge "like a song upon the midnight dreary" ; it touched only the outer coating of the old · •judge's ears, as it was quite evident that it did ·not inake an impression anywhere ·else, as half 1he time he was serenely snoozing.

My reader should have heard' the closing words of the plaintiff's· speech. In a· voice pathetic he said : · · · ''What, Oh f Judge, are Ame;ic~:ri. ,blood-bought liberties coming to if women, the masterpiece of 'God's handiwork, can no longer

SHREWDNESS VS. E~UITY •

79

dep,end upon the law of the land, bequeathed to us by our fathers.?

Sir, I leave the case with you."

At this moment he took his seat, to await the verdict of the somnolent tribunal. Some one had to nudge the old judge to release him from the grasp of Morpheus.

"What! what!" said the old judge in sleepy dialect. Then, getting a connection with the events which happened before he went to sleep, he said : · "I's been dreaming about you both. I dreamed both of you are as guilty as sin, and surely your sins· shall be revisited upon you.

Therefore, in consequence, I fine ye both $2.50 to defray the ex< penses of the court."

"I object, Mr. Judge," said Jake, "to the attitude of mind in which you decided this question. I t~ll you, sir, you cannot go out under the blue canopy of heaven and look the sun· in the face without crying for shame, and your conscience will constantly prick you."

The old judge became very anxious to se.e whether those things which Jake has presaged were so or not, so he excused himself from the court-room for a few seconds ,to see whether he could look the sun in the face with perfect compcsure of countenance.

While the old judge was out Jake thought he had better see about -the "conscience pricking'! side · o:f his proposition, so he at once sidled up -to the judge's cushion chair, and when he got the opportunity slipped a pin through ~e cushion. Then returned the judge, with tears in his eyes, thoroughly convinced of the truthfulness of the first part of Jake's statement, to his chair. But he had hardiy taken his seat before he was convinced that the whole of Jake's statement was true. And he immediately sprang up, and with a trembling voice, said: "Gentlemen, with running eyes and pricking conscience, I declare null and void the verdict, and in lieu thereof transmit the fine of $2.50 placed upon the aforesaid Jake Spruce to the com'plainant"; and then with eloquence worthy of such a dignified and august judge he closed the court, and pointing his finger at Miss Maria, said, "Sic Semper Tyrannis."

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RICHMOND COLLEGE MESSENGER.

1.tgbt

'lbeart.

BY - - - - - ,

'08.

Oh, lightly roll the laughing waves, Oh, lightly roll the dancing waves, ,And lightly rolls the sea, And brightly shines the shore it leaves, .-..'.:rhe shingly sands and rocks it leaves, They smile ¡and glance in glee, And I'm as merry as ye.

Qh, lightly rocks my little boat, Mly tossing, skipping, rolling boat, Rocks on thy waves and breeze.

O'er watery hillock and valley I float, With sea-weed and nautilus merrily float Above thy coral trees, And my heart floats as lightly as these.

Oh, lightly floait the clouds above, The snowy white clouds in the deep blue above; And with frolicsome breezes they play. .And o'er the blu~ fields they meander and rove, They carelessly, gladly, and merrily rove, And they care not a fig which way, And my heart roves as careless as they.

A COMPARISON OF "SHYLOCK" AND "BARABAS."

81

ff ~omparatl\?e Stub\? of Sbakeapeare' a "Sb\?loch"

ant> marlowe'a ":marabaa." :MISS LOUISE YARRINGTON,

'12.

H N a study of these two characters we are struck at once by their U marked similarity,, but as we . go deeper we recognize also a striking contrast. It has been agreed by many that Shakespeare owed much in a general way to Marlowe ; and as to the character of Shylock, there can be little doubt that in Marlowe's Barabas Shakespeare found his literary prototype. However, all the resemblances added together do not make the debt ~f Shakespeare in this case more than a very slight one. To be sure, each is a Jew and a usurer, each lives by the shores of the Mediterranean, each has an only daughter, who falls a victim to a Christian lover, and is converted ,to Christianity; each is influenced by a determination for vengeance; yet the parallel between the two characters is really never striking.

In both cases we see the Jew's nefarious policy, his overwhelming desire for gold ¡and vengeance dominating the entire play. In "The Jew of Malta/' as we behold Barabas handling his precious stones, and as we feel his delight in his vast wealth, his avarice ceases to be a sordid vice, but has become £1, master passion. In this we recognize a sort of idealism, which we realize fa lacking in Shakespeare's Shylock.

Severely persecuted in every direction on account of their creed, the revenge that each attempts is, in regard to its severe character, that of any bad man, who has been deeply injured under similar circumstances. The form taken in the revenge is appalling, but had it been less frightful our sympathies would have turned to the Jew. The Jews are both successful representatives oi the Jewish national character in general, not of that spirit which moved the people in the earlier days of their history, bui; of a more degenerate type. During the centuries of long pcrRecution and oppression a

82

RICHMOND COLLEGE MESSENGER.

marked change hacbcome over the race. Their nature had become covetous, mean, rev6lting, and their feeling of superiority over otker nations had degenerated into a bitter hat.red and c9-ntempt toward their persecutors. In both Shylock and Barabas there was a deeprooted antipathy, J?-ational, religious, and professional. This :feeling is -rendered more intense -by the attitude of the age toward usury, which was condemned by the Qhurch, and confined pl'imarily t~ ,the J 'ews, angered also because they had been deprived of their usurious gains by Christians, who were in the habit of lending money gratis. As avarice was their master passion, the Christian virtues which opposed this naturally seemed to them the greatest of wrongs. Shylock's hatre,d :for Antonio is the result of injured patriotism, commercial jealousy, and of resentment aroused by repeated personal insults; and the case of Barabas is strikingly similar. In the matter of ordinary intercourse, the Jews had to endure the 'bitterest contempt and the most intolerable personal insults, ~nd to this they responded with a fierce hatred against those whom they regarded as their inferiors in religion and race. We can understand how the fiercest and basest passions are nurtured in the breasts of a persecuted class, and we must expect .a terrible retaliation whenever the persecuted attain the power of revenge.

In justifying his revenge, Shylock rises to a tragic figure.

When he attempts to vindicate his people it is the bitter cry of the ...entire Hebrew race. Unlike Shylock, Barabas' desire for retaliation does not triumph over his love for money, and toward the end he is no longer the life-like human being that Shylock is, but has become transformed into a monster. The very fact that Shylock's passion for revenge exceeds the meaner passion of avarice places Shylock far above Barabas' level. "Shylock stands at the bar of justice half way between a martyr and . a criminal."

The ex-heme passion for the a~qui~ition of power, the avaricious desire for wealth, tlie determination for vengeance against those who have wronged them personally, and against the enemies of their race in general, create in these two characters a marvellous energy, which places them apart f,rom the ordinary human creature. Nevertheless, individuality is much more striking in ' Shylock than in Barabas. "Thoroughly and intensely a Jew, Shylock is not more a ¡

A COMPARISON OF "SHYLOCK" AND "BARABAS."

83

Jew than a Shylock." We see his cold intellectuality tempered now and then by sarcastic humour, and we recognize a noble nature, ¡ which has been crushed, deprived of its humanity by its many injuries. Not so with Barabas. He is merely a type of bewildering passions rather than a clearly defined individual.

Barabas' devotion to Abigail is extremely beautiful in the first part of "The Je'Y of Malta," but as soon as she displeases him his actions reverse our opinions, and we feel that this devotion was not sincere and deep-rooted after all. . Barabas' final murder of his daughter seems monstrous, and robs his character of the slight touch of humanity found there. In contrast to this, Shylock's love for Jessica seems more human, more natural, more sincere. To be sure, he made her life extremely bleak and dull, yet he is never cruel or harsh to her, and th~ fact that he trusts her with the keys to his house shows confidence in' her, although there ~s a slight misgiving on his part.

The humanity with which Shakespeare draws the portraiture of Shylock is very striking. Shylock's hatred for Antonio seems natural, the Jew appears to have just provocation, and although his revenge is frightfully cruel, we cannot but pity him. His devotion to Jessica, his faithfulness to the memory of his wife, his deep attachment to his religion and the customs of his ancestors, which he considers as more important than profit or gain, co:m,e as a con~ trast to the more repulsive side of his nature, seemingly to m.oderate and balance it. In this are the very germs of humanity. A man must be exceedingly cruel and unnatural to fail utterly in his love for his children, his religion, his race, and especially is this true of a Jew, and a representative one like Shylock. Shy,lock is essentially tragic, yet ''he is saved by this element of humanity." Now as to Barabas, with the exception of a few touches oi the human side of his character-namely, his natural hatred of the Christians as enemies of his race and as personal enemies. too, and his love for Abigail, as we first behold him-he is practically a monster throughout. His unnatural crimes become melodramatic, and losing his humanity, he creates for us no interest.

In short, although the characters of Shylock ' and Barabas, in general, are strikingly similar in many ways....:..eoming

84

RICHMOND COLLEGE MESSENGER.

0£ a, common race, guarding a common religion, situated alike in the !;la:me profession, nurturing like injuries against a despised race, moved by similar motives to ca.rry out a terrible revenge--they develop in such a different manner that after a careful study we cannot out recognize a vast and striking difference. No one will dispute the fact that Shylock's character is the stronger; the more human, the more 'admirable, the more individual, and conceived witl/- greater purity and originality, .and we can hardly think of him as a creation of art. ·

3im.

S. H. ELLYSON,

UMtIM ! Jim!

'09,

Why'n'cher cum' to de house an' stop yo' fool-

~ ishness ! I ain' got all day to stan' out hyar hollerin' at

you !-why'n'cher cum' on, Jim! You hyar me! I lay you need a pa, that's whut you need! I gret min' git you one, too.

I lay he'd make you wuk !"

It was an old cracked-voiced woman . of African descent who squalled out those direful admonitions. The elongated back of her head was covered with a neat white cloth, 'and her chin, which stuck out proportionately in front, worked up and down restlessly as she hesitated over her next sally. ·· But further .exertion was rendered needless by tiie appearance from behind the hen-house of a. sma:11, bare-footed negro boy, clothed in a shirt without buttons and a very small pair of trousers of doubtful color. His head was of the type above described, save that the m~uth was a shade larger and the eyes were almost always shiny and bulging. There was also a thick nap of dusty black k'inks, which he industriously scratched on all occasions. '"When in doubt-scratch !" was his motto.

"Golly! he make you wuk, too!" he yelled in answer to his mother's sally. "You'll have two babies ter ten' to den. En-enen-he heap wussen I is 'case I kin wuk."

85

JIM:.

"Hyar, stop yer talkin' en go in de dinin' room en set. de table.

Who you talkin' 'bout, nohow ?" her curiosity added. <'Golly! I know. Hit's ole man Simms, dat's who! En h~ so weak he ca' hardly get over hyar ter see you. Mommer, whut you gwine ma'ry him fur? Ain' chu got me ter wuk fur you?" he added, plaintively, scratching his head in despair.

"Why'n'chu set dat taole, boy. I knows whar I'd beef I had to 'pend on you. I'd be in de po' house wid Sis' Jinny Clarke dis minit. En you'd be dar, too!"

"E-e-e-y-u-u-u ! Now, momnier, whut you talk ter me lak dat fur I You know I wuks. Ain' I dun buyed you a pig fer diiY winter? Ain:' I gittin' er dollar er week?" he broke out.

"Huh! I lay you eat up haf dat pig too! Ain' I dun tole you to set dat table! I lay I git er stick.arter you!"

At this threat, soon forgotten, Jim, with a whimper, passed into the dining¡ room wiin a slam of the door and Aunt Ellen was left alone. It had darkened while they were speaking, and she now proceeded to light the lamp, feeling about in the dark for the matches.

"I 'clar, sumtimes I dunno whu,t ter do wid dat boy," tshe mumbled to herself.

Aunt Ellen Scott was one of those old ex-slaves whose lot seemed to be to minister to the needs of "'de white folks." Although of no great age, and possessing still the hardy strength of her hale days, she had beei:t twice a wife, and now was a widow of several years with her "onlies' lil' baby chile" on her hands and a small two-room cabin to pay taxes en.

So it became necessary for her to g0 out for hire. Being an excellent cook, she had no trouble in securing a place at the house of one of the farmers in the neighborhood, and Jim, whom she brought along, got a place as chore-boy in the household.

It was now approaching the time for the appearance of ''Brar'°' Simms, an old decrepit uncle of upright character and a pillar in Mlount Zion. Age had soured him slightly, and gloomy were his forebodings of the coming generations. Indeed, the old man seemed to be "on hi:s last legs." His goodly log cabin was dusty, and his patch was full of weeds, and he was clearly the lookout for

on

86

RICHMOND COLLEGE MESSENGER.

another wife; and a hale one. For two years he had been "sittin' up" to Aunt Ellen.

The lamp having been lit, she had turned her attention to the soiled supper dishes, when she was suddenly arrested by a low, humming sound from the direction of the dining room. Stepping softly to the door, she stealthily opened it a bit and listened intently. Beneath the clatter of the dishes, and almost beneath his breath, Jim was humming, in a sing-song whining treble, a long endless chant, which begins something like this: "Lord Jesus d11n sabe my sole, Dun drug me outen de clay!'"

As the chant proceeded a great delight gradually stole over the face of the listening mother. Her son was-"seekin' !'" After all, the dire prophesies of ¡"Brer" Simms were not coming true in her son! Losing control of herself in her joy, she burst out in ecstatic uiJterings, and thrusting her head through the crack of the door, exclaimed: ":Oat's right! You'se gettin' it! Keep it up, chile, you'se Jamin' it !'"

Filied with the seriousness and importance of his performance-, Jim deemed it unworthy of him to notice this interruption, and kept steadily on, only raising his voice a trifle that his mother might hear.

It was in this posture that "Brer'" Simms found them. His heavy step was heard on the porch, and Aunt Ellen, eager to shO'W her son to the best advantage, beckoned him to come and listen, but the sound of his step in the kitchen caused a sudden lack of memory on the part of Jim, and the performance ended. But she related the event to "Brer" Simms.

"Many is called, ~ut few is chosen," he gloomily informed her, and all her amplifications drew forth no other remark.

Raving finished in the dining room, Jim came in the kitchen to get his supper.

"Whar you gwine, Jim!" his ntother asked, suspiciously.

"I's jes' gwine ter git er Ht' sugar ter put in my tea, mommer."

JIM.

87

''Why'n'chu keep out dat store-room. Y路ou, know dat rea's sweet enuf !" his mother commanded.

"Take no thought for your life what yer shaH eat," solemnly quoted "Brer'' Simms.

Jim's eyes rolled around at him in anger, but he scratched his head and said nothing. He finished his supper and went up stairs to his cot as if treading on pins. 路 "Dis is a perwerse and crooked gen'ration," echoed after him and adaed to hi~ misery.

Time passed slowly in the kitchen; and slower came the words of courtship. After the manner of their kind, the old pair whil((ci' the hours away very methodically and slowly. All that was said could be spoken in a few minutes by any one else. And all that was said was weighed anxiously by the sleepless ears of Jim, for no sleep visited him that night. 路 At length the old man bestirred himself and stumped home and Aunt Ellen retired up stairs. Jim's littl~ form lay restlessly in his cot in the corner. As she entered he sat suddenly upright.

"Memmer," he quavered, "is you gwine ter ma'ry him?"

"Ain'chu gone ter sleep yit ! Mlabbe you ain' gwine wanter git 路 up in de mawnin'. I reckon I's gwine ma'ry him ef you don' go ter sleep!" she ejaculated.

Jim dropped back in bed with a sigh. Sleep was far from him.

At length, the light having been put out, Aunt Ellen lay thinking over the morrow.

"Memmer!" a little voice pleadingly whispered.

"Ain't you- !"

"Mommer !" it pleaded in a despairing wail almost at her ear.

It broke in and twanged the heart strings of. her mother heart.

The. next instant two little arms were clutching at her neck.

I "You ain' gwine ma'ry him, is you? Mommer, plees doan, mommer ! I'se work-fur you! I'se take cyar er ,you! I'se buy you purty t'ings ! Mommer, I'se--oh ! mommer-mommer, mommer ! Please doan ma'ry him-!"

In the abandon of his grief his voice had risen high in tears.

Re clung ,t o his mother's neck desperately, and bis pleadings would. have grown more and more desperate had she not interrupted him.

88

RICHMOND COLLEGE MESSENGER.

"Hesh-hesh! chile. I ain' gwine ma'ry him. Naw-naw.

Doan cry, honey. Yo' ma ain' gwine leave you. Sh-h-h- !-doan cry."

"An you ain' gwine ma'ry him!" his little voice trailed off high in a delight~d quaver. "Oh!-:Lord Jesus dun sabe my sole, Dun drug me outen de clay !" he chanted ecstatically.

Ellen "Resh, I tell you! Why'n'chti go to sleep, boy!" .Aunt , I commanded, once more in possession of her feelings, once more the stoic negro mother. '

fate.

- - - - - , '11.

I kissed her, and held her iair form in my grasp, As she struggled to push me away,; I told her I ioved her-she returned my fond clasp, ¡And vowed she would love me for aye.

But the years have brought chariges--,sad changes-to pass, Anc1such bliss I no,longer ca:g. know; . ' For the da;rk, disn'ial tomb separates us, alas; To her side now cannot go.

l

..

But some time her bright face I again shall behold, Fold her closely once more to my breast; . once again_.:_her sweet lips-riciw so cold, Kiss her And *ith her be forever at rest.

lips

THE FABLE OF THE GREEN SHOW-FUR,

89

ttbe fable of tbe Green Sbow-fur.

BY " BUD WYSOR."

,'1zl1f NOE

upon a time ( about 4 :30 A. M., just before the Balto. Sun came up) a green Show-fur recklessly turned a corner, then rubbered to see if all was well in tl.e seat behind.

Now it happened-just happened, of course-that the Young Man in the seat behind lost his balance just then and grabbed the Young Lady around the waist to steady himself.

The green Show-fur, after cracking hi~ head thinking, con-; eluded that this overbalancing was all due to his reckless driving~ and decided that if he coudn't be a good Show-fur that he would, at least, be a careful one. So he took •the next corner like an Arkansaw train on a hot day, then rubbered ·again to see if the condition of the Young Couple's equilibrium had improved.

The green Show-fur was worse perplexed than ever when he saw that the Young Lady haa lost her grip on the centre of gravity on this turn and had grabbed the Young Man around the neck with both arms to regain it.

"So," said the green Show-fur, "I must stop this reckless driving."

At the next corner he had to sight by his finger to see if he were actually moving at all.

So rubbereth the green Show-fur again to find a newly Organized Mutual Aid Association on the seat behind working harmoniously.

Tlie green Show-fur grew more and more perplexed.

-nwnat can be the matter," sayeth he. "It is my fault; that is plain; I must do better or I will lose my job." ·:x frightened snail beat the White Steamer around· the next corner. Again the green Show-fur rubbered and spied the M. A. A. stiH in session. ~

90

RICHMOND COLLEGE MESSENGER.

So sighed the green Show-fur, "This wiH never do¡; they are even bumping their mouths together. I must stop the machine and give them a chance to get balanced again."

So the green Show-fur ac~ordingly stopped the White Steamer and rubber,ed to see if rearrangements were being made.

Now it happened just now that the beautiful Young Lady look-ed up and spied the green Show-fur: "Oh, he is looking, Henry!" exclaimed she, as the M. A. A. unceremoniously adjourned.

Thus endeth the First Chapter. (N. B. For second instalment see Police Gaz.) Moral: If it don't concern you let it alone.

Sketches. \tbe meeting of t~e (l;eneral Bssoctatton.

BY J. B. HILL,

lrzl)I N

'09.

Friday evening, November the thirtieth, the General Association of Virginia Baptists organized its eighty-fifth art'nual session in the First Baptist Church in this city. The devotional exercises were conducted by Rev. R. E. L. Aylor, of Chatham. In the absence of .the :qetiring president, Professor J. T. Henderson, of Bristol, who was unable to attend, Rev. J. R. Bagby, D. D., of Ballsville, called the business session to order.

The election of a president was at once taken up, and Mr. T. H. Ellett, of Richmond, was elected.

The great and striking address of welcome was delivered by Rev. Geo. W. McDaniel, pastor of the church. He said his welcome was three-fold, l;>ecause of the glorious yesterday, a joyous to-day, and the outlook for a bright to-morrow. In this address he .made a strong plea for co-operation, pleading for the co-operation of the country churches with the town churches. Mr. H. L. Smeltz, of Hampton, responded to the welcome of the Richmond Baptists, paying a high tribute to .the First Baptist Church and to the Baptists of this city.

The annual sermon was preached by Rev. W. V. Savage, of Churchland, from the twenty-third verse .of the first chapter of First C'orinthians: "But we preach Christ crucified." This sermon was a clear, logical and orthodox call for the preaching of the gospel of God's love without the introduction of any extraneous topics. He said that it was the business of a minister to preach Christ crucified, and that he had preached enough when he ¡had preached that.

On Saturday morning the report of the Treasurer Wl!-8 read and showed an increase of more than $4,000 ¡ for all causes over

~

¡92

RJCHMOND COLLEGE MESSENGER.

the repprt of the previous year. While there was a falling off in aome of the boards, there was an increase in the others sufficient to make up that deficit.

The report on ministerial education was . next read by Lieutenant~Governor J. Taylor Ellyson. This report showed that, while there were twelve additional ministerial students under the care of this board, the contributions of the churches were sufficient to meet ull of tll0 ,e.xpcusc~. ¡ It showed aho that ther~ are fifty-three young men under its care--fi,e .:,1m1e 1rnmber ,as were call~d for twenty-one years ago.

But the main issue of the morning was that of the consolidation of the Sunday-school and Bible Board .with the State Mission :Soard. The repo~t of the Sunday-school and Bible Board was read by Dr. J. M. Pilcher, of Petersburg, showing what .had been aC<Jomplished . by the said board during the fiscal year, Rev. W. Thorburn Clark led the discui;ision of the report and was followed py Dr. W. 0. Taylor. They spoke against the consolidation of the two boards . . Rev. R. B. Garrett, D. D., of Portsmouth, and several othe.rs mi;ide speeches in favor of consolidating these boards. 'Finally, when no conclusion as to the consolidation could be reaclied, it was referred to a committee consisting of one man from every district association, which committee was to report Monday.

In the afternoon the delegates were given receptions at the ,Woman's College and at Richmond College.

At the evening session Rev. W. E. Hatcher, D. D., introducecl the new pastors who have moved into Virginia since the last meet.ing of the association, giving a word and a hearty clasp of the hand to each. On Sunday there were no special sessions of the association.

On Monday the reports on education were read. Rev. D. M. Ramsay read the report on general education, which was followed by the report on the education commission, presented by Rev.' R. H. Pitt. The discussion on Christian education was led by Dr. Pitt, and Dr. Ramsey, Dr. B. 0. Hening and others followed. The discussion centered largely on the Woman's College and Endowment Fund, the general view being that the movement was now t,oo

SKETCHES,

93

near success to be allowed to fail. Dr. Hening made a strong and earnest, plea for the co-operation of the out-of-tow~ pastors in raising this fund.

Following this discussion the committee on advisability of consolidating the Su~day-school and Bible Board with the State Mission Board reported in favor of consolidation. It was discussed pro and con by several leading ministers. Although no unanimous decision. could be 'reached the majority wer,e in favor ,of it. · At the evening session immediately after devotional exercises, Rev. J. M. Pilcher, of Petersburg, Corresponding Secretary of Sunday-School and Bible Board, presented his resignation, stating that this was his intention on coming to the association. Then Dr. W. · C. Taylor moved to make the adoption of the committee's i,eport providing for the consolidation unanimous, saying that it was the wish of all .to work together in brotherly love. The question was then put and carried with but few dissenting votes.

Tuesday, the last day of the convention, was spent in temper..: ance question and the layman's movement. It was decided by the association, realizing that Statewide prohibition is only a question of time, not to meet again in a city in which the open saloon was countenanced.

Two notable addresses marked the final session of the association. Rev. C. H. Dodd, D. D., of the Eutaw Place Church, Baltimore, discussed "The Imperialism of Jesus." And following him Rev. E. Y. Mullins, D. D., President of the Southern Baptist Theok:gical Seminary, spoke on the "Authority of Jesus." These addresses were greatly enjoyed by the large congregation which was crowded into the church.

Portsmouth was selected as the next place of m€eting, Rev. W. C. James, of Grove Avenue Church being appointed to preach the annual sermon.

This was indeed. one of the greatest associations ever held by the Baptists or Virginia.

--·---1'4--

94

RICHMOND COLLEGE MESSENGER.

\tbe <tampaign for tbe JSnbowment tn 1Rtcbmonb.

E. L. D. A.,

'10.

The Greater Richmond College is now practically assured. The $100,000 ten day's campaign in this city came to a whirlwind finish on Saturday night, November 21st, and when the smoke of action had cleared away, it was found that a total of $108,000 had been raised. Dr. F. W. Boatwright, assisted by the most prominent men of the city, with the generous aid of the newspapers, made the citizens of Richmond fully reafize what such a college would mean to the city, and they responded nobly. Many gave not only of their means but left their .business, and .gave their time and energies towards this great undertaking.

On Friday morning, November 20th; Dr. Boatwright and Hon. J. Taylor ]lllyson came to the college at the request of several of the stu~ents to take a collection. Classes were suspended for an hour and all gathered in the chapel. Dr. Boatwright stated the reason of the convocation and stated that they still had about $33,000 to raise. He said he did not want to set the mark too high because he knew that many of the boys would have to _make sacrifices to give to the fund, as many are working their way through college, and he would be glad if they gave him $2,000. When the collection started, the boys raised their ¡hands so fast for ten, fifteen, twenty, twenty-five, :UP to seventy-five dollars, that Drs. Metcalf and Bingham could not get the names down fast enough. When the amounts were counted, the students had given $J,200, for they realized what splendid opportunities the generosity of iormer fr: â&#x20AC;˘~nds of this institution had given them, and they were anxious to give from their means so .that other!, might be benefited !1S well.

The amount raise in Richmond leaves about $28,000 still to be raised in Virginia of the $350,000 to be raised in the State, to which the Education Board of New York will add $150,000 if we reach the $350,000 mark before January 1, 1909. The city of

SKETCHES.

95

Richmond has done her part nobly; the college boys have done their part well. Now, within so near the goal, will the people of Virginia see so noble and glorious enterprise fail? This is the question which must and will be answered on January 1, 1909. The boys of Richmond College don't believe they will, and they are looking forward now to Greater Richmond College.

There were fqrty scholarships _of $1,000 each during the campaign, and the donors are as follows: N. W. Bowe, Mrs. E. M. Foster, J. R. Paschal, Egbert G. Leigh, Jr., Thomas Gresham, William Ellyson, E. D. Starke, John T. Wilson, Henry S. Wallerstein, H. R. Pollard, Jr., and J. J . Pollard, W. E:. Hartis, J . D. Carneal, Reuben Burton, Mrs. Annie G. Traylor, H. L. Cafiell, Mrs. R. S. Bosher, Thomas • L. Moore, Mrs. Lelia G. Hutchinson, -Tho:rr'ias F. Jeffress, faur friends in honor of a distinguished citizen of Riclimond (names withheld at present), the H. H. George, Jr., scholarship, the W. T. Hudgins scholarship, the Warner · Moore scholarship, the Hiram Smith scholarship, scholarship founded by students of class '57-'58, T. J. Todd scholarship, Richard G. Crouch Fund, John S. -and R.- H. Harwood, T. H. Ellett, L. W. Billups, Woman's College Alumnre Association through Mrs. Hampton Fleming, president, "A Friend," Mrs. Mary E. and Kate R. Winch, Miss Grace Arents, 1fas. Susie S. Dawson, Mrs. 1''. D. l::1otrhki:::s, ,,. B. F. Jurgens, H. M. · Allport, E. W. Gates, and the News-Leader Company through ·President A. B. Williams.

Of these, twenty were secured on the last day of the campaign.

ttbe Bmertcan ]Prison Baaoctatton.

T. E. P.,

1i:2HE

'09.

Annual Congress of 'T.1he American Prison Association, J. ~ which has just closed in this city, was one of the most significant meetings that has come within our midst this year.

Those who attended any of the sessions of this ¢ongress must have been deeply, impressed both as to the personnel of the delegates and

96

RICHMOND COLLEGE MESSENGER.

the · eamestness and enthusiasm with which they discussed the problems can.fronting them.

Among the roll of delegates and speakers· are to be found distinguished men from all parts of the country, representing almost every pmfession and calling of the day. The following names suffice to show that .the Congress contained so~e of the great minds and hearts of the country : Dr. Charles R. Henderson, Professor of Sociology, , University of Chicago, "The Philosopher of the Congress"; Rt. Rev. Samuel Fallows, Chicago, Ill.; Carlos Garcia Velez, Havana, Cuba; Dr. Shirley Bragg, Montgomery, Ala.; Rev. Hiram W. Kellog, D. D., Wilmington, Del.; Hon. M. B. Breward, Governor of Florida; Major R. 'W. McDaugherty, Leavenworth, Kas.; Hon. R. B. Glenn, Governor of North Carolina; Dr. H. C. Sharp, Jeffersonville, Ind.; Hon. Hoke Smith, Governor of Georgia; Colonel Joseph S. Pugmire, Toronto, and many others of equal reputation and ability, including the Governor and some of the most distinguished men of this State.

The purpose of this Association is to reform the criminal class of our society by improving their environment and giving them hope. The function of imprisonment by the State should not be to retaliate or take vengeance upon the wrong-doer for his crime, but rather to protect society from dangerous characters and weak , men. . Also, the prison should be a place of reform for the criminal.

To make it such is the object of the Association.

The member~ of this Association at their recent meeting discusseq. needed reforms and the most practical way of bringing these about. Among the subjects brought up the following received emphasis: . " The Discharged Prisoner," " Convict Labor," " Prison · Management," "Sanitation of Prisons," "Criminal Law and Court HcforriJ.s," "The Indetermina~ Sentence," and the "Reformatory."

Through all of these discussions could be discerned the spirit of sympathy and love for the fallen ia lld the weak, and the desire to free society from their crimes by, reforming them. Many instances were cited proving the effectiveness of these methods and the hopefulness of the enterprise.

Mrs. Booth's address was a fitting event for the closing session of the Congress. Perhaps she, more than any one else, has stimu-

SKETCHES.

97'

lated and inspired work among prisoners. To-day hundreds of rescued ones lovingly call her "Little Mother."

The spirit and purpose of The American Prison Assoc:iation may be briefly but accurately stated in a few words taken fro:µi Dr. Renderson's address to the Richmond 'College students. "Be a 'big brother' to the fallen and the weak."

·•

..

THE ffl.ESSENGEI{.

JBoart'l of lEt'lttors.

E'~NEST LEE ACKISS, '10; \ , Mu Sigma Rho WALTER R. D. MONCURE, '09, Mu Sigma Rho

: · Edltor-in°Chief Assistant Editor

llssoctate J5~ttors.

Mu Sigma Rho.

G. W. SADLER, - Ro. A. BROCK, - G. G. GARLAND, -

Philologian.

-

Poem - Fiction Alumni Editor

GUSTAVUS F. EZEKIEL, '10,

T. W. OzLrn, D. N. DAVIDSON, J. 8. TERRILL, -

•·

-

Exchanges Campus Notes - - - Essay

Business Manager

Mu Sigma Rho. A. 8. BASS, 'I I,

Assistant Business Manager Phllologian.

THE MEssENGER wishes to extend to all its readers Christmas greetings, and desire that you all may reap a full harvest of the 1,.leaH1rc,!' ana joys of Yule-tide. Here at college we are apt to associate: Christmas with examinations, going home, parties, dances, prusents, and turkey and mince pie, rather than the fact that we arti celebrating the birth of the babe of Bethlehem. We are prone to forget what the name of Christmas means and of its significance to the Christian world.

If it were possible, we would like to see this day esteemed and reverenced as of old, when our forefathers looked forward to the tlme with true joy and thankfulness, and sang, "Peace on earth, good will towards men," from their hearts. And so, along with the joys and pleasures of Christmas, let us bear in mind that we are celebrating the birth of Him,

""

"Who taught mankind on that first Christmas day What 'twas to be a man; to give, not to take; To serve, not rule; to nouris~, not devour; To help, not crush; if need, to die, not live?"

EDITORIAL.

99

U:be 1tbomas $ectures.

DECEMBER 3d, 4th; and 5th were the dates set for the Thomas Lectures, and the College was particularly fortunate in being able to secure Dr. Bliss Perry to deliver the winter course of lectures. Dr. Perry is perhaps better known to the public as editor of the Atlantic Monthly, having been editor since 1899, but he is well known in the literary world as, an editor, author, and teacher. He graduated from Williams College in 1881, and studied abroad at the Berlin and Strasburg universities. On his return he took charge of the English Department ,a t Williams, and subsequently taught English at Princeton. Two years ago he was elected to an English prtff essorship at Harvard, occupying the chair formerly held by James Russell Lowell. He is a very ¡pleasing speaker and large crowds go to hear his lectures at the UnivW'sity. On the night of the 3d he spoke on "William Makepeace ¡ Thackeray"; on the 4th, on "Fads and Fashions in Literature," and on the 5th on "Poets and Politics." We of the College count ourselves fortunate to be able to hear such wrifair, scholar, and publicist as Dr. Perry lecture on these topics.

1tbe

u

Sptt,er."

IT IS with pleasure that we announce that there will be a "Spider" this year. It has now been three years since the College published an annual, and this one will be looked forward to by every student of the College. The Senior Class will have oversight of the annual, the other organizations having representatives to the annual board.

With M. P. T. Atkins as editor-in-chief, and Mr. S. T. Snellings as business manager, we will get out an annual of which all will have just cause to be proud. Let us all back it with a will, for, in after years, we will look back over the pages of our annual, published when we were in college, with pride and show the people "how we did it" in our "palmy days." And apart from this, it will tend to keep green and fresh the friendships formed in our college life, for what colJege-bred man or woman is there to-day who does not once in a while get down his or her old annual and go over the faces and rolls and wonder what so-and-so is doing, or where they

100

RICHMOND COLLEGE MESSENGER.

are, and how they aie getting on ; or refresh their I)linds on some prank or trick in which they took a part. Or wonder how their old society is coming on, the glee club, the base-ball or foot-ba-11 teams, though they may be so far away that they are out of touch with their alma mater. So let us support the men we have put in charge of the "Spider" and ¡ make it the best one we have ever gotten out.

Work for it, write for it, talk for it. Every man in college should take at least one copy, and more if they possibly can, for, indeed, an annual is one thing that can ,always be given away.

Btbletic Bssoctatton.

'WE cannot refrain from saying a word in regard to the resignation of Dr. W. L. Foushee as president of the Athletic Association and the election of Dr. W. P. Dickey to succeed him. We feel that we cannot say too much to express our deep and lasting appreciation of the real service that Dr. W. L. F_oushee, who has been president of the Association ¡ for the last 8ix years, has rendered to athletics here. Through his efforts, with the co-operation of the students, the standard of athletics has been raised high, both as regards efficiency and sportsmanlike conduct on the field and off, and the Association has been put on a sound financial basis. His resignation, tendered on account of his growing practice down town, as he is now practicing law, was accepted only after his insistance. We are glad, however, that we have such a man as Dr. W. P. Dickey to succeed him. Dr. Dickey has been a "foot-ball" man, and has already demonstrated, to the entire satisfaction of the students, that he has lost none of his interest for the game or for athletics. We feel sure Dr. Dickey will prove a most acceptable president.

B new @fflce.

THE editorial staff takes great pleasure in introducing to the public our new colleague, Dr. H. A. van Landingham, who has been elected by the Faculty to fill the ?ffice recently created by the liter-

EDITORIAL.

101

ary societies of Advisory Editor. Dr. van Landingham, while a professor at Mercer University, was intimately associated with the Me1·cerian, and we congratulate ourselves on our good fortune in securing so valuable an asset, for we shall prove that there is more to the office than the mere name. We regret that on account of lack of time Dr. van Landingham was unable to let us hear from him in this issue, but we can promise the readers certainly at least a bow :from him in the next.

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I

ctampus 1Rotes.

D. N. DAVIDSON, EDITOR.

THE college enrollment, which is nearly 300, is larger than at this time one year ago. Much new material is in this corps, and eviâ&#x20AC;˘ dence has already been given that the new element will develop into ideal college men more rapidly than heretofore. These new men are not only maintaining a high class standard, but are taking a great deal of interest in athletics, in the societies, and in all the phases of college life. The .students are paying more attention to their classes than last year. Early in the session the different classes organized and elected officers. The following men represent the '09 class: President, T. W. Ozlin; Vice-President, H. B. Handy; Secretary and Treasurer, Roscoe Spencer; Orator, W. R. D. Moncure; Historian, D. N. Davidson.

The Senior Class gets out the "Spider" this year. The Editorin-Chief is P. T. Atkins, and the Business Manager is S. T. Snellings.

Dr. Harris ( in Bible class) : "Describe Abraham's wife."

Outland: "She was a woman of ungodly appearance."

On Saturday afternoon, November 21st, the College was de-feated by 'William and Mary College by a score of 21' to 18. This is the first time we have been beaten by William and Mary in six years, and the score does not fully indicate how close the game was, nor how fiercely it was fought. It was a victory for the College up to the very last when our opponents turned the trick, but, as was fittingly said by student Woodson, "we went down with our colors flying." On November 28th, however, was the "battle royal," when we met the Lemon and Black, and smote them by a score of 12 to 2. The "Spiders" took this last chance to redeem themselves, and gave a good account of themselves, preventing Randolph-Macon from winning the much-coveted cup.

CAMPUS NOTES.

103

Professor Dickey (in Latin class): "Mr. Camden, don't you know what an equilateral is?"

Camden : "Yes, it is a four-sided figure."

The Track team captain, J. H. Bristow, has a squad of men out every day for practice.

Professor Gaines ( calling the roll) : "Do any of you know Mr. F. P. White?"

Beazley: "Is he short or long?"

Professor Gaines : "How on earth can I tell by his name." ,,,.

O'Flaherty: "My feet hurts me."

J. P. Sµead: "You had better see.Dr. Metcalf about them."

A Republican club was formed in College early in the fall with Mr. A. T. Griffith as president. Seve~al students joined this . organization.

A Professor: "How much Latin do you know, Mr. Phillips?"

Phillips: "I know sic semper tyrannis."

The Third Annual Educational Conference of Virginia in which assembled the State Teachers' Association, the Superintendents' Conference, and ·the Schooi Officials' Conference met in Newport News during Thanksgiving week, beginning Tuesday night, November 24th. In addition to these three conferences meetings were held of the Virginia Co-operative Educational Association, of which Ptofessor S. C. Mitchell is president. There was also a meeting of the colleges and secondary schools, in which Richmond College was represented by Dr. W. P. Dickey, of the chair of Latin. Dr. J. A. C. Chandler, of the chair of History and editor of the "Virginia Journal of Education," was also in attendance, as also were Governor C. A. Swanson, President G. H. Denny, of Washington and Lee, President E. }._, Alderman, of University of Virginia, and Hon. J. D. Eggleston. This meeting should be producHve of much good. ·

'104

RICHMOND COLLEGE MESSENGER.

Moncure ( 1t senior) : ''Who was George Eliot, ,and what did he ,write."

Some time ago . a convocation was held in the interest of the MESSENGER. Several of the professors and students made inspiring ,addresses in ;the direction of enlarging and raising the standard of the magazine. Mlany subscriptions were . taken at this meeting.

Hurdle: "I ,am going to see 'The Merchant of Venice' to-night.

I am crazy about its chief character Macbeth." ,Some one asked : "How was the sermon, Abbott?"

Abbott: "It was right monotomous.".

13enton (looking at the grano1ithic pavement) : "I wonder how they make such large bricks."

At an election in the Athletic Association some time ago Professor Dickey succeeded Dr. Foushee, who had resigned. Dr. Foushee was an efficient leader, and the Association has lost a valuable asset.

Professor van Landingham has been elected Advisory Editor of THE MESSENGER. Dr. Loving (in phy,sics, after having taken the stopper out of a bottle or ether): "Mr. Montgomery, have any, molecules of ether ·gotten to you yet?"

11 ' "Beef" Montgomery (who had been inattentive, straightening up and looking around him carefully on the floor) : "I don't think . so. I don'f see any yet, doctor."

Dr. Harris (expl,aining liow Cyrus crossed the Euphrates river without boats) : "Y · , the season was very dry, and the river was low."

Jack Peters : ''Doctor, don't you think that is why Moses . was able to cross the Jordan river with ~he children of Israel without getting wef?" · •.

CAMPUS NOTES.

105

Rat Richards, being suddenly aroused from s.leep by a crowd of hazers coming into his room, "Robbers ! be 'Gosh!''

M. Boyle ( concernedly to a rat who had lost a nickel): "Say, what kind of a nickel did you lose?"

Captain Willis ( to iittle Chewning on left end in the Fork Union foot-ball game): "What in the world did you tackie Sutherland on that skin-tackle play for? He had a clear field before hi:in !'~ Chewning: "Why, the coach told ni.e not to let anybody pass my @dP /

J. B. Hill, B. L. Rhodes, and I. D. S. Knight represented the College Y . . M. C. A. at the First ,Students' International Conference, held at Columbus, Ohi6, October 29th to November 1st, inclusive. This conference embraced practically all colleges of any size and universities in the United States and Canada, and approximately 1,000 delegates were in attendance. The chief motive of this conference was to foster and promote Bible study and classes in colleges and universities.

4-U"8(. .puu .

Blumnf lDepartment.

G. G. GARLAND, EDITOR.

THE BAPTIST GENERAL AssoCIA'rION, which recently met in Rich,mond, was the oc~asion of visits from a n~mber of our Alumni.

James B. Webf)ter (B. A., '05) sailed from Seattle on August 31st, .for China, where he has taken up work in a mission school.

P. P. 'Woodfin (B. A., '04; L~. B., '08) has opened a law office in Waynesboro, Va.

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B.

E.

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~teele (LL. B., '08) is practicing law in Tazewell, Va.

, S. ,H. Templeman (M. A., '05) has accepted a pastorate in Loudoun county, Va. A. W. Robertson (B. A., '07; LL. B., '08) is in a law firm in Buena Vista, Va.

' ¡ C. A. Jenkins (M. A., '03) has accepted

a church in

Hamp-

ton, Va. Dr. J. M. Pilcher, after twenty-eight years' continuous service, has resigned as Corresponding Secretary of the Sunday-Schopl and Bible Board.

Miss Gay Broaddus (B. A., '07) is teaching in Fork Union Military Academy.

W. P. Wightman (B. S., '08) is doing graduate work in Johns Hopkins University.

H. H. George, III. (B. A., '08) is taking a course in civil engineering at Cornell University.

Miss Lelia G. Betty (B. A., '08) is teaching in a high school in Norfolk, Va. W. H. Sands, Jr., is studying at Massachusetts School of Technology.

J. T. Lynch is at Yale University.

lExcbange lDepartment) \ .

I:·

.

I . .

't. W. OZLIN, ll:DITOL

Now that the exchanges : have . come in great abundance, it is time for the members of our department to "light their pipes" and !'get busy." We are proud of our large -list this year, which covers the coll_eges from The Lakes to The Gulf. They are here in every shape and shade from the loose pamphlet dailies to the sedately bound quarterlies. We wish that we might take up each one in turn and give our verdict, but this is impossible for many reasolli: The time and space is lacking, even if we were inclined to do so.

And, then, the Exchange Editor of our magazine has a ·vague idea that no one ever reads his criticisms ~ave those on the editorial staff of his exchange list. The knowledge of this fact does not teIJ.d to furnish inspiration £or his arduous labors.

We desire first to review the Southern Collegian, of Washington and Lee University. This magazine is a new addition to our list, and the impression that it has made is none but the best: It is a monthly of neat appearance, splendid proportions, and a most unique plan of arrangement. It is a magazine with ·a flavor that is distinctly Southern. It seems to portray the · spirit of Southern literature as no other college publication in the South does. · The principal adverse criticism :>£ the November issue is the scarcity of good poetry. There are some good bits of verse, but the contents of this number, as a whole, are rather heavy to make it as attractive ,as it otherwise would be. Especially do we desire ·to ·com.;. mend the article, "Reminiscences," and the series of articles, "After Commencement-What Then?" They are truly worth reading, both for pleasure and profit. "My Ladies' Lockett'' is a well-conceived and interesting comedy, but the plot seems not clearly fixed, and the development somewhat unpolished. There is a vein of humor running through this comedy that conveys the peculiarities of ·the English vernacular and the English point of view.

On the whole, the Collegia;n is among the very best college magazines, and we sha11 hail with delight the coming issues.

108

RICHMOND COLLEGE MESSENGER. '

'

The Furman Echo for-November seems below its usual standard.

The table of contents is somewhat pinched, and the general quality of the Echo is not as good as we are accustomed to find. Two bits of verse, "The Roe~" a::p.d "After a Summer Rain," are good, and , the best of the prose sel(lctions are "Sir Hardshell" and "The Last OlassY They are clea;ly written, and make interesting reading.

We desire ~pecially to commend the strong and well written edi• t9rials ,of the Echo. , They speak clearly of the soul, judgment and insight of the writer. ·

At the last moment the Acorn made its appearance. It is a neat ip.ont~ly: from the Baptist University for Women, at Raleigh, N. C. We are indeed glad of thi's first copy, as it bids fair to be one of the , best exchanges on ()ur desk. We will have more to say of the Acorn

later.

We ' cannot forbear to say a word of praise for- the Randolph• Macon Monthly. For attractiveness of appearance and general excellence of 'make-up this :magazine is not to be surpassed in any college .of the Southland. It is well edited, and be!}rs the marks of support by the student body. We would be glad to take up the Octo.

J>er and November numbers more in defail, but at present space fornear future we hope to give a more detailed criticism bids. In the I of the Monthly.

Our exchange list is so large that we will not mention each one 11eparately. We appreciate each one, and beg to acknowledge with thanks the receipt of all that have come to our desk.

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