Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1854-06-23
Professor Wilson before his Class.
From Bently's Magazine
BY angus L. BEACH; FORMERLY one OF HIS PG-

BY ANGUS L. BEACH: FORMERLY one OF HIS PG-
Pills.
/ now turn to him as he appeared IN the class
room into which be strode with such speed as to
ma ,e the ragged tails Of his academic gown fly
behind him like many streamers-and carry
ing bundle of tattered papers, backs OF letters,
and all sorts OF miscellaneous papers which Afford
ed an inch Of writing room for memorandum.
The main mass of papers, however, were so ven
erably dingy. and SO iagged about the edges, that
they betokt ned long and hard service, many of
them, probably, dating from the era ut which the
Professor had drawn up the notes of the lectures
for his first session.
This bunch of papers, ter bowling to his class,
a courtesy always returned-the Professor plac-
ed upon his desk and spread them out before
him. a. if searching for an idea. amid the scores
of scraps and ACKNOWLEDGEMENT occasionally
referring 10 the documents of yore. During this
scrutiny his ass, who adOred him, would main
tain the most respectful silence, not cough or
the scrape of shoe breaking the stiffness. If
baiiled for few minutes ne would get fdgety, and
his fingers wander litfully amongst the papers
then suddenly appearing 10 remember something,
he would dive both his hands into his trousers
pockets, Us if searching for something, almost al
ways muttering, but in accents perfectly audible
to to futhe-t end of the room-"Gentlemen-
gentlemen really this is too bad am really "a
shamed of having been SO long trespassing upon
your put Giltt. n NbiltY III running, tUBICt
stamping of the feet in token Of appreciation
would Immediately 60 forth--upon which the
Professor would go on, ''Gentemen, | am really
deeply grateful thought had arranged these
plaguey papers last night in perfect order for the
lecture, but really somehow or other they have
got out of Or" A sudden flash of the bright
blue eye, sudden outstanding of the stately fig
IRE, and a putting away of the puzzling papers,
assured the class that he had caught the clue
that an idea had fired that great brain, and out
came spontaneous rush of note books, and in n
second of time, at least two hundred pencils had
been sharpened After such an indication burst
of poetic eloquence was always expected. and the
students were seldom disappointed. The Pro
fcssor would draw himself up, pass his hand over
his forehead, and then fold his arms--a moment
of silence, and then that voice, sonorous and mod
ulated so as to suit every changing sentiment,
would begin in soft and sweet tones to eliminate
the subject land then,as he gradually warmed up,
his language would become fluent, bri shtly deck
ed with fancful illustrations and apt quotations,
the eloquence growing with every sentence into
a still more exalted tone; the flashes ofhis genius
taking with every passage "A still brighter hue I'M
til having at length reached the climax of his sub
ject, his voice. ringing as it was, would be lost
in the cheering and acclamatons of the students;
whose note books had long since fallen under their
desks; while overcome, and no wonder, with his
great intellectual exerton, the professor would
sink back in his chair and wipe the perspiration
from his brow.