The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1873-09-03
upon which they may think it ne-
cessary to pin their faith.

tobacco-pipe, into theyear 1878, aud
H.! l saw a vision Of the comma
school, the coming teacher, the comma
a0on'an. In a spacious enclosure
surrounding a beautiful group of
college buildings, played 25O
healthy girls from IS to 20 years
Of age. Apparatus for gymnastic
exercise met my eye in various d.
rections and many a silvery laugh
and ringing cheer sounded through
ground. As I reached the main
entrance, a bell tolled, and at its
summons the merry groups left off
their play and passed into the class
rooms. l was introduced to the
Principal, and saw in him the CON-
ing teacher-a ripe scholar, he had
graduated with high honors at the
University, bland, courteous and
manly. ~. H
sTho' modest, on his unembarassed
! brow +.
Nature had written Gentleman"
A Christian in walk and conversa-
tion,-for without the spirit of
Christian gentleness, his Latin were
} sounding brass and his Greek a
tlnkliug cymbal. With cordial
welcome he ushered me into his
private room and kindly gave me
all the information [ desired about
the College. The Faculty consist
ed OF ten teachers, six male and
four females, all University grad
yates. The course of study ex-
tended over five years, and inclu-
ded a thorough pathological study of
English, Latin, Greek, German,
French and Italian, geometry,
arithmetic, u little algebra, writing,
drawing and music, history, phi
Iosophy, science, poetry. After a
pleasant conversation together, be
iuvlted me. to come to his house
and meet some friends OF his. 1
went, and in his elegant parlor l
met the best people OF the country,
distinguished statesmen, wealthy
landowners, learned divines, law
yers, doctors, and [ could not help
wondering to see how much higher
was the good teachers social posi-
ton, than was the statuslot his pro-
fession one hundred years before.
be was a Iuan OF wealth too-the
wolf never stood ut his door. And
then lis wife-in her [ saw the COM
mg wonaan. She was young and
fair and learned-a graduate Of the
same University with her husband
she spoke to me- in simple, sweet,
homely English: and | heard .
French gentleman present praise
her choice French and Prusslan
accent. She held spirited discus
sion with a German On the poetry
of Goethe, Homer and Dante, and
made hlIn confess tha Horace and
Robert Burns were sweeter singers
than the other three. And yet her
voice was ever soft, gentle and low,
an excellent thing in woman. And
her iair fingers were quick at nee
dlework, and nimble in all a house
wife's cunning. And she could
draw sweet music from the ivory
keyboard, and sweeter strange
music from the life Of her husband;
and she Vas slow OF heart to un-
derstand mischief, but her feet ran
swift to do good. And she was
simple with the simplicity of girl
hood and wise with the wisdom
that cometh only OF the Lord-like
Mary she had chosen the better
part.
During the evening" I asked my
friend the Principal, to what
Church belonged the honor OF
building and supporting the Col.
lege. The antiquated idea amused
him, and smiling he informed me
that the Free Masons had built and
richly endowed it; that Board of
Trustees composed of Free Masons
wisely controlled the appointment
of teachers, to whom they gave
large fixed salaries. Waxing IA
miIiar I ventured to say, my dear
sir, excuse the impertinence, but
kindly inform me what your sala-
ry is,' ,''-Before be had time to an
swer, I awoke, and behold it was a
dream.
Thus faded my schok IN nubibus-
my school in the clouds. And
here too must end my address. l
do not forget that 1....
"Brevity is very good
When we are, or are not understood" d"
And I must take care not to do
what Goldsmith's hero did, who
"Too deep for his hearers, still went on
refining, .
And thought of convincing, while they
thought sof dining"
finish my address appropriately by
acting as the mouthpiece Of this
large assembly in couferring our
blessing on the College whose cor.
ner-stone we have laid this day
with solemn ceremonial and under
favorable auspices. May this Fe'
male College of Williamson begiu
to-day prosperous career. May its
influence be felt as mighty power