Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-02-20

One OF the most interesting relics of the
early history of the college around which
clusters many memories of the older gradu-
ates of the institution. will be looked for in
vain by those who will next week revisit the
scenes of their youthful struggles and .riumphs
This is the old bell, whose tintinnabulations for
many years awakened. at inopportune moments
often, the echoes of those clustered walls. and
summoned all too soon from their slumbers
the unprepared scholars to their morning
duties; bat whose clamorous tongue seemed
always tardy enough III its announcement of
meal time. This old bell came from Holland
some time during 40 soon after its birth
when 1t came into the possession of George
town college. While performing it's regular
duties of summoning sleepy students to pray
ers, one fine morning in November 1855 there
was suddenly sound of muiied effort the
heart of the faithful old thing had snapped
asunder. and its voice became mute and use
less. II WAS carefully and tenderly laid to rest
all It's goodness remembered all its errors for
gotten. Now. when 1t is wanted to shed glory
upon the house of its refuge it is not to be
found Whether it has been consigned to that
cemetery OF useless things the shop of a brio
a-brac dealer whether it fingers in some ga fe
obscure corner listening to the ghosts of its own
past vibrations. or whether it is simply lost in
the multiplicity of hiding places formed by the
vast improvements which have taken place in
and about its old home, no man knoweth but
it is not where it can be reached and brought
forth and set upon pedestal a. it should be to
add to the interest of the coming joyous cele-
bration.
THE COLLEGE LIBRARY.
The library now contains about $4,000 vol
umes, among which are many rare books and
manuscripts. There are 100 with dates from
1860 to 1920. and one Illuminated manuscript of
the year 1850. Among these rare and curious
volumes may be mentioned Bible of 1909: the
Gospels of st. John, in japanese; portfolio of
Pope Plus TX. presented by F. o. St. Clair, of
the State department.; Etymologies of St.
Isadore of Seville, Augsburg. 1872; Bibles
i itaS; ,, Catholic G. prayer-book of 1865;
Geometry, 1888; a copy of Virgil 1902 These
are only few of the photographed treasures
which have found resting place in the college
library. but they are sufficient to indicate that
while the collection is not so large as some it
includes books and manuscripts which are in
valuable and which cannot be duplicated.
In the center of the library is an ancient
table-filled with books which the gorged
shelves refuse to entertan-oval in FORM
made of old black San Domingo mahog-
any, which was the dining and council
table of the first actual governor, Leonard
Calvert, of the colony of Maryland Around
this hospitable table, doubtless in the
governors house, if tables could speak
might be told tales of meetings. social
| and political. After the social part
was over came discussion on state affairs
when the grim aspect of the savages on one
side and Claiborne on the other taxed their re-
| sources. and was not an easy question to dis
pose of. This heirloom has descended to
Georgetown college. coming direct to it from
81. Inigoes. The old library has long ceased
to be capacious enough for the store of books.
1t is overfowing, and order "heaven's first
law" has sunk into allegiance, but when the
new building is completed these precious vol
umes will be properly disposed, and then be
consulted by all who desire
CECILIUs CALVERT.
Georgetown college is an appropriate depos-
itorv for these relics of the Calvert expedition.
1t was through the enterprise of Cecilius CAL