The daily state chronicle., 1890-09-07
LAVISH OLD DAYS.
COLLEGE POLITICS BET
THE WAR AS TOLD By AN
OLD CITIZEN.


How the Candidates Wasted Money'-
The Old Times and the New--The
New Day is Better.
Especial Cor. of Winston Sentinel
CHAPEL HILL, Aug. 29-An "old cit
izen" of a town, be it never so small, IS
always an interesting man to talk TO.
He knows all about everybody's grand
father; can tell you to certainty whether |
he died with the gout or the Jim-Jams
1t was the writer's pleasure to encoun-
ter one of these repositories OF village
lore the other evening. He was In
talkative mood, as everyone is when sit
ting on the front porch one OF these fine
moonlit nights, with his heels elevated
above his head. We had been talking
of different phases of college life, at the
same time watching the play of the
moonlight on the maple leaves, and list
ening to the low wind that, at this sea
son, always whispers coming autumn.
horn, and the yelp of the hounds, as
they passed going in search of the early
'possum, reminded us that these quiet,
delightful August nights would soon be
replaced by cooler September evenings,
filled with the hustle and stir aud quick
ened life of the students.
"I'll tell you what" said the ''Old cit
izen," as he shifted his cigar to the other
corner of his mouth, 1.-THE students here
in the old days used to put on great
deal of style and spend a lot of money
foolishly. | remember the chief mar
shaship was the great prize of college
life. l knew one fellow from the east
ern part of the State who spent about
three thousand one year in electioneer-
ing for the place. He got it, of course,
but it ruined him. don't think he has
ever been worth cent since. 1t gener-
ally ruined every fellow who tried it,
remember one notable exception, how
ever; it was Bruce, of Virginia. he
spent eighteen hundred dollars on his
election, treating, giving suppers. &c.
but it never changed him bit-he wa:
the same clever fellow and hard studen
afterwards, and made a success in hi
after life
II remember we'll the B--boys, O
Alabama. They owned big plantation
and lots of negroes and spent money la
vishly. Once they ordered champagne
and cigars and wines from their father
commission merchant in Baltimore AM
gave one of the biggest suppers eve
given here; but they did not touch on
drop of liquor themselves. Before com
ing to college they had pledged thei
word to their father not to drink dro
of liquor while here. They kept thel
word. They left at the close of the wa
several hundred dollars in debt -whic
was then common occurrence The wa
swept away theic property and they ne1
er paid the debt. They were honorabl
fellows, but unfortunate. l suppos
some OF them were killed in the war.
know gentleman in town now who hs
such claims against old students amour
ing to over Two thousand dollars. If
hadn't been for the war most of it woul
have been paid. The students then ha
most OF their clothes made here, an
spent money freely also for horses, SUI
pers, etc.
"Another dashing fellow l rememb
well was Jim E., of Georgia. l cas-
ed check for him for three hundrt
dollars just as he was starting on lit
trip to Greensboro. He was gone fo,
days, and when he landed at my gate
his return he asked me please to pay tt
hackman his fare. The last time heal
OF Jim E--he was in the army in vi
ginia and had for his personal use ty
horses, two guns and two negroes!
''The fellows did things On big sea
in those days, but it is all changed no
and | am glad of it. The war has taug
our people what they never knew befo
the value Of dollar. The maiori
of the boys who come here to cole
now have just so much money to spen
and they have to make that do them.
result of this, their aims, of course, a
more serious. They come here now
the majority of them do-to get an ed
cation. They mean business. They
that the South is on a great industr
boom, and they are to play mans D,
in this great upbuilding of the wa.
places.
Eyes, he said, as he threw away
cigar, aud after some meditation, s.y
am glad things are changed The {
days were picturesque, but the new d
is better, ard means more for our COT
try and people. am glad, howev
that the new generation still have
manly virtues that their fathers had
spea especially of personal courage a
loyalty to truth and honor-witht
many of their fathers vices So long
our young men have these virtues, COZ
led with industry and audable am
tlon, the future of the State is secu
We need not be ashamed to hold up
heals aS bjvh nc tho ,,ro,dost ,,