The Big Stone post. (Big Stone Gap, Va.) 1890-1892, 1891-06-26
ArRY TONGUES.


Alumni society of the University of Va. seem.
to have been hard pushed to find orators to
make the usual address at the final celebra-
items. Whether the fact may be considered
evidence Of decline in the influence and
standing of that once noble institution or
whether the committees appointed to make
the selections have lacked enterprise or dis
elimination, j know not. But as orator for the
present celebration 70 instance, Henry Wat
terson was selected. 1t really seems that
committee appointed for the purpose of select
ing speaker for such an occasion and for
such an institution should feel certain sense
of responsibility, and should consider quail
tiles of mind and character as we'll as the
mere capacity to string words together IN
pretty jingle. In such addresses there should
be an underlying moral tone and innate dignity,
sincerity of conviction and love of truth,
that should not be at variance with the char
acter of the speaker. Watterson had been
selected to exercise similar function by the
alumni of small college in Tennessee but
the professors, recognizing the nnftness of
their choice, vetoed their action. 1t is painful
for an alumnus or any we'll wisher OF the Uni
versity TO conclude that what is too unworthy
for recognition by an obscure college in Tenn
essee-Watterson' native State, believe
is good enough for an institution founded by
Jefferson and which for so many years was the
pride and boast,of Virginia.
And this recalls the action Of a few mis-
guided friends of the University some time
since in Louisville. In accordance with the
wishes of one of the authorized representatives
Of that institution a movement was put on
foot to establish some incidental department OF
association do not recall it's exact nature
which was named after and identified with the
Louisville Courier Journal. Now if the object
of this step was to secure pufls from the paper
by toadying to it, all must admit the device
was undignifed and degrading If it was to
bestow the benediction and endorsement of
great educational institution upon the princl-
pies and policies of a newspaper, it was
equally unworthy and injurious, since aside
from its notorious lack Of all principle there
are large number of Southern people who
consider that paper cur most treachcrous and
deadly enemy.
Devoted friends of the institution must
observe such evidences Of decaying dignity
with dismay. Fancy the feelings of curious
traveller exploring the ruins of Grecian tenn
pie where on either hand lie fragments of the
most exquisite art, slab from the Panathenaic
procession, possibly a limb from some heroic
statue which felt the touch of Phidias, now
shattered by the shocks Of time but still re-
tanning the noble lincaments traced by the
hand of genius; and here classic fountain
basined with polished marble and fringed with
crumblng balustrades, where spiders now
weave their webs and in the dust of which
toads wallow. 1t must be with feeling akin
to these that true lover of letters notes the de-
cline of once great institution of learning.
The Acropolis in ruins is hardly sadder
sight.
"Society" is now promised sensation i'll
the publication of more details of the life of
Madame Elizabeth Bonaparte who died some
ten years ago in Baltimore. Madame Bona
parties life has all the elements of romance ex
cept tenderness. The novelist or poet can not
well improve on the history of her life as it is.
What it lacks in romanticism, it gains in in
dividuality. The success of this Elizabeth
Patterson who galoped out to the racc-coursc
at Baltimore to see the capture of dis
tinguishcd foreigner, will suggest possibilities
to the present and future generations of Amerl-
can girls; and the visits of Grand Dukes and
subordinate Princes will always cause hutter
in the ambitious hearts of beautiful women.
In 18O3 the Baltimore belle was necessarily of
different type from the girl of this period,
vet we may conceive of the dash of this
woman when her arm was at its pumpcst, and
her beauty at its ripest, from the description
of her marriage costume from gentleman
present ON the occasion "Al the clothes worn
by the bride might have been put in my pocket.
Her dress was of muslin, richly embroidered,
of extremely fine texture. Beneath her dress
she wore but a single garment" The romance
of this beautiful woman is not impaired by
the fact that as she grew old she became pc
nurious aud lived in dingy room, uncarpeted,
and antique in all its appointments. Perhaps,
indeed, her ancient attire and all were essen
tial to the romance. In her talks with young
girls, she laughed at the idea of love in mar
riage, and treated the institution as one of
convenience. She thought sentiment a weak
ness, and did not hesitate to say she married
for position. Her father objected to her mar
riage with Jerome Bonaparte, and very wisely;
she never regretted the events of her life,
and lived happily OH her memoirs, feeding on
visions of thrones, and hoping for fortunate
marriages of her son and grandsons to prin-
cesses they disobeyed her and married after
their own inclinations, and happily. Thus for
three generations there were individuality and
romance. To begin with, ambition laughed at
common sense, and to end with love Knocked
at ambition.
The efforts of newspaper editors to get up a
divorce suit now between Lord and Lady
Brooke shows they are not it.
X x
Mr.. Campbell Bascom Slemp, eldest son OF
Col. Campbell Slemp, took the medal in the
Society of Cadets at Lexington where he has
just graduated with high honor. The Colonel
has younger son at Lexington also, but this
is his junior year. Mr.. c. B. Slemp will be
instructor at a military academy in Alabama.
Miss Belle Slemp who ranked high in her class
at the Wesleyan Institute of Staunton, is now
az horna an;or;rr bor vacation