The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1891-09-30

LQ9 CLOSER 10 tIle ldSts Luz S"ooecSt PoViASo
in the Bible is tho pleading Of judah for
his little brother Benjamin. 1t made Jo-
seph weep and it makes me weep every
time read it. Our "Benjamin' hasn't
got a coat of many colors, but he has a
spotted cap and red surcingle that he
wears, and I'm afraid the Ishmaelites
will get him some of these days.
The Agnes Scott Is new institution
and has just gotten fair start. The loved
and lamented Tom Cobb named his COL
lege at Athens for his daughter Lucy, but
Mr.. Scott has named this ono for his
mother. He has already spent $4,000 on
it, and keeps on spending. I predict that
he will not stop as long as he lives. Just
let man get his heart tied onto some
great charity or something for the coed
of humanity, and it seems to expand and
absorb him, and becomes bis life work.
I believe that wise Providence designed
this so that great things might be done,
and he raises up men to do it. Alfred
Shorter began his great works with
$4,000. That is oil he thought he could
spare. But after awhile he strained
himself to $4,000, and then to $50, 900 and
$4,000, and he never stopped until he
died, and he had given Sl25, 900 to found
the Shorter college at Rome, and 1t Is
there to-day as his monument.
The Agnes Scott is most happily loca-
ted. 1t is just far enough from the State
capital to get all of It's advantages and
patronage and none Of its hindrances. 1t
is in the heart of the chinquepin region
"a region too poor to be sickly, and
where the timber grows only large
enough to be storm proof, and the
hills and the hollows are just high
enough and low enough for drainage and
good roads. The institution Is in beau
tiful grove and elevated, the ground de-
scending gently from every side, and it
is less than five minutes walk from the
depot, where twelve passenger trains a
day 60 and come from Atlanta, and a
dummy line besides. The lighting,
heating and ventilation seems to be as
perfect as human ingenuity can make It,,
and the protection against fire absolutely
secure. The rooms are all models Of
comfort and provided with the most SUBJ
stantial furniture. Nothing has been
neglected that the pupils need for their
health and their reasonable pleasure.
Bathrooms, with hot and cold water, are
on every floor and the entire outlook and
inlook are cheerful and refining. would
like to take Mrs. Arp there and let us
become inmates aud stay, at least as long
as Jessie is there.
With q corps Of the best educators that
could be found in the South, this institu-
ton has already taken high stand
among the female colleges of the land.
The time has come when it was wanted,
and 1t is there. Long may Mr.. Scott live
to enlarge it and equip 1t for its great
work in educating and refining our
daughters until they shall become as the
polished corners of a temple. May this
institution loom up and become cyno-
sure like the old granite mountain that is
in full view from its turrets. That same
old imperishable mountain that used to
be our trysting place when Mrs. Arp and
were young and lived near by. Sweet
are its memories. Once there was lofty
tower upon its crest and I remember as
cending its spiral stairs with my sweet
heart by my side and when we reached
the pinnacle We saw the fleecy clouds be-
low us, and as I looked into her hazel
eyes it seemed to me that was little
nearer heaven than had ever been be-
fore. Delightful memories Ambition
was high then, so was hope and expecta-
ton. The world was very lovely and I
was thankful that lived. But now the
mountains top seems bleak and cold and
cheerful, and my experience is that the
safest retreat and the surest happiness is
found among the humble flowers that
blossom at its base.
BILL ARP.