The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1894-08-23
THE SUMNER TCHOOL AT CHAPEL
HILL.
CHAPEL, HILL, \. e., Aug. 20, 1894
iCorrespondeuce GOLD LEAF


stand for, Summer Sea- words that
come nearer conveying the poetic and
aesthetic nature OF the gathering.
The psychological process by which |
have reached this conclusion is as fol-
| lows:
will draw two mental pictures for you
to look upon. The first one is dark
one. To-day | went up to the place
where the Summer School was held. |
looked into the empty place that they
had left; to my surprise and astOnish-
ment there was nothing there all but
great unreasonable, empty space an
aching void, vacuum. | stood upon
the shore and peered into the empty space,
but could see nothing, not leaf or tree
or life OF any kind AS far as the eye
could reach space spread out like an IN
finite desert. Not Il breath OF air was
stirring, not a sound was heard the still
ness was intense, it was painful.
| thought | would call and see If l
could find anyone | called and cried
at the top of my voice. At first | heard
nothing, then after moment OF death
like stiffness, there came up from the
depths below and was echoed from dome
OF darkness above, a hoarse whisper,
saying "Gone! Gomez
| looked down beside my feet, there
lay along the borders OF this Infinite
space the wrecks OF thepast text books,
pencils, bachelor buttons, hopes blighted,
opportunities wasted, promises unkept,
heaped upon the Goddess shore"
This sight somewhat daZed me. Thus
while was standing there, the law of
association was at work, and ere | was
aware of it that other picture, far brighter
to look upon, dawned upon my mental
eye Instead of this empty space there
lay before me a summer sea, serene and
calmn, over arched by the blue dome OF
an Italian sky: upon it were many boats
with their white sails spread to the wind;
in these boats were young men and
maidens, gay and happy. On the shore
stood many in groups talking gaily and
| awaiting their time to sail on this Sum-
| mer Sea.
The bright waters flashing in the morn
ing sun, the white sails moving here and
there like graceful swans, the songs that
were sung from the boats in their passing,
all combined make picture of delight.
Behind all the mrth and gaity of this
company there seemed to be q serious
ness-an eagerness to go in search OF
something that lay across this bright
water. Then | remember having seen
this goodly company gather each morn
ing on the wharf, before departing, and
consecrate the day with song and prayer.
Then they would break up into groupes
and depart in different boats. The cap
tains of these boats were some times
women, but more frequently men. One
day | enquired what these people were
in search of in this Summer Sea and was
informed that they were in search Of
pearls thought could be found by diving.
And that beyond this sea lay an infinite
world Of Truth, Goodness and Beauty.
Well do remember the captain of one
boat. She was woman, her hair was
golden, she was 1.-the and tall and queenly
in appearance. She always carried crew
of happy children unlike the others; this
boat was propelled by oars; each child
had his place and oar, and at the word
of command all the oars were raised and
dipped as one.
Then there was q captain, small OF
statue, with black hair and swarthy COM
plexion. His jovial disposition kept his
crew in a round OF laughter. His object
seemed to be, not to find out new pearls,
but new ways OF looking at old ones, and
to number and recount them; the speed
with which he could do this was some
thing marvellous.
There was still another who was con-
| y
particular to have the right name for
each pearl. 1t must be in certain shape
or form and size
| Other crews cared little for counting,
or the form of the pearls they found, but
were bent on reaching the unexplored
regions and finding new treasures. 1t
was my good pleasure one day to sail Oh
this wonderful sea- The crew was led
by one that seemed to be the leader OF
all the rest. Far out OF sight of land We
sailed in search of that unexploredr region.
Our captain said to us in the language
of the poet,
I'VE were the first that ever burst
Into that silent sea-"
Then we came in sight of a "Spectre
Ship that sailed right against the wind
without helmsman or rag of sail.
Onward sped our boat. Then the crew
more silent grew. The light grew white,
intensely SO. Our eyes were blinded by
| it.
We must turn, some unseen power
seemed to veer our ship from her course.
Then as we turned, we saw, or thought
we saw, far off that" Unexplored Region
At eve each white sail homeward came
like children tired Of play. Some were
empty handed, some with treasures rich
|
they had, brought only shards and shells
from which the pearls had been removed
Seeing this goodIy company every day
, began to learn them by name. One
dietinctly remember was the object of
much admiration. She was quite sue
cessful too, in her search for the treasures
of the deep. Vivacious but modest; she
came forth each morning adorned with
all the grace that morning meadows
wear. When she laughed she revealed a
set OF pearly teeth, perfect in size and
shape.
She left earlier than the rest
At this point the bright picture fades
away and there, stand, once more gaz
ing into that bottomless, basin, where
once surged the Summer Sea.
The shades of night had gathered al
around me. Over this black vacuum
; lowered the will o'the'wisps, ghosts Of
the departed; out of it came a hollow
voice saying, too late, too late, lost
. lost. Then, as the moon rises yelled by
the mist oi the mountains rose a large
luminous light and revealed rugged
bottom. That explained the mystery
1t was the full moon rising over "Battle
, Park and flooding the world and stub
BILE field with its light
The Will the 'wisps were the fire flies
that haunt a summer night. The hollow
l voice was an owl in far off tree top.
This is why | believe there has beer
something more than a summer school
Because of this immense vacuum left
and the wreckage on it's shore; reasoning
inductively, from the known to the IN
known, there must have been at a very
. recent day, a summer sea where there il
nothing now.
: This goodly company of men ant
| maidens that sailed upon the Summer
Sea brought. like King Arthur and his
Round Table, purer and better order
OF things. They have left Us now, bu1
like the founder OF the Round Table, they
will come again. R. I. W.
The Gormanized tariff bill is NO
. what we would have it but it is better
than the Mckinley law The Dasitior