Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-11-01
THE UNIVERSITY REVISITED.
An Interesting Letter from Rose
well Page, Esq.
For the Dispatch.)


dor the Dspatch)
Last Saturday night l spent at the Uni
versity. 1t was the first time since my
college days that / had stayed there an
night.
About dusk we reached the junction,
and founa ourselves IN the hands OF our
friends-a group OF hospitable boys-who
were 10 be our hosts With them We dis
mounted from the electrician, and enter
ed the precincts OF the sacred grove and
walked again the familiar paths.
Past the groups OF students. where the
post-ofice used TO be, past the Wash Han,
past the rotunda, where desolation is
giving place to order. down the arcades
now lighted by electricity, down by Colo
mel Peterss, We made our way 10 House
+. IL has always been a matter Of Won
der to me what the University did before
that house was built; for II seems to have
sheltered more men than any other build
ing on the grounds. now recall among
the Richmond alumni who have dWelt
under its hospitabe roof Messrs. Frank
Christian, Jackson Guy John Pickrell.
Ran. Wexford, RichaI5 4. Gaines and
Lewis ID. Aylett.
But 1 want to tell Of my recent visit. We
are again at home. and everything Is as
familiar as II fifteen days and not fifteen
years had passed since here we parted
from some friend worthy OF the expression
used by the nurse Of Priam's sons:
Ardentes que notate oculos, qui splritus
III:
Out vultus. vocisque sonus. ct gressus
euntii
We see the same coal-boxes and climb
the same steep steps and are welcomed
with the same cordial greeting that ever
characterized the place But where are
the faces that used 20 meet US, and the
friends whose names are still carved In
the wooden mantelpiece before which we
sit? l had almost forgotten that they
could not be here for Charley Culbertson
is Governor OF Texas. and Woodrow VIII
son is Professor OF Jurisprudence at
Princeton, and George FaNsette is a ris-
ing actor, and Charley Steele IS leading
lawyer In New York, and Glenn Gaines Is
at the head Of Eastman College. and Wal
ter Lefevre. who beat him and Dick Byrd,
and Randolph Harrison, and me for the
JEFF. medal is in Heaven.
Amid these reflections I hear one famil-
lar sound: Preston, bring some wator!"
Preston, clean these shoes" and the
answer coming from somewhere ia the
distance that Preston is at hand.
In the dining-room / look again for the
faces that should surround the tables
there set. Where are the beaters upon
plates, and the performers with FORK ana
spoon, that were wont to keep time TO the
footsteps Of him who entered? Where are
they whose biscuits used TO fly with pre-
cision, and whose rolls often became mu-
ntions rather than supplies OF war?
They are now sitting formally at dinner
In evening clothes and telling sweet little
boys and girls to keep their hands of Of
the table and not rattle their knives and
forks Tonight, perhaps. one Of them has
Just said to a fair-haired girl you make
more noise at table than anybody I ever
knew" and then, a the girls face fell at
the rebuke, he said. you make more
noise than old Ranny Mott at Roses
boarding hol seq And the girl knew that
her father had no harshness in his heart
as she saw his eyes glisten, and heard
him say, Dear old fellow" in an under
tone.
The old bell was destroyed in the fire.
and the present bell is one that has been
borrowed for the time. / thought the tone
not as impressive as that Of the old,
though distance and the thought that the
old bell was to be heard no more may
have lent encnantment TO my Ideas on
the subject
Sunday morning was an ideal Sabbath,
ana we walked about the grounds and re-
newed our associations with the place.
The rotunda is GOV ed in, and, though
surrounded by the scaffolding, gives evil
dence Of its great beauty Of design. We
were shown the white tile with which the
interior OF the dome is to be lined. The
portico H. the rear will be a great i'm
provement, compared with the old annex,
for which IT is substituted.
The sad accident Of Monday, caused by
the fall of the roof Of one OF the new an
nexes, has impressed us deeply, as we
were the day before in easy reach Of its
damage.
The new buildings below the road,
which are to form the fourth side Of the
quadrangle now bounded on three sides
by the rotunda and the two lawns, viii
add greatly to the beauty and effect Of the
scene The foundations, which already
give an adequate idea OF the future
grandeur OF the building, appeared to be
fortunately constructed. And already 1t
Is possible TO mark the outline OF the pub
lie hall.
AS we examined the depths upon which
rested the rising superstructure, and saw
walking in the morning sunshine the up
right figure of Colonel Peters, / found a
fit smile for the depths wi ich he had laid
open for the foundation or that structure
OF Roman type and elegance which, even
In the poverty OF a rented room, some
faithful student of his still owns and oc-
cupies. l felt as l remembered that he
alone remained Of the professors under
whom had sat. and to whom am under
such lasting obligations thai he might
well be described as Ultimus Romano
rum!
Though / have written thus OF the past,
I am proud to have an interest in such an
institution, and TO have the opportunity 10
testify my respect for her present useful
ness. and my deep feeling or hope for her
future prosperity. Already l feel that the
prophecy contained in the following lines.
written when the University was in ashes,
is becoming true. containing, as It does,
the heartfelt sentiments OF q true and
loyal son:
THE UNIVERSITY IN ASHES.
salve Magma Parens!
Cast down, but not destroyed thou shalt
arise.
And. from the ashes. speak in that clear
voice,
Wherewith Of old thou mad'st thy sons
rejoice.
So well equipped for deeds of high en-
prise!
We shall behold again with loving eyes.
Thy gifts and graces rare as Arts first
choice,
And welcome Science with a joyful
noise
| To lead the Muses. In their melodies.
! Thy dome again shall be for Learning's
Crown;
Thy columns in their majesty shall
stand;
Thy halls once more rc-echo with the