Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1897-08-26
BROWNING CLUB.

The "Brownings" met with Mrs.
Smith on South street, Tuesday
August 10th, at 400 p. NJ. Few and
short were the verses we stid in
answer to roll-call; for we were
only seven. Dear absent friends
you have our sincerest sympathy,
for truly your loss was great. Two
members on duty were present with
well prepared papers. Mrs. Car
ter's was a paraphrase OF Hoods
bridge of Signs" She read the
beautiful poem, and then took 1t up
line by line and In her own inimita
BILE way interpreted the sentiment.
She described the beautiful young
girl, who, by one turn OF the wheel
OF fortune is deprived Of home and
natural protectors, then friends
drop away one by one until she Is
left alone in the streets OF great
city.
sob, it was pitiful,
In the whole city full,
Home, she had none,"
There was none to pity. none to
befriend, alas for the rarity of
christian charity under the sun.
She wandered on feeling that even
God had forsaken his Borrowing
child, until she reached the bridge
over the deep, dark, river where
the lamps sent quivering lights over
the black water rolling sullenly be-
low. The bleak wind OF March
| made her tremble and shiver, but
not the dark arch, or the black
flowing river. She was homeless,
friendiess, stainless, death a mys-
terry. She lifted her pale sweet
face to the heavens above in last
longing plea for hope, there was
none and she
Plunged in boldly,
No matter how coldly,
The dark river ran;
II was the only resting place she
could claim. and tired nature would
he at rest. We thank Mrs. Carter
flor giving us new insight of this
touching poem.
Miss Ella Nelson's paper was a
Characterization of Samuel john
son and a criticism of "Vanity oil
Human Wishes" She portrayed
.Johnson's youth, a struggle against
disease, melancholy, and Incidence;
and late in life poverty was added
to the trio OF imisfortunes that St
sorely beset him. He went To Ok
ford for a few years, tried teaching
then began his literary career; Q
struggle with labor and want fol
twenty five years. He was mere
literary drudge. His reputation
was always greater than his deserts
: his language is chaste and beauti
full beyond description but like tn
; Qilded nut there Is no kernel. Hi
, dictionary was his most noted work
, he spent seven years getting
ready for the printers; il was tn
first Of the kind and supplied lon
. felt want. While engaged on tn
dictionary he wrote and publishe
ssVanity Of Human Wishes in imi
tatiou Of the 10th Satire of Juvena
This poem brought him only nv
yuineas. Rasselas WAS written !
defray the funeral expenses of NJ
mother. Melancholy claimed hin
for her own, and a vein OF sstne-
} runs through all of his writings
= was not until l7e2, when he was
wears old that he was relieved froi
the pinches OF poverty. At the n
cession Of George III johnson
granted . pension OF three ha.s-ss
d pounds a year this enabled him
II indulge his Incidence TO the utmOs
: and to help the poor for whom J
- had the deepest sympathy h
8, was, through life, very indepenS
s, emit; in boyhood he threw away u
,r shoes which pity sent; and in MAJ
hood he scorned the tardy court.
sizes of Chesterfield.
IN BY nature johnson was Que
IS the greatest OF English souls,
r breeding one Of the most ill-inal
nered and dlsagreeable.
When work was done the pli
n. begun. We were invited to fea
r of good things by our afable no
ltess and dalntily served by the t,
charming little daughters Of y