The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-03-12

Miss Eva Belle Simmons, the only female
graduate of Wake Forest college and
for some years a teacher in Union Fe-
nlale College, of Eufala Ala, died of
sudden lung congestion at seven o'clock
this Q'riday) morning.
The remains will be taken to Wake
Forest for burial to-day.
This was the first intimntion received
in North Carolina of the illness and
death of young woman whose SChol-
arship had made her we'll known
throughout the State. At our request
Mr.. j. WBailey. editor of the Biblical
Recorder. furnishes the following
sketch of her young and useful life:
EDITOR BAILEY'S TRIBUTE.
yesterday / found sweet comfort and
strong hope i'll reading her poems SO
fraught with holy devotion; to-day |
undertake to write n word about her,
because Evabclle Simmons is no more.
In the CONSERVATION of the blow. in that
strange hush Of the feelings that soft
ems the voice and stills the pen, it were
not meet 10 attempt more than an in
complete sketch of her life.
The daughter of the profound
scholar. the late Professor William Gas
ton Simmons, of Wake Forest College,
the idol of his affections, her ambition
was early fixed upon the achievements
of the life intellectual. Such Il stu
dent as she. 80 dihgent, SO quick to
learn, $50 strong to retain. so ready to
develop. the hills of Wake. Forest had
not known. From the day she entered
the claSs-roolns of that institution until
she received the only degree ever grant
Ell by Wake Forest College to a woman
she led her class. So modest, so gem
tie, so womaIly, and yet in the classes
of young men her sef-contr0l never
failed her. She may have had the
Thought that the fact that she was alone
made her the representative of all
women, and thus was stimulated to the
highest endeavor: but | rather think
she excelletl because she was the fittest.
From the college walls she went
forth to teach If | am not mistaken
her firs- y Ork as a teacher was in the
Wake Forest Academy. / know that
of all teachers taeH was never one
more beloved. Fer. as it were yester-
day / remember hearing the children If
the academy speaking her praises, or
seeing them in throng about her on the
way home from school. She waS
gifted. not only with the ability to teach,
and the tact and the art. but she posses
sed the genuine teachers heart-kind,
simple, pure. sympathetic.
In few years she accepted posi-
ton in. the faculty of the Eufaula Fe-
male College, which she held until her
death. As teacher of young ladies
she proved no less successful than i'll
the Academy. That same power to at
tract others to her. to bind them with
love. to make their tasks joyful, was
demonstrated in this higher position
Only God knows the measure of a
wOman'S influence: only God can mea-
sure the loss when death depriyes the
world of n woman and teacher, and
n messenger of His love. For she was
not merely brilliant and scholarly wo-
man: she was not merely gifted teach
cr: nor is it enough to say that she
used her power of winning others to
her influence 10 make them nobler ana
haIAitr She wGs more.
- IAN -Eyabele Simmons have
l,ardIv known more consecrated wo-
man. Her mind looked up TO God al
WAYS: her heart was III Christ. inns
was most clearly manifest to those VINO
c,nc within the touch Of her influence.
One who has read her articles for tine
press or the few poems which she per-
mitted ITO be printed, cannot but DE
struck with her devotional nature ana
her unaffected communion with her
Master. as well as with her rare ability
and unusual acquaintance III Letters
I'm her death North Carolina loses
cs1spI A4e Qfl
of any other | knew Though i'll the
first years Of a career which none MAJ
dreamed would be cut short, she had
attained such distinction that her friends
were confident that she would achleVe
the highest success.
..Rut it is we'll She was ready for
the transition. The world loses; Heav-
en- gains. We have yet the memory of
her LIFE her works shall know no end.
Here are some lines of her own, which
show her faith and philosophy; that she
has found them truer than even she held
them | cannot doubt:
"And. as the stars go down to rise again.
SO thou shalt rise, from out the silent
tomb,
Unto a purer life Thy pcrfecting will
still continue through eternity.
For know that God is patience infinite.
If He. whose breath can countless
worlds create,
Long ages spent to mould this planet
earth.
Which soon must melt in fervent heat
much more
viii thy immortal soul command His
care.
Chou canst not understand the secret
laws
Which guide these orbs in their unerring
course,
Nor yet the forces which control thy
Its iaming discords, blishted hopes
snail serve
As gravitaton's laws. attracting us
| To God-the centre of the Universe.
i had dreadful cough; couldn't sleep
| from coughing. 1Icad Gooea Gpoaca ini-