Daily new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1897-1906, 1899-04-29

ing Meeting Its History Written I'm
Its Minutes in Mastery Style Nor
gantown Literati have an Intellect
ual as well as Social Feast Next
Meeting at DIR. Courtney's.
The parlors of the Peabody were
brilliant last night with company
fairly representative of the society
of Morgantown. The occasion was
the regular meeting of the Fort.
nightly Club, as the guests of Mr.
and Mrs. ]. c. Frazer. Prof and
Mrs. Patterson and Mrs. Posten No
other social organization has so well
succeeded in eliminating all distinc-
tions of seets, of philosophy of re-
| ligion, of Pharisees and Saducees, of
the Cynic and the Stole, of politics
and party, as this Club. The Demo
cratic plane of common literary
taste is the common bond and in
spiration which puts everybody on a
common level and makes thorough
" congenial and "a good time.p
In the absence of President Ray
mond, Judge johnson presided with
his usual imposing dignity The
Secretary Miss Matte Brock, opened
the entertainment by reading the
minutes. And such minutes The
reading of the minutes of the Club
is always an event. Other secreta-
ries Of other organizations might
drop in the Fortnightly and take
notes on "minutes !" The staid for
malisms OF prosy minutes are never
heard in this Club. And they are
always adopted with an ovation.
Tue occasion last night, marked
successful engagement with Walt
Whitman the Poet?1. There was
good deal of, what might be termed,
literary aristocracy in the atmos-
phere. In other words there was an
apparent timidity in designating the
subject OF the evening, Poet. The
participants seemed to be solicitous
of their literary taste and standing
by denominating Walt "a poet or
expressing admiration for his verse
Mrs Raymond presented the
principal paper. If Whitman lacks
anything to make him a suitable
companion for the standard poets it
was not discoverable in her paper
1t was literary treat, showing nice
discrimination, high appreciation
of the poets best qualities, and
couched in clear cut English which
held the attention of the Club from
the first word to the last. The lit
erary merit of Mrs. Raymond's pa
per was worthy of being heard in
any literary circle in the land 1t
was faultless and mastery criti-
cism both in style, conception and
compass Whitman, could he hear
it would doubtless be willing to ac-
cept it and let it stand as just and
fair biographical estimate of his
place and standing among modern
authors. Yet even Mrs. Raymond
thought it wise to preface her paper
with the statement that the topic
was not of her own selection, but
was, as the musicians would say,
''sung by request
Prof Whitehill followed in the
discussion; giving a very exact def
milton of poet, and putting the re-
sponsibility on the auditors to de-
termine whether Whitman was un-
der such definition, entitled to be
classified. Miss White was adroit
aud happy in styling his poetry as
picnic in which the chief partici
pant lodged and jumped and twist
| ed himself so that his exact contour
was hard to discover Prof. Aldrich
| was more courageous and showed a
genuine appreciation. DR.. Sanders
was philosophical diplomatic and
non committal. DR. Mckenzie would
not acknowledge an acquaintance
ship with the author more than that
OF the casual introductio during the
evening. Dr. Leech thought our.
measure of appreciation generally
was due to the standpoint from
which we viewed the object.
All in all the fact cropped out that
there Was a strong under current OF
that self-same, indefinable sentiment
which will not let Walt Whitman,
with all his faults. entirely pass from
among us. His touches OF nature
have. established his kinship TO all
mankind, and his impulsive spontan-
city makes ample amends for the
want Of measure and rythm OF his verse