The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-05-19

To the Editor: AS in the spring "a
young mans fancies lightly turn to
thoughts of love-" so at the approach OF
commencement season, does an old Chapel
Hillians heart turn to the University. SIX
months before our present Governor was
born and during the calm that preceded
the mighty storm that broke over the
South the writer was one of eighty-hVe
(the largest number up to that time tnat
had ever graduated) who took their d.
pomas and a blessing from old Governor
Swain, and started on life's journey.
"reminiscences, thick and fast crowds the
memory.-President buchanan was our
guest at commencement, AMI l Wen re-
member how excited Governor Swain was
when he made the speech of welcome he
entertained the President, and on the
day of his arrival the senior class were
invited to a banquet given by him III
the grove in his yard. The Governor was
a great toady when a bigger man than
himself was about, but in this he couldn't
help himself. as many of us know BY ex-
perience with ourselves Most of the class
smoke. and delivered what they imagined
were the most masterful efforts of the
age Ct am not casting any reflections on
/ remember, was on subject that
fondly imagined had never been handled
by any speaker before, ana you iaay guess
my surprise when "Old Barnum" (good
old DR.. Wheat) informed me that my sub
ject had been treated by some one from
my county, annually for the last fifty
years But couldn't back out now, eor
senior speaking was near at hand md
ad dpd midnight
mental exerton and anguish over the
matter to abandon it now, but l never
afterwards looked upon it with that fond
emotion that parents are supposed to do
upon their first born. In the division in
which / spoke, all the speakers had bou-
quets sent them by lady friends except
myself I was rather a bashful fellow and
didn't go round much), but when the ey-
ercises were over DR.. Wheat walked UP to
the rostrum and presented me with the
two magnificent bouquets that adorned
the speakers stand. dis good heart
prompted him to this act, fearing
might feel sighted, but if he had only
known how glad / was when the whole
thing was over, he peedn't have bothered
his kind heart about me. The first
mites" in the class were Geo. B. John
ston, w. B. Lynch, F. ID. Stockton and
T. W. Harris. One of the unique figures
in the class was esquire" Ferguson, from
Georgia. He possessed more application
than any man I ever knew, and if that
constitutes genius, and some contend that
it does, then he had it. Joining the class
in the Sophomore year, he only got "tol-
cradle" the first quarter, but by his in
domitable energy, application and perse-
Verance, he graduated with first distinc-
ton, but owing to rule that one must
take the distinction two years to be en-
titled to the honor, he failed to get it.
His subject at commencement was, |
remember, "Utilitarianism." Once we had
a SNAP on Friday, and the first lesson
Monday morning was in Greek. Ferguson
studied that lesson all Friday Saturday
and Sunday, and remarked that he hadn't
studied it half enough. The Sunday coat
that he brought with him was the one in
which he graduated. asked him one
day what he intended to do. he replied
that he was going back to Georgia and