The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-11-16

or lao students and a half dozen or so
professors. He was not twenty-three
years old then. He soon attracted the
interest and admiration of the students.
BY 1S45 he had so impressed them that
they invariably attended the college
chapel when it was his day to conduct
the services. He preached every third
Sunday. The boys never snapped"
then as many were wont to do sometimes
on the other Sundays. He published
volume of his discourses before the stu
dents, and most enjoyable sermons they
were as we recall them after more than
half century since l read them / easily
recall his first visit to my room in num-
Der two in the old South Building. It
was not very long after the Mexican war
had ended. l had bought some right
highly colored and impossible pictures
of hustling dealer, representing vari-
Gus battle scenes. and had tackled them
to the walls of the room. DR.. DeenG
Knocked one morning, and entering gave
me pleasant Salutation. Seeing the pic
lures he began to view them, and turn
ing said to me: Il see you are fond of
the fine arts" with emphasis on the word
fine" l enjoyed the hit.
DR.. Deems married Miss Annie Dis
osway, daughter of a once very prosper
Gus merchant of New York city, Mr.
Israel d. Disosway, in 1S43. In 1S4S he
was professor at Randolph Macon Col
lege, Va. On December, 1S47 appeared
an excellent publication projected INA
edited by Eim-the Southern Methodist
Pulpit" 1t continued for four years. and
is valuable now. Leaving at the end of
the year the College, he returned to
North Carolina and resumed his earnest
labors as a pastor. In 1850, ne was sent
as one of the delegates to the General
Conference. In that year he was called
to the presidency of Greensboro Female
College. He continued TO preside fol
four years, and with distinguished sue
cess. In 1854 he was elected president
of Centenary College, Louisiana. The
Conference adopted resolution protest
ing against his acceptance Of the place
rendered. He declined the call much TO
the qualification of his many friends and
admirers. 1 cannot follow him through
his varied and important work in this
State. He was stationed in Wilmington,
and served old Front Street Methodist
ity and popularity. He was elected
president of the Soule University. Texas
but his North Carolina friends would not
hear to his acceptance. He next became
president of a Female Seminary 1T Will
son. In 1859 he was elected by the Uni
versity of North Carolina to the chair of
History and Elocution, but declined. In
that year, through the libcrality of
friends, he made a trip to Europe, which
proved most interesting.
Let me- give a brief account of two
incidents in his European tour which /
received from him in 1863. He was a
delightful conversationalist and l relish
ed highly what he told in his sparkling,
easy way. While in Rome he concluded
he must, like Lord Byron insted upon. III
that marvellously rich, unique, splendid
and great work, "Childe Harold" one
of the glories in the language, now I'M
derrated and even scorned by tasteless
critics, behold the Coliseum by moon
light. So stranger in the old and yet
modern city and ignorant of The streets
he sailed out at night with no aid from
lamps to find the historic remains Of old
Romes greatest curiosity. After wan
dering he came upon two students at the
Romish Propaganda, and asked for di-
rections. A graceful youth offered to ac
company him. But for this he would
have been probably killed as, in the way
he was going it was very dark, and there
was just ahead great excavation into
which he would probably have fallen and
persisted. The young Italian accompanied
him TO the gloomy building in which he
was stopping. Arriving at the dark en-
trance the youth asked if he might so
with him to his room. The Doctor con-
scented, and up two flights of steps, in
pitch darkness, they climbed. He struck
a light in his room, and then, beheld be-
fore him the most beautiful human coun-
tenance he had ever seen-a youth OF
some twenty years. He could speak
English, and was being specially edu-
Gated for service as priest in Scotland.
TIc saw letters on the table directed to
the Doctor, ard then with much hesita-
ticn asked if he were Calvinist The
reply was, God forbid" but why was
he asked the question? The youth had
been reading of John Knox, the great
Scotch Presbyterian leader, and had
found him ian image breaker, and that
gave him a great horror. After more
chatting the handsome youth bade him
affectionately good bye" and they
never met again.
The other incident was particularly
impressive to me as my clever friend
told it, He wrote letters home telling of
his purpose to leave Rome, and design
ating the time and the route. After get
ting away some distance the cars stopped
at an Austrian city near the border.
Here he resolved to stop over and see
the sights. l forget the name of the
place, but easily recall the incident He
arrived at night. Early next morning he
sailed forth, and beholding on lofty
eminence fort he concluded to visit it
as the sun was rising. There was long,
winding, wide flight of stone steps lead
ing from the street to the fort. Some
ten or twelve steps from the entrance to
the fort, there was descent to the right
by a second series of steps numbering
some ten or twelve, and leading to
heavy door that was closed. At the up
per door stood an Austrian sentinel.
Deems had on a French blouse, and
travellers cap. Addressing the Austrian
in the best French he could command, he