The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-02-13

LlA1l II INIIyO DLCI IA II VII
shouting and crowding around him. some
fnat, or rather some shadow Of man,
cried aloud to him that he was q liar.
DR., Curry stopped stone Rtlll, and for a
second was evidently furious enough I'd
neht an army, but still he stood still like
a chained giant, and without one word.
with a look SO self-respeotins and yet 40
full Of speeohless scorn for the nliscreart.
that It did look as if his silence had
plotted tho offender out OF exston co. No
words could ovor portray tho tei1so and
foroo OF his soornful look. and
IN my deep oxcltement looked to ace Il
tho man had not haon wIthored out OF
axtstence 10 mo II was an epoch In a
lifetime to SEQ how great man could
confer and FOCUS oil tho mighty power
OF his personality into ono gaze SO Justly
wrathful, and yot constituting such an
unnns worable denial OF tho charge. that
men and women cried and sat still.
DR.. Curry put m inperishable honor
upon Richmond College by becoming or,s
Of Its teachers. and yot I must be candid
enough to say that for tho technical and
mechanical offices Of teaching he had no
great adaptation. He waa not made for
the school room, though It was with q
oornmondable consclentiousness and a
matchless patience that for number
Of years he undertook to tcach philoso.
ply and English literature In Richmond
College. TO the students he was an
IDOL an inspiration and embodiment Of
mental strength and beauty, and. while
they did we'll in his classes, verify be-
scious absorption Of his nobleness and
magnihcence Of nature. He was not
born to be In tho school room. He had
heart for the people and his mind
grappled With problems Of statecraft,
and he was born to be a companion Of
leaders. It was simple Justice to him.
self, therefore, when he emerged from
the school room and sought other
spheres Of service. But Richmond Col.
lege will never forget that DR.. Curry
was one OF her teachers and ono OF her
champions, and tho most imperial OF
them all; and as long as the college
cherished. All that the college had In
the way Of honors It gladly laid at his
feet. and he never entered the college
gates that he was not the guest OF
honor.
A STRONG DEMOCRAT.
In no formal way was DR.. Curry ever
candidate for any political position
in Virginia, but his old taste for polt-
ical life, chastened and refined by deep
experience, came back to him. and his
life was reknit to public affairs. While
he served in score tarlal position In
administering great national benefao-
ton, he still kept his eye open to the
movements OF his country. From first
to last he was clean. strong Demo-
crat 80 faithful and unfaltering that
It would have been treason to Virginia
tor any one to have suspected his 10y
atty: but he was too self-appreciative
and too Inherently dignifled to enter the
unhallowed scramble for political posi-
ton. He went his way as a patriot.
loving his country. eager that Its dis
memhered sections should be forever re-
united and ready to serve whenever
called. Life is short. and there seems
to be hopeless confusion in the turbid
currents OF political events, and yet In
some way it almost invariably comes
chance Ploughing oxen is a dull bus
Iness, but when Cincinnatus does the
ploughng the eye OF tho world and the
eye OF his country will watch him along
the turrow. And so DR.. Curry came to
his day at last. Grover Cleveland a
statesman. peerless to-day, though
sneered at by disappointed politicians.
recognized In DR.. Curry a man richly
fitted to render eminent service to his
country, and sent him to represent the
American republic at the court Of Mad
rid need not stop to say that there
was never any difference Of opinion as
to the efficiency or ,oourtlness or even
splendor with which DR.. Curry and his
accomplished wife represented the
United States in the foreign court. They
retained unimpaired the good will of
their countrymen, and at the same time
became favorites with the court Of
Spain.
ESSENCE OF GENIUS
In the history OF DR.. Curry we have
one more illustration Of the fact tina
the essence of genius is hard work In
all the positions which this eminent
Alabama) held. he signalized his services
by modesty and unrelenting toll. He
moved from State to State, from school
to school, addressing legislators, attend
Ing educational conventions, speaking In
universities and colleges, standing be-
fore unnunbered thousands In great
popular gatherings, and wherever he
went his voice rang forth in favor OF
popular education. Truly he was an
enthusiast, a fanatic, II you choose tc
say so, transcendentalist in favor OF
universal education. He favored the
education Of white and black. rich anc
poor. native and foreign. strong and
weak, and to this end he did most as
siduously and conscientiously devote tn
energies Of his later life. If had t.
prepare DR.. Curry's epitaph would
feel that one Of the httest sentence:
that should appear upon his tombston
would be: Here lies the man wht
spent the best part Of his life In plead
ing that every child in our entire coun
try should have the advantage Of a.
education" That was his creed tina
his doctrine, and in great measur
that his religion.
But DR.. Curry crowned and glorthe.
all his gifts and all OF his achievement
by a simple faith in the gospel OF God
From his youth he was Christian, an,
the faith Of his childhood was tn
strength OF his manhood. He lived al
ways in sight OF the Cross. and It wou,,
be hard to tell what the life Of such
man Is worth as q witness to the trut]