The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1905-07-08
Classic Lexington.


its location and wonderful in its beauty,
but never have we been more impressed
than when but recently We looked
upon it in all the glory of its early
June. Possibly much Of its charm is
due TO association, but certainly even
the stranger who looks upon it for the
first time, knowing nothing Of its past,
easily perceives that 1t differences
itself in much from the ordinary. 1t
is not garish or glittering; it doeF not
smell of new paint nor Cypress with
the everlasting m~odernity Of the West.
II has tue responsibility which comes
Of age, Of culture and of wealth and is
thus a Joy to those accustomed, for the
most part, to the loosely built shoddy
towns which SO untRilingly appear at
irregular intervals along every railroad
line and spring up out of the prsiries
upon every highway,
But the glory Of Lexington, like
Athens Of Old, is its AcropolIs-its
college hill-crowned with aParthenon,
which, il lacking in the measureless
cost and wonderful beauty Of that of
Greece, yet adds to its halls snd spaces
with the march of the years, and
without boasting the grosser deities Of
the olden day, yet woos and wins and
r%eioices in 8 collection Of goddesses, in
increasing number whose graces make
mortals forget the Wanted charms Of
the Aphrodites and Dianas of the
ancient regime.
The Central Female College, if not
"the joy Of the whole world,n like
Jerusalem in the eye Of David, is yet
''beautiful for situation"-most beaUti-
full! The central buildlng-the old
Masonic College-occupies the highest
point of the entire district ard
constitutes the CItadel-so to speak
Of this modern Acropolts.
1t has been modernized and repaired
until with the dignity and ststIiness Of
age 1t also possesses the attractiveness
Of a new era. And from its lofty look.
out the sensitive eye and heart are
charmed with the widespread beauty
OF the scene. Miles and miles OF the
great Missouri River roll their turbulent
tides downward toward the distant
Gulf. Coming into the field Of vision
from far toward the West, it grows In
majesty and volume with every curve
until having laved the base Of the
mighty highland from which the
college looks down, it sweeps on by
bluff and island till lost in the distant
east. But the river is only one feature
Of the living moving picture. For the
eye really wearies as looking from the
lofty summit 1t beholds hill and vale
and farm and village-miles and miles
Of the most beautiful and fertile lands
of the great West-spreading out or
every side until farm and forest and
every salient feature blend and blur II
the hazy distance.
In the foreground the possibilities Of
the future by the cid Of the landscape
artist and The architect are we'll nigh
m~easureless. These deep ravines ant
rolling elevations, reaching out toward
the north and the east Will give place
in the not distant future to the
demands Of wealth, Of culture, and Of
piety and bones will here be buildet
in keeping with the age and environ.
ment. And where can we find {
location more delightful for the ageC
itinerant- for the man OF taste anC
leisure, whose means enable him t
rest in the "cool of the day" Thesl
grounds, no" held BY the college o.
its friends, must not fall into the hand
of those unworthy, or for any reason
unable to appreciate a location 81
classic and so desirable. Especial,
would a home here be ideal for tbosl
desiring to educate their daughters
while holding them under their Owl
immediate care aad protection.
We have seen Lexington and it
college when the institution openet
first its doors under the auspices O
FreemasonTy. We saw It at a late
day when war had "blown its dead,
blast' and when battle tbunderer
along its streets and over its Lowell
environs. When q careless, rockies
boy, we rcjoiced in the wild excitemen
Of the siege and the bombardmen,
now finding u way into the cellar
sad rayinea where the sharpshooter
were hiding aud now watching tn