The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-01-15

he remains so to this day y hen
I was at Davidson, back il the '6v's
Of the 10Th century, The place was held
by a saddle-colorcd negro named Zeke.
Nobody knew precisely what ZeNes
age was. 1t was an indeterininate age.
if Zeke even told us What II was L
have forgotten. But no matter. ne
looked The sobri.ty OF so ara haei the
energy and spinginess OF 30. Upon
my soul / think Zeke was about 40 or
As He had been there long time
ara had helped numerous students,
WHO trusted to his good Gath, out of
hlrumerable difficulties. Now. as
Ezekiel received wages from the col
icgc and only occasiohed bonuses from
the under graduate collegians. 1t would
seem that his faith should nave been
III the FACULTY ana not to the students:
but our colored moralist looked at
the question from a different stand
point He excused in his generous
mind the peccadillos of the college
youth on the score that they did not
Iltan any harm, and that they were
ali young gentlemen, who intended in
the end To do the right thing. OF
course they intended to 10 the right
thin &. rhe right thing by tire jantoi,
gcod old Zeke.
one OF Zeke's duties was To cnt and
bring in wood for the recitation rooms.
OF course he could not do This service
for sixty odd students in the dornito-
les But he hustled around morn
ings before the rising bell rang and
made as many fires for them in their
respective rooms as he could re-
member he most generally got around
To the room occupied by Aleck Springs,
OF Charlotte, and myself 1 vas then
IL resident of brownsville. The rising
bell was about sun rise, or earlier in
winter. Then we had Il half hour TO
set our breakfast before prayer IN the
recitation room of Prof. Rockwell. It
required expedition.
But it was not this ] wished 20 re-
late. Zeke was of special value even
ings. Nobody ever knew except Iof
he watchful jdnitor when the faculty
or any OF them were out on the war
path. The campus was wide and Eek:
had good eyes. BY the time the watch
dogs of instruction had reached the
college building all sounds of revilry
by night" were hi shed. Now, II vim
dicat.on OF the good old janitor o.
those good old days, it must be stated
IN TINS veracious chronicle That Zeke
never winked at real w,ekedness. He
lad affection for the bad logs, as ne
had the milk of human Kindness for
all creatures of our dear Lord. But
Zeke's SPECIAL watcnfnlness was ever
exerted to save from peril the BOYS
who were only violating some technlcal
suie and who were not actu1iiv de-
bauching One night several of us,
including my room mate ana inyseil,
we're in the room of--Well. We forgot
ten. but | think it was the end room
OF the second corridor, up stairs, going
east occupied, il L do not -orSet by
w. n. Nerrt0r, of South Carolina, al
terward noted minister ct the Pres
byterian church. and a companion.
Vernon was one OF the loveile3t ma
lures | ever knew--a marvel Of gen
tieness too beautiful i'll feature, eX-
preston and complexion to be called
handsome, but every inch Il man, tall,
dignifed, yet in his circle, the better
fellows of the college, popular. the as
SembI.ng of the youth on the corridor
al Vernors room was after lessons
had been learned and There was no
riotouS laughter, no drinking, every
thing was decorous and neigh5orly.
Well, presently, iii the midst OF the
pleasure of our social communion Zeke
walked in with a basty message ia
culty's out-'most here!'' We inconti
nently scattered. ITO your tents. o
Israeli We stood not on the order
OF our going. A select few staid TO
nut the chairs and furniture in order.
The rest of US get off TO our do1mlto-
ries in good time. When the profess
sors came two minutes. or mayhap
three, later there was no one IN the
cormitory of William II. Vernon eX-
eept himself and room-mate. he WAS
one of the faculty favolites-
on another evening, later in the
college year of 1876, the persons
concerned did not escape SO easily. ~
this lapse of time ] cannot say whether
/a.Iy. In In &
or his absence from S4clneSS--l fatnef
think the latter. because he WAS spe-
orally friendly TO our room ana the
Young gentlemen on that corfluOf.
However that was the college Janllof
was not on the lookout. \ number
of the boys met in the Spring Harms
room after study-no, it VAS Sunday
evening. We had no lessons TO pre-
pare. Lights were admissible. 1t was
winter But as the room was warm
and crowded with students Who We're
taking leave of others who Were going
away the next morning TO enter the
Confederate army, the WINDOWS We're
up g. little way. OF course some ol
as smoked. That made change Oh
air necessary. The windows overlook
ed the college grounds; the approach
of the faculty had not beer observed
fo, nobody was on guard. l. suppose
that in the good cheer OF the assem-
biage none of us had been particular
to suppress free speech But there was
really nothing harmful done, unless
the fact of gathering there at ali was
wrong 1t was not against college
rules TO visit except in hours of study,
and not then If the object was TO
solicit aid in the preparation OF les
sons TO make d long story short,
While the fifteen or twenty young men
ana lads were enjoying themselves III
c0nrerSations-we had no singing ana
! do not tEinlk there Was any very lolId
talking rap was heard az the door
Somebody said. ''oome in" What vas
our surprise when in stepped the
grave, black haired president, Rev. Dr.
John l.. Kirkpatrick the grey haired
professor of mathematics. Mr.. -AlexGf;-
der McIver. and the professor Of ma
tural science q think ii was). Mr.. j. L.
Biake-three of the four instructors
then at the institution. With grave.
even severe manner and tones of much
asperity the first named walked across
the room TO the front of the lire place,
alheAas., !, -