The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-12-08
DISPUTED POINTS
IN JACKSON Sl|FE
Subject of Address Before Phi
Beta Kappa by DR.. James
P. Smith.
Especial to The rimes-Dispatch. ]

Especial 10 me Times DlSpdtCh
Williamsburg. Va. December LII
James Power Smith was the chi>r
speaker at the meeting OF Phi Beta
Kappa al the College Of William ano
Mary Thursday night. The subject
OF the address was disputed Points
in the Life of 'Stonewall' Jackson"
AS an aide 20 the great strategist, Dr.
Smith knew. as no other living man
does. the closest and most personal
facts OF Jackson's life and spoke out
OF rich and beautiful love. The i'm
putetions of over-ambition, of lack OF
humor. OF awkwardness. were all
answered by DR.. Smith with point ana
evidence He showed the great-heart-
ed. deeply religious. sympathetic, hu-
man nature OF the man, and illustrated
it With mirth- provoking and delight
fully drolI stories and with Incidents
OF such heart-interest as 20 bring tears
TO the eyes. He showed the lack or
historic basis for the famous Barbara
Frietchie story. but paid beautiful
tribute to Whittier. who immoTtalized
the story which was told him by Mrs.
Southworth. the novelist. through
poem which Dr.. Smith declared TO be
true TO Jackson's humane spirit, II un-
true as TO real fact. He showed the
huma nifty Of Jackson by stating that
d. MS dlCcs tnc cpcdhc4
died $4,000 raised under the generals
direction for the relief of the suffering
people Of Frederick. Nd. The story or
Jackson's little friend. Jennie Corbin,
was told. and how she would come TO
his quarters 10 play and the general
would send the little maid home with
his gold braid wound about her hair.
Then, at last. when the message came
that the little girl was dead, ner
grown-up playmate sat far into the
night hours grieving over the little
friend that he was so soon to join.
In illustration OF the great mans
sense Of humor. DR.. Smith told many
charmingly funny stories Never, he
said, had he seen him more hilariously
moved than when he received a let
ter addressed to Mr.. Stone W. Jack
son." which began. May it please
Your Lordship." II was from a wo-
man recently from Ireland, who sought
the release Of her husband from the
guardhouse.
The president OF the society, Hon
Robert NJ Hughes, Of Norfolk. presid-
ed over the meeting and introduced the
speakers. The poet OF the occasion
was Dr. Benjamin T. Sledd. of Wake
Forest. who INTRODUCED his poems ey
a tribute to virginia. his native State
IN which, Whlle paying Col1ipliiheHs
TO the progressiveness Of North Gro
lima, which surpassed, he said. the
shrewdnese OF the Connecticut Yam
kee, he yet deplored the fact that so
many Of this States institutions are
not In the hands OF native Firginians-
DR.. Sledd read a poem to Virginia en-
titled ITO the Old Mother" He also
read a negro-verse to an old gentle
man OF the back -stbck. Isaac. and
sonnet to the Greek poetess. "Sappho-"
At the initiation which followed
twelve members were added TO the So
ciety's roll. including Dr. Wycline
Rose, Dr. James Y. Fair. DR.. Benjamin
Sledd. Wacdy Thompson, Clayton Tor
renee, Colonel Jennings c. Wise. j. X
L Johnson. e. r. Shewmake. George
z. Bennett W. R. Wigglesworth. z Z.
Birchhead and Smith ]. Williams.
A beautiful reception was presboed
over later by the wives Of the society
members, MIS-. Lyon 9. Tyler being
chief on the committee Of reception
The event was full OF social charm and
distinction. and the library. in which
II was held. was artistically decorated.
In addition to the initiates. many out
of-town Phi Beta Kappas were in at
reufence