The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1913-03-17
CHAPTER v.
Still Studying Law and Politics.

NAy1AR and reconstruction had re-
~" duced the number Of students
80 at Charlottesville to 32S in
~ the session of 1880, but
war and reconstruction had not low
cred Virginia's lofty standard either Of
scholarship or of honor. Wilson's life
here was in many respects reped-
ton of that at Princeton. Here, too.
he Immediately took his place as a
leader. Study was rather more neces-
sary than at Princeton in those days.
A man had to work to pass his exam
nations. Still there was gay set as
well as a steady set, and Wilson had
friends among both.
Sports were engaged in to the extent
of an occasional baseball game among
the students or with nine from
neighbOring town. foot race or two
in the autumn and some boat racing.
Wilson played a little baseball AMI
took long walks through the pleasant
country lying about. often alone.
though sometimes with a favorite com
panion. At Princeton Greek letter fra
ternities were illegal. but they existed
with the approval of the faculty at the
University of Virginia. and Wilson was
| initiated into the Phi Kappa Psi
He Joined the chapel choir and the
glee club. The latter circle of har
monious spirits made serenading eX-
cursions in the country roundabout
| two or three times a week. winding
up its pleasure imparting career with
a grand concert in the town hall Will
son many a night stumbled along the
rocky roads with his fellow gleemen
to arrive at last under the balcony of
some damsel and lift his fine tenor
voice in "She Sleeps, My Lady Sleeps,
and Speed Away" At the grand CON
cert, which was given on the evening
of the final ball. a brilliant audience
that crowded the hall beheld the prize
orator and prize writer step down to
the footlights and render a touching
tenor solo. Wilson is best remembered
as a singer, however. by the thrilling
effect with which he usually achieved
the high note near the end of THE
Star Spangled Banner"
Wilson did good deal of writing
while at Charlottesville. From the
road in front of "Dawson's row. pass
ersby would see him sitting at the
window in the southeast corner Of
House F." darkly engaged with an
ink bottle. out of which he had con
jured before a year was Mp the writ
} er's prize.
In March. 1880, the University Mag
azine printed an article by him on
John Bright in the following month
another on Gladstone. The young
mans mind still ran. as it had run Al
great political leaders
The John Bright article was really
version of an GRAFTON which Wilson
! was delivering that month. So grea
had his reputation grown in si1
. months that there was a considerable
demand from outside the universit,
for admission, and the occasion wa
thrown open to the public.
At Charlottesville. as at Princeton
the student body was divided into tw
literary and debating societies-th
{ Washingtonian and the .Teffersonian-
in the common tongue. Wash an
JEFF" The fortunes of each alternate
; ly waxed and waned. jeff" was tn
? stronger in 1879, and Wilson joined il
= His talents at once won recognition
[ but he found a competitor to respec
< in another jeff" man. William Cabe
Bruce, young orator of extraordinar
ability.
The chief annual event at Charlotte>
vile was a debating contest in tn
Jeffersonian society, at which two gol
medals were awarded. one for deba
ing, the other for oratorical abilit!
Bruce was given the debater's gol
medal. while the orators prize weT
to Wilson. The opinion of pretty nea
ly everybody, aside from the judge
was that the award should have bee
reversed. Bruce was ornate in styl
] Wilson simple. direct and logical.
In a wholly different vein from h
i speeches in the JEFF" society was nr
q notable effort in which the university
. fayorite appeared. when he Gelivere
medals TO the winners in athlet
3 games. Having agreed to make tn
n presenta ton. Wilson was very muC
eAeTClSeu as W "Hdt W say anu IL
! parted his perplexity TO an intima
q friend. who ratified off two pieces
81 nonsense which he suggested Won
q about suit the taste of the audience
3 the gymnasium. Neither piece contai
ed the slightest alIusiOn TO athlet
"a sports. Yet the orator worked them i
y The gymnasium speech represen
s. one of the few occasions in which Il
8 young student bent very far from b
8 dignity in public, but in private
fairly dubbed with humor and W
and was very much given to mOnke