expected compliment they had paid him, he would only detain them to say (though he could not say it in the eloquent words of the great statesman who had uttered the same sentiment last summer)—that he had hope for the country so long as we have so many noble women to strew with flowers the graves of our martyred dead, and to teach to coming generations the principles for which they died. For myself I have faith in the women, and in their ability as well as willingness to preserve our principles. And if this be treason, then they may make the most of it." The General from his first sentence caught the sympathy of the multitude and sat down amid the loudest applause. The Magazine medal was then conferred by Professor Southall upon Mr. William W. Thum, Ky., author of the successful article, "The Death of Marlowe," who acknowledged it in a short but graceful speech that, coupled with his youthful size and appearance, elicited rounds of demonstration. At the conclusion of the exercises a reception was held at Professor Mallet's, where many journeyed, while others meandered the Lawn and byways in the sound of delightful music. Thursday morning-Commencement or Final Day. At 10 o'ck, the entire University contingent, including many strangers, assembled in the Public Hall for the usual conferring of diplomas and certificates of proficiency-an exercise that lasted about two hours. This over, together with a short intermission, we all reassembled at 1 o'ck, to hear the very able address before the Alumni Society, by Judge Kennard of New Orleans, La. That afternoon I arranged for leaving on the late train, and after supper loafed with a few companions until the Ball began, where I spent several hours very delightfully-those even to this day pleasant to recall. Inasmuch as fifty years had rolled-by since the University was opened for instruction, March 7, 1825, the second page of this year's catalogue, session 1873-74, contained the following announcement: SEMI-CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION In the year 1875 the University of Virginia will have been in operation fifty years, and it is proposed to celebrate the event in a becoming manner. Due notice will be given of the time and manner of celebrating the anniversary, and all former students of the University are cordially and urgently requested to be present. A catalogue of all students who have attended lectures at the University of Virginia during the last fifty years is in course of preparation. It will contain, not merely their names and course of study, but also short notices of their subsequent career. All who can furnish information tending to make the list in any way more complete and valuable are requested to send it to the Secretary of the Faculty. In spite of this great prospective event in the history of the University, the session of 1874-75 differed little from those that immediately preceded or followed, as students according to custom went their busy way, intent solely upon daily duties, apparently unmindful of any "casting of shadows before." It is true, however, that the numbers were increased slightly over the few previous years; that several fraternities held conventions and reunions, bringing together from distant parts men of more or less reputation, and that the Young Men's Christian Association had an unusual list of distinguished divines to make public addresses, but otherwise the session was unmarked until the Ides of Commencement. The first memorable event came early in the session, Sunday night, October 11th, when the venerable "blind preacher," Rev. Dr. W. H. Milburn, for many years chaplain to Congress, delivered a most impressive discourse upon, “Vanity of vanities, saith the preacher (vanity of vanities); all is vanity." During the week he also gave a series of sermons in Charlottesville, which attracted multitudes that were charmed by his matchless oratory, rare descriptive powers, and profound familiarity with the sacred writings. On Thursday night, October 15th, the Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity, in annual convention, held an open session in the Public Hall, which was attended by most of the students and many visitors to their unbounded delight. Here for the first time the majority had the pleasure of seeing and hearing the two literary celebrities-Bayard Taylor and Daniel B. Lucas. The former gentleman presided at the meeting, and seemed to be about fifty years of age with Teutonic characteristics—possessing a commanding appearance and physique, kind frank face covered largely with moustache and beard, good suit of hair inclining to be curly, an affable smile and pleasant manner. His address was the embodiment of eloquence and oratory, his language inspiring, chaste and simple, his delivery easy and graceful, and his tribute to youth highly encouraging, especially in the sentences: "Rivalry in the race of distinction, friendship that wholly confides and believes itself eternal, manly honor and honesty-these are no illusions! Let the cynic sneer and the philosopher smile! We will cherish these attributes of youth until they turn age itself into an illusion." After this came an oration by Mr. Henry Wickham, outlining the principles and aims of the Fraternity, which, to every one's delight, was followed by a song of the muse-a poem, "The Love of Letters," by Mr. Daniel B. Lucas, a gifted gentleman, our University's product, who had only come home to bow at the mother's knee, as he again did several months later at the Semi-Centennial, and to add fresh garlands to his favorite temple of knowledge. He was about forty years of age, possessing a large head covered with a heavy suit of hair parted on the left and brushed upward; broad forehead and cheekbones, square broad chin, thick moustache. Unfortunately his body was dwarfed somewhat through a permanent spinal injury produced in infancy, by the proverbial fall from a negro nurse's arms. A few stanzas may well be reproduced here: Peace to affairs of State, and sale of gold, Silent the busy hum of wheel on wheel We sing to-night these great High Priests of old, Who wrote and sang, and taught mankind to think, and feel! Praised be our Goddess! and her altars crown With secret rite, and revelry, and feast, Till powers, to her, and potentates fall down And here, beneath the shelter of her wings, Our gifts of song, and speech, and pen are brought; For books are more than multitudes or kings, And Letters are the Avatars of thought." The method of electing the Final officers in the Jeff. and Wash. Societies at last became so discreditable and unsatis factory that at a Faculty meeting, November 2nd, the following regulations were adopted: "Whereas it is made the duty of the Faculty to regulate the public exercises of this institution; and whereas the working of the present method of electing the representatives of the Societies is unsatisfactory, the Faculty deem it due to the interest of the University and the welfare of the Societies to appoint the following plan of selecting the orators and medalists for the final celebration: At one of the meetings in November, each Society shall appoint a committee of five members to select three members of the Faculty for each Society, to act in the character of an electoral committee, to select the final orators and medalists of the Societies. The electoral committee shall attend at least four meetings of the Societies say one in January, one in February, and two in March-after the last of which the selection of medalist and orator of each Society shall be made from the debaters and speakers of the Societies by the electoral committee. The selection of medalists and orators by the electoral committee shall be final." These regulations were addressed to each society, and ratified by overwhelming majorities-the Jeff. selecting Professors Cabell, Smith and Southall-the Wash.: Professors Holmes, Venable, and J. S. Davis. As I glance back to those turbulent days and society election-nights prior to this new regime I fail to recall the inauguration of a more salutary change, or one hailed with greater delight by the better thinking students. For while it was true that the presidents were still to be elected by the members, the severity of the contest had been minimized by delegating to wiser heads the filling of the most responsible positions-those that formerly had caused endless contention and strife. Our chaplain, Rev. Dr. S. A. Steel, took unto himself a life partner, November 5th, the fortunate lady being Miss Mollie Burns, of Petersburg, where the ceremony was performed. An event that cast a gloom over the University community for a period was the sickness and death, November 7th, of Mrs. Margaret N. Cabell, wife of our much beloved Dr. Cabell. She was a lady possessing many sterling qualities—unusual grace of person, mind and heart, whose every instinct implied |