University of the South - Cap and Gown Yearbook (Sewanee, TN)

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20 ®he (§ap ant OSonm We went first to the Bubbling Spring, and, leaving that, we climbed uj: and down through the woods to the chalybeate spring path that ran along a thickly-wooded ridge. On either side ravines broke away, opening vis- tas through the black stems of the trees ; and the silence was made mu- sical by the whispering of hidden streams and the voice of the wind that crept so softly up the mountain. Steeper grew the path, winding down over rocks and roots, through tangles of vines and wild hydrangeas, along the banks of a tumbling stream that, dashing its mimic waves high among the roots of the gnarled calmias, foamed between the crowding stones, and with a parting laugh slipped away over the shelf of rocks underneath which lay the chalybeate spring. The last few yards of the descent we made in a half run, catching finally by a poplar tree that seemed provi- dentially placed to save us from going headlong into the stream. Under the rocks, behind a veil of falling water, far back where all was moss-cov- ered — where the ferns lived, and grew, and died in green content — where the ground ivy crept with its scarlet berries shining out like little flecks of fire, I saw a wooden trough and the water trickling slowly. There was a break in the veil of water, where a great rock lodged above divided the falling stream, and before I realized it Miss Angelica had gathered up her skirts, and, stepping lightly across the slippery stones, looked like a little ghost against the green background. You should have let me do that, I said when she came back and handed me the cup. There is only room for one, she answered, and strangers usually fall in. Will you have these ? I drank all the water, feeling duty bound, then took from her hand the ideal ferns she had gathered— delicate, exquisite! I have them still. Returning, I marked well the way, that I might come again, for I thought how easy to dream the day to death in such a scene. Miss Angelica pointed out St. Luke ' s Hall and Convocation House, both built of the beautiful pink sandstone, and the latter possessing a tower such as 1 had not seen outside of England. Next was the Walsh Memo- rial, going rapidly toward a beautiful completion. I found very little that was artificial anywhere; every thing was natural, and roughly so in a great many instances, but this only made the whole thing more unique. The gowned and capped students wandering in the primeval wood that is wherever a house is not, made an unusual picture that pleased me. By this time, however, the water or the walk had made me awfully

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©he ( ap anb GSoum. 19 the old chumps where 1 was educated takiug interest in ball is a difficult matter. It is unusual, hut our men do it. Think of an old man all over Greek roots, she went on, and a decrepit ' Modern Languages ' with a Compar- ative Philology in every baggy pocket and History and Litei ' ature bent double, with his wig on one side ! And as for Metaphysics and the Proc- tor, who are always together, they are so old and weak that one is be- come knock-kneed and the other bow-legged. And Mr. Gailor — He is the man who preaches? Yes. He is very old, and has asthma so dreadfully that you can scarcely hear him speak. How does he preach, then? 0 we have sounding boards and one thing and another so that we can hear him. And why do you have such old men? We are too poor to pay young ones. And the professors ' club you spoke of? The E. Q. B. ? ' Ecce Quam Bonum ' is its motto. It is formed of the whole teaching force. They meet at their club-house every fortnight, and one man makes a lead on any subject he likes, and they discuss it. After that they have a supper, chiefly ' spoon-wittles then they mumble moss- grown jokes. That sounds thrilling. I believe it is — women don ' t go. Is everything here done for the men? Everything. Here women are distinctly the weaker sex. When we are not working in kitchen, or pantry, or sewing-rooin, we are strictly orna- mental. We may not even attend lectures. This is the most refreshing thing I have heard yet, I said, with a sigh of relief, really domestic women without facts — charming! You are unkind. On the contrary, I consider it a compliment. Here the ten o ' clock bell rang, and we said good-night. I do not think I ever slept as earnestly as I did that night, and, announcing the fact at breakfast next morning, Mrs. Z. said it was a sign that the climate suited me. Miss Angelica would not let me go to chapel that morning, as she wanted my first service to be on Sunday. Of course I obeyed her just as I had obeyed Jim and Dan, and to reward me she took me to walk.

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®h£ ©up axxi (iSoum. 21 hungry, and home and the bread and butter that Peter, the house boy, got for us from Aunt Betsy, the cook, touched my heart with peculiar ten- derness. Indeed, there were two things from which I did not recover the whole time that I spent at Sewanee — one was hunger, the other was sleep. Everybody seemed in the same condition, however, and, as there was a plenty to eat, no one seemed to mind. After the two o ' clock dinner I retired with a book and a cigar to a ham- mock in the yard where I slept peacefully until little Brown rushed out saying, Everybody is going — hurry! Base-ball! I cried, and sprang up. I got ready in furious haste, and found the young ladies and Smith and Tompkins waiting for me, also a long blue ribbon, which was pinned to the flap of my coat. The grounds were very level, and I was astonished to see the number of people and vehicles gathered. There was no grand stand, nor anything horrid of that kind, but plenty of logs and stumps and chairs and car- riages and wagons. As we mounted the hill from Tremlett Spring, I thought how bright and cheerful it was, and felt my spirits rise. We turned to the left, circling the ground behind the crowd that occupied the logs and stumps, and I think I never heard so many and such pleasant greetings. Everybody seemed so friendly— everybody seemed so happy. Half way round we found a vacant log and took our places in a row. They have not hauled out your old professors yet, I observed, scan- ning the grounds carefully. Have they not? Then you must be patient. You seem to have a good many clergymen, I said, seeing a number of straight clerical coats. We have a theological department. Are not these men a little advanced for theological students? I in- sisted. For other places, perhaps, but we have such very old professors that we have to cultivate very old students. So. And again I looked very hard at Miss Angelica. Ha! ha! ha! I think it was the heartiest laugh I ever heard, and I turned to see one of the straight-coated gentlemen talking to Miss Jemima at the other end of the log. That is the jolliest looking theologue J have ever seen, I said. Re- ligion has not soured him. Sewanee religion sweetens people, Miss Angelica answered, rising;