Vanderbilt University - Commodore Yearbook (Nashville, TN)

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22 THE COMET NN- as to the condition of things European in the year 1870. He was intended for a career of business by his father, hut, with the knowledge which he had gained while at school, he could not afford to rob the world of his services. He entered the field of .journalism, where he vindicated the adage, “The pen is mightier than the sword,” ami became the head ot the rhiet party paper in the State. His was a clean, inoffensively partisan sheet, free from the blind and excessive championing of a thing because it was of the party to which it belonged,a model mirror wherein the events of the world were vividly shown. The world often recognizes merit, and Merriam was sent to the Court of St. .lames to represent the grandest nation on the globe. Here, his probity, sobriety and skillful diplomacy won him great favor. He resumed his editorial position after his term there, and made merry with the Class of ’Si) in their meeting. Morrison has become notorious for political wire-pulling, and is one of the chief members of the Democratic State Executive Committee. He soon graduated in law. and settled in one of the good counties of the “Old Volunteer State,” and was sent early to the eapitol to help save the country. He was very popular in his own county, from which he could obtain almost anything in their power; but, strange to say, he could not possibly make the people of his district believe lie was the. man for Congress, although he was repeatedly before the conventions—not seldom as a “dark horse.” lie was once almost nominated for governor, but some wire was pulled too hard, producing discord in his faction, and thus his gubernatorial aspirations were “kilt.” Not disheartened, how- ever, by these adverse manifestations of Kate, he maintained his accustomed perpen- dicularity, and went again to the lower house of the State solons, in which In lacked but one vote to make him speaker. “0, cursed spite,” etc. The poor fellow, maddened by the reverses with which his party had been meeting, dreamed a dream that was not altogether a dream, for it soon took definite shape in a diabolical scheme, compared with which nothing has ever been heard. The Class of ’81) must regret that one of their number acted thus, for it was on account of this very tlmsnoss that he was like to end. He, with some pals, stole the ballot-boxes in the most important wards of the city elections, thereby defeating the other party. Fraud was suspected, but the suspicion could not be substantiated. At length the unravelling developed the startling intelli- gence that.7olm Franklin Morrison was the prime mover in the scheme; excitement was supreme; Johnny saw his opportunity, and by his political technique, his inherent adroitness, so schemed as to liberate himself from all punition there. He was so nearly gone that his hair all came out; there are now no silver threads among the gold. No—naw-h-h-h-h ! Omohundro, being of rather an adventurous nature, early went to Africa, where he

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3 THE COM KT - 21 edge—and apparatus. Wending his way to Mexico, Central America, and at length to South America, he became quite proficient in carrying the chain; but the funniest thing in the world is that he carried the chain so well that his superiors would not think of his promotion; that hoy might have made America famous but for the selfishness of the chiefs of the party. Thus is the country robbed of another genius. “ Full many a gem of purest ray serene,” etc. Another pedagogue was Low a. lie, however, did not lind it a bed of roses, and early substituted in its stead the profession of the law. lie was quite successful in handling the accused, invariably sending them behind the bars, when he appeared in their defense. It was never known why lie did this, but it could not have been done better if he had tided never so hard. There is an incident, at once amusing and sad, told of him. A client of his was arraigned, charged with murder in the first degree; circumstantial evidence was overwhelmingly against him. and Lowe’s heart bled for the poor fellow. He concocted a bold scheme, however, whereby lie hoped to save a life. Changing apparel with the prisoner, to whom he bore a remarkable likeness, he was carried into court, in which he thought he could clear himself by proving an alibi, or making a pathetic speech. Things went against him, and lie was sentenced to “ hang by the neck until dead, dead, dead!” This, notwithstanding his protestations that he was himself. His base client had meanwhile slunk away; the likeness was unfortunate, and the poor fellow paid the penalty a few years since. Of course, he was not present at the Alumni meeting, much to our regret. Luttcrloh left us in 1 -.si) with 15. S., bent on healing the sick. Ho studied medicine in the Medical Department of Vanderbilt, graduated therefrom in two years, and went to North Carolina, where he became quite a successful village doctor. He carried health wherever he went, and desired to alleviate human suffering, rather than gain fame by some great discovery, for this modest reason, the world has heard little of him. Ho married—aye, he «lid—took unto himself a wife, and has lived in conjugal happiness, lo! these many years. Ho did not disguise the fact that his family affairs and increasing business prevented his attendance. He has an interesting (?) family of thirteen, in whom he is quite wrapped up, with his strongly paternal nature, his big, sympathetic heart, and his love for all mankind. .1 Lems made his way for Gotham town, and plunged into the whirlpool of that busy metropolis, and I regret to say I do not know what he is now doing, or why he did not attend the Alumni meeting. Such is life! Friends drop out of our memory when we are occupied with our own battles, and are as if they never were. Merriam was the Faculty LVpresentative at our Commencement, and enlightened us

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-sN THE COMETS 23 hoped to prove himself a true humanitarian in showing his willingness to become civil- ized. He had succeeded in capturing Kmin Bey whep last heard from—in other words, lie had met the enemy, and he was theirs, lie could not, therefore, put in appearance at Vanderbilt. Parks was a very visionary fellow, and imagined he was just the stuff out of which to make a line lawyer. He accordingly placed himself under the tutilage of a line faculty, and, having graduated, found himself, with no little pride, ensconced in a cosy law office, waiting and watching. This process, however, was not sustaining, and his brain was severely tested as to the plan by which he should eke out a livelihood. Sam Jones, now quite a venerable servant of God, and a most successful evangelist in the HUh century, came to Parks’ town soon after, and preached with such fervor and ardor that the hard heart became soft with divine love. His whole life was changed : he quitted the bar, became a minister of the faith, and is now a circuit-rider in Texas, where all his energies are expended in the efforts to save his dock. He has become very humble, and though not known widely of men, his name is written in the Lamb’s Book of Life, and the angelic choir sing of his charity. Who would have thought it ! .Ire we the architects of our fortunes? Arc we the shapers of our destinies? It, cer- tainly seems we are not. Iiifig, the light hearted, go-as-you-please, happy youth, who never had a care to sadden his joyous heart, always buoyant with some anticipated scheme, ora romp with •• .McGinnis,” came, too. Age has told on the old bov some, but that same genial nature is still there, as in “our days.” He looks funny, though, now, since; his forehead has had such a tendency to increase that it has well-nigh “taken in the back of his neck,” and the shining head beams with his little (?) smiles. Kigg was once or twice a promi- nent candidate for l . I!., hut, owing to successful chicanery, he was robbed of his just merits, for even his opponents had to confess that the degree was his, regarding true merit alone. He has not grown in stature at all—the same laughing, jolly fellow, except as to the departure of the hair aforesaid, lb; also took the law, but, singular to say, it did not like him. lie demolished his shingle with bitter tears of regret, and then bethought him of an idea that was just tin thing. In traveling in the West, as yet undecided what locality he would make famous by his residence, he stepped oil lor a week or t wo at Salt Lake City. This great .Mormon stronghold had peculiar charms for him. Shortly after his arrival he was visited, as a distinguished gentleman, by the .Mormon Priest, between whom and himself then; sprang up an exceeding intimacy. In time, the Priest died, and Kigg, having grown in favor with the people, was, with won- derful unanimity, elevated to that dignity. This was no less a surprise to him than to his