Mary Baldwin College - Bluestocking Yearbook (Staunton, VA)

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The Mary lialci ' u ' hi Scvihiary. 9 Aiiionj; the many delightful features of the Conference were the drives and walks which we took while at Asheville, and the drive to Biltniore I remember especially. We started earl} ' in the afternoon and had a pleasant drive before we reach- ed the ' anderbilt estate, and then such views! Just as you enter the grounds for some distance flows the river all overhung with trees and vines, which sometimes for an instant hide it from view. The house is a veritable castle surrounded by magnificent grounds We had a wandering drive of many miles before we were at last out of the estate. The last evening was a fitting close for the Conference. It had rained in the afternoon, but just before twilight the clouds began to break and the sun came out. The mist still hung over the mountains and from every leaf quivered a rain drop, but through a rift in the clouds the sun was shining brightly, turning every drop into a diamond. As we watched the changing colors of the sky the prayer rose in our hearts that God ' s smile would always so glorify even the clouds and tears of our lives. Pknelope Crocherox, Gadsden, Alabama. FROM MISSISSIPPI. Uncle Fountain, as the villagers call him, must have long ago passed the limit given by the Psalmist; for his hair is gray, his figure bent, and his steps are tottering. His energy, how- ever is undiminished. He is always busy and walks as if he were going for the doctor. There are four in the family be- sides himself: his wife, two children now grown, and a parrot, his companion for years. I have never, however, heard it utter any words except Praise the Lord in a v-ery sanctimonious tone, right throug h its nose with the twang of a country preach- er.

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8 The Annual of held in the Normal School building a short distance from the city, and we had chapel, dining hall, and rooms all in the same building. Miss Seevers, who was then a secretary of the In- ternational Committee, was the leader. Among the speakers were Miss Price, General Secretary of the International Com- mittee, Miss French of the Southern Presbyterian Mission, Mr. Stud of the China Inland Mission, and Dr. Schofield of Massachusetts. Our plans for the day were as follows : breakfast at half- past seven ; at eight, morning prayers, after which was a class led by Miss Seevers, who told us how the work of the Young Woman ' s Christian Association should be conducted in colleges and gave us plans for the next year. This class lasted for an hour, then came the Bible Class with Mr. Jamison, of South Carolina, as leader. We took up the book of Acts and studied it carefully, comparing the Authorized Version with the Re- vised. After this was the class for the study of missions, which often met out under the trees or on the porch. From twelve to one Mr. Jamison held a Personal Workers Class, in which the study of the Bible in regard to its use in personal work was discussed. The afternoons were given up to rest, preparation for the classes of the next day and sometimes to drives and walks. At five we all met in the Mission Room, a room in which were gathered together curios from many lands, books, maps and other aids for the study of missions. Here Miss French talked to us of the Chinese among whom she had been laboring for seven years. This meeting lasted till six, our supper hour. After supper we all wandered off by twos and threes around the grounds, and had a quiet twilight talk for a half hour, then met again for Vesper services. At night all assem- bled in the chapel for a talk or lecture. One night Mr. Stud talked to us of his work in China and told many thrilling stories of his experiences away in the interior of that country. Dr. Schofield gave us three lectures on the ' ' Holy Spirit and the Inner L,ife. These evening lectures were attended not only by the students but by many of the Asheville people.

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lO The Annual of When Uncle Fount was younger, he often had his house open for boys from the country, who wished to go to school in town. One of these boys, now a lawj er, told me that his grandmother sent him to the old man with but one instruction, which was that he should be taken to the Methodist church every Sunday. When that day arrived, Uncle Fount would take his hand in his and in his snatchy way say, John, your grandma says you must go to church, come on, come on, your grandma says so. Once fairly settled at church John ' s pleas- ure began; for the old soul closed his eyes at the finst note of the doxology and did not move again until the benediction. As soon as John saw the old gentleman ' s eyes close, out came his marbles and he enjoyed the sermon in his own way. The minister stepped up to Uncle Fount after the sermon one day and shaking his hand said, Uncle, do you suppose that you could help us in the next subscription ? We look upon you as a pillar of the church. No, sir, not a pillar, only a sleeper, sir, only a sleeper. The village folk say that he has great power in quoting the Scriptures. He stopped once before a crowd of boys play- ing marbles and looking kindly at them said, Boys, don ' t you know that it is wrong to play marbles? No, sir, who told you that ? said one of the young imps. Why, said Uncle Fount, the Scriptures say ' Marvel ye not. ' The dear old man loves to attend funerals. If there are several at the same time, he .sends his clerks, that he may be represented at all of them. In the time of the yellow-fever epidemic, he one day rushed clattering into a lawyer ' s office, his eyes full of tears, .saying, John, you used to be a good boy, won ' t you go to a funeral for me today ? I can ' t be every- where at once, I have sent all my clerks. Do come now, come on, come on John; for, he said I have been represented at every funeral in town for fifty years. ' ' n. Have you ever been to Mississippi ? There is a town in that state called Paradi.se, ju.st twenty-five miles from my