Page:The Southern Literary Messenger - Minor.djvu/140

 124 able and interesting. The Observatory was organized and Lieut. M. F. Maury placed in charge of it, and there he remained, until he voluntarily left it, for the Southern Confederacy. It was rumored that President Garland had more than his eye upon it. He was afterwards called to the Chancellorship of Vanderbilt University, where he once received this quondam editor with great cordiality and courtesy. He died there at an advanced age, full of well-earned honors.

Sawyer's "Life of Randolph, of Roanoke," had come out; and, with the motto: "The Lion was Dead that received the Kick," Judge Tucker, who was a half-brother of Mr. Randolph, gives Mr. Sawyer a vigorous kick. The editor had to take some leaves out of his extension table, having lent them to Mr. Garland.

Dr. Samuel H. Dickson now gives an original and liberal review of "Slavery in the French Colonies," in which he differs from some of the views held by Dr. Simms, Judge Harper and other Southern writers. And then comes the prize tale. As far back as November the editor had offered $25.00, or its equivalent in any way preferred by the winner, for the best tale. James E. Heath, Gustavus A. Myers, a lawyer well posted in matters literary, and Wm. B. Chittenden, already described, had been appointed the committee of award and they had made their