s boy, he was
on good terms with his classmates, and took life easily. That was a time
when students were required to get up at sunrise and attend prayers.

One night, the story goes, the vigilant proctor actually found young
Toombs playing cards with some of his friends. Fearing a reprimand,
Toombs sought his guardian, who happened to be in Athens on a visit from
his home in Greenesboro. It is not certain that young Toombs
communicated the enormity of his offense, but he obtained leave to apply
to Dr. Waddell for a letter of discharge. The learned but severe scholar
had not received the proctor's report, and gave the young student a
certificate of honorable dismissal.

Later in the day the President met Toombs walking around the campus.

"Robert Toombs," said he, "you took advantage of me early this morning.
I did not then know that you had been caught at the card-table last
evening."

Toombs straightened up and informed the doctor that he was no longer
addressing a student of his college, but a free-born American citizen.

The halls of Athens are fragrant with these stories of Toombs. No man
ever left so distinctive a stamp upon the place or gave such spicy
flavor to its traditions.

Among the college-mates of Robert Toombs at Athens were Stephen Olin,
Robert Dougherty, and Daniel Chandler, the grandfather of the
unfortunate Mrs. Maybrick of England, and the man whose chaste and
convincing appeal for female education resulted in the establishment of
Wesleyan Female College--the first seminary in the world for the higher
culture of women.

The closest of these companionships was that of George F. Pierce, a
young man like Toombs, full of brains and energy--even then a striking
and sparkling figure. The path of these men commenced at the door of
their _alma mater_, and although their ways were widely divergent, the
friends never parted. Two of the finest orators in Georgia, one left his
impress as strongly upon the Church as did the other upon the State. One
became bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church and the other a Whig
senator. One day these men met, both in the zenith of power, when Toombs
said: "Well, George, you are fighting the devil, and I am fighting the
Democrats."

Closer in friendship their hands clasped as age swept over their raven
locks and stalwart shoulders. Bishop Pierce never hesitated to go to
Robert Toombs when his churches or his schools needed money. Toombs
would give to the Methodist