The Abbeville banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1847-1869, 1847-05-19
(FOR THE BANNER. J

(FoR THE BANNER.)
There arc hours in the dark years of life,
like stars bursting out from the storm clouds
Of Heaven. When tears and sighs, like
the morning mists, retreat from the arena Of
the soul, and leave unclouded the smiles of
love, and thoughts of beauty, which hang
around the heart, like star-beams quivering
in the rainbow's brilliant beauties. Such
were the hours that passed at the celcbra-
ton of the anniversary of the Cokesbury
Female Institute.
Although do not expect to do justice to
the celebration, yet must say something
concerning it.
Gay hearts, smiling faces, and active
hands, had been for days engaged in pre-
parations, and when the 18th came, how
slowly rolled the hours by, It'll 4 o'clock,
when the scene was to commence. Capt.
STOKES, marched the Cokcsbury Fenciiies
on the Female Campus on their rear were
formed the citizens and guests, and still in
the rear were formed the ladies. In this
order they marched to the church, where the
front companies opened order, and the La
dies marched in. The President then an
nounced to tho overwhelming audience, the
speaker selected foI the occasion, viz, Rev.
WM. II. CApERs.
I understand his discourse is to be pub
lishcd, therefore / pass over all comment,
only saying, had it been any better 'twould
have spoiled it. Thoughts were i'll it as
we'll fitted for the bouyant hearts that re-
ccivcd, as Nectar was for the ruby lips that
bore the smiles his ideas commended. Oh I!
how many lovely faces were there, and as
the speaker said, "not a tear was sccn,not a
sigh was heard" but each face was like the
dew drop as it glistcncd in the mornings
beam.
After this rich feast of the mind, the gay
crowd retired to feast the mortal part, to
some, perhaps, not less pleasing than the
previous mental feast. On the Female
Campus was arranged in the most refined
taste, a table of which one would suppose
disciple of Epicurus, had had the supervi-
sion. One might we'll suppose that after
these two feasts, all were ready for enjoy
ment, nor would he suppose far wrong, for
where music flows, and ladies are, enjoy
ment has her dearest abode, and all of these
were there. Again were Sapho's burning
strains walked from her silent lutte mid the
Grecian Island flowers. Again did they
visit the grave of Bonaparte on Helena
rocky Isle, and watched the smile on Mary's
face, as she slept by the sweetly murmuring
streams of Alton. Fond too were the flow
ers around, not only the queenly Rose and
constant Dahlia, but there were flowers of
love: yes even flowers of hope were there
for which feared some cruel blast would
break their tender stem.
And to bless the scene woman too was
there: For what would this world be with
out woman. Like some lone Island in the
sea of gricf where no ray of pleasure ever
presented, or love shed its heavenly influ-
ence like sun light upon our souls.
How sweet thing memory is, that we
have tho power of again living DER those
brilliant hours of pleasure that broke
through our life's sky like smile mid the
sighs of deepest grief and remembering
that,
There are looks which will haunt though lonely,
Our way be DER desert or sea:
IL, lhero are tones which will pass from us only,
q When memory ceases to be- p
g..;s Cokesbury. CoNsrANcy.