The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1855-08-29
For the Register.
The Dying Freshman.
The Freshman sat in his easy chair,
m nl inc his pinn NJ clu,,

The Freshman sat in his easy chair,
Smoking his pipe OF clay,
Amidst the smoke that around him there
Had borne him in dreams away
A reflux of old memories poured in upon
him. The past stormy and laborious
year was before him-a vast panorama,
painted by the pencil of memory. glitter.
ing with gems scattered by the Tutors
hand and relieved in perspective by the
faint shadows of those who were so soon
to succeed him. He heard once more
tho melting strains of the blind old man
of Chios he saw again the face Of the
stern old Roman historian as he drew
his picture of the Punic leader again
invoked his guiding star to shed the
faintest ray of light upon the mysteri-
GUS " Problem Of tie Lights" lie re,
called his midnight tour to the mighty
cataract of Niagara, how he was spat-
tered BY the spray, stunned by dncarlhly
noises, stiiled by still moro uneartbly
smells and though he had sometimes
wondered why Time stopped and dullcd
his scythe i'll moving off the buttons from
his shirts,yet in the kindness of his heart
he asttibcd it not to human agency
The mists around him grew thicker; long
chapel exercises aud short commons, five
o'clock ih the morning and twelve o'clock
at Dight, demerit bills, term bills, and
muspuito-bills all faded, and the Fresh.
man dreamed. Tie turlng smoke form
ed distant castle, before him was
imdged the voyage Of life. Cll and
young forgctidl of their common march
to that narrow house appointed for all
living, hastened on to reach that pima
Gle Of glory-the goal of human ambi.
ton, whose top was hidden from the sight
in clouds Thu. often, in the wild pas
sions of the heart, is the ncvcr-ending
Future of Eternity lost sight of in the
pursuits of present time, which arc to it
as the lightnings fash to tep thousand
ages.
1mpcllcd by a rcsistless principle #.tl.
in, the Freshman joined tho struggling
throng. But bis soul was flied with an
guish to see that he vas unable to keep
pace with what men call GcniNS. While
bitterness and misery lashod him even to
madness, a voice seemed to him to say
Son of man. Labor is the true goni,is
of this world, the only essential element
Of success. To the erratic man Of genius
it is not given TO ascend yon celestial
heights. Labor, though it bo more
noiselcss than the turning of the world
upon its axis, more unnoticed than the
humble SPIDERS web, is infallibly sure.
The stream is dependent, not upon its
tributaries, but upon its fountain. Genius
will throw obstacles in its own way by
its own folks
As the voice ceased to speak, there
came burst of unoarthly music, and the
youth awokc,--a bt:rning desire at his
heart, and firm resolve to complete by
bis own efforts Natures half finished
work, The hour of his dissolution was
at hand The glancng lights of the vii,
lage at bis feet were gone,-tho mystic
hour Of midnight was drawing near,-thc
morrow ushers in day which is to be
both conclusion and Commencement
Calmly he refled and relghted his
fragrant :enser, and awaited tho final
moment.-It came. and as the last thin.
ly-curling wreath of smoke sailed aloft,
the soul of the dying Freshman was
waited upwards on celestial wing, to
wake in a newer and brighter sphere
tie Hcaren Of SQphomores
Sic transit gloria Collegii.
ch PSI.
cal