The Feliciana Democrat. (Clinton, La.) 1855-186?, 1856-05-03
May-Day at the Silliman Institute.
Life went maying
With N0furp HOno md popay - oler;10e

ccs in gratitude and joy for the return of Spring
and large professions were formed in the forests
bearing clusters of oak leaves and the sacred mistc
toe. The modern May-Day festival is purely Eng
fish, and is more Floral pastmc than religious
ceremony. The May-pole and the May-Day dances
are yet common in parts of the rural districts
of England where many is the heart made to laugh
at the old burlesque of Jock-in-thc-Green.
With us the day is kept mostly in our Female
Schools by the election of suitable pupil to the
high and ephemeral position of queen, who on being
hailed and addressed as such by her attendants
responds in a speech Of thanks for the high honors
conferred, drawing most Of her metaphors from the
floral cabinet of nature surrounded by her maids of
honour and covered with a bower, which appeared
to be constructed by the Gent and decorated by the
taste of Armida. Here Flora herself might reposc
and say:
"Ouis multa gracilis te puer in rosa
Perfusis lquidus urget odoribus
Grato Pyrrha sub antro"
We know there are people, who affect to
speak scornfulIy of such exhibitions at schools; but
such have forgotten their own young days when the
heart required very different food from what it now
Graves or can digest its tone and appettes be-
ing corroded by worldly and self interest The
inner life of youth will seek excitement-to direct
this excitement and not repress essential portion
of human character should be the object. The heart,
says Hedge. "must live-it must be fed"-and a
proper nurture will afford it nutriment drawn
from the affections or the intellect, either in the
way of social amusement devout sentiment sci
ence or art in proportion its capabilities are ex-
banded otherwise life would be oil exterior cover
cd with moss having inner side the hollowness of
which never echoed to the outbursts of Youthful joy
or sorrow. Gratitude, affection and every amable
domestic sentiment in natures would give place
to morbid puerility and gloom, such the tenden-
ees and higher the purposes of those who educate
our youth. Life never was intended to be grave
yard nor were mans energies intended to froth and
exhaust themselves in grief and sorrow. God is the
author of the natural we'll the moral world and
man is not expected in his ourneyngs to prefer the
thistle to the rose. He is to suck honey from every
flower and as an intelligent being he is to amilorate
his condition and promote his rational happiness by
all due means. For this purpose he exercises his
invention, his genius, and his social capacity. In
the development of the latter society has in all ages
had its holidays its amusements, it's games and stat
ed assemblages for
"Uscful mirth and salutary Woe"
Otherwise man would be forbidden as he passed
down the narrow channel of lfe-through its playful
rnurmurngs and the windings of its borders-to adj
mire the shedding blooms that overhang his Journey
or smell of flower that blossomed on its brink.
These remarks, more extended than we at first in
tended occur in the celebration of Day Thurs
day last at the Silliman Female Collegiate Institute
which was truly gala day for old and young. we
have seldom seen On audience of more fashion and
taste, and never have we seen an occasion OF the
kind pass off with more order and good feeling.
OF the young performers in the Floral Drama we
can not speak too highly The demeanor OF the
queen was characterized by dignity and repose and
40 in 1c1,c hn nnun ri
ated her speech from the throne was much to be I'D
mired. One thing struck us forcibly-at the same
time there was in the recitation of their parts no
twang or parrotlke rehearsal there was no abandon
or careless Indifference as to whether well done or
not but each one seemed allied with the success of
the representation. Miss L. B. as queen Miss V. X
as crowncr Miss L. B. as boquet presenter; and
Miss " N as sceprc presenter deserve great praise
for the manner in which they acted their several
parts.
Behind the throne, 'partly concealing yet half re-
Ealing" herself sat Miss L. X. whose voice went
caroling and warblng about in brd-like notes maxi
ing most sweet music, and bodiless enjoyment
breathed harmony, which
canon through every pulse the music stole,
And held sublime communion with the soul.
Wrung from the coyest breast the imprson'd sigh,
'-'''> Montgomery
The guitar performances Of Misses NJ. G. aud V j..
cvinced very correct practice, and came softly
FLASHING on the we are told did "The song and
oar of Adrias gondolier, by distance mellowed, on
| the blue and moonlit deep.
AS one of the audience we were much gratihed and
assure our young female friends that on all such &C.
casions our columns and ourselves will be ION hand
I FIT SUBJECT FOR KNOW NOTHING LoDGE--There
! is woman in lunatc asylum out West who thinks
that the Roman Catholics are trying to build cathe
dra in her stomach and goes to bed every night with
club to keep Off the Paplsts She ought to be ad-
mitted into Know Nothing Lodge without a ballot
5 No-The anniversary Of the battle of Cerro Gordo
appropriately celebrated in Philadelphia, on the
evening of the 18th inst, by the ''Scott Legion,
composed of men who participated in that eventful
struggle