Daily national Republican., 1863-07-03
Distrlbution Of Prizes at the Academy O,
the Visitation.


Gold... ........................lA
Distrlbution Of Prizes at the Academy o,
the Visitation.
The annual distribution Of prizes at the above
educational Institution for young ladies trans.
pied at the chapel of the convent In George
town, Wednesday afternoon. We arrived just
IN time for the commencement of the exercises,
and found the building packed to Its utmost
capacity with an audience of interested oh.
servers, most of whom were friends or relatives
Of the fair pupils of the school. Ncverwas the
Justly praised "cndurancc of woman" better
sxcmplifed than in the good nature and pa
Iepce with which the crowd of ladies bore the
excessive heat and pressure during nearly three
hours Of the pleasing entertainment. There
vas not a large display Of broadcloth, but here
aud there was some adventurous representative
uf the "stcrher sex "-heroically hraving botl
The batteries of bright eyes surrounding hin
Lnd the prospect of being speedily reduced tos
condition of liqulfaction that would render hi
identity q matter beyond the most earnes
sollcitudc Of his bercaved friends.
Among other distinguished guests, We no
ticed Nor General Butler ond wife, with the
oldest son.
The front seats of the auditorium were occr
pied BY the pupils Of the school, all dressed In
white--the graduates are distinguished from
the others by white sash In place Of the blu
worn by the younger classes. Charming youn,
buds, Just bossomng Into the fulness of gorI
Gus womanhood How our old heart-frostet
with the SHOWS Of many long winter, bur
green and true at the core-longed to receiv,
50 your stead the keen arrows of envy and
malice, bitterness, and sorrow, that must come
10 chasteu and purify the happiness that we
trust is In store for all of you
From our exalted position on lofty chair
tust outside the door, (selected In considero-
lion OF the ambitious tendency of the mercury.
limited at previously we gazed with tender
inter on this animated bouquet of white roses,
dreamily wondering as we observed inscribed
IN letters Of gold across their gentle breasts
the words, "Angels of sodality," If we had
not been suddenly translated transported, we
certainly were to that "happy land" where
steam cars and stage coaches are known NO
more forever, and where srrial locomotion is
popular with the travelling public.
In this hewidered frame of mine, occasioned
by the sight of so many happy, joyous faces
aud the inct that VIC were not encountered with
anything so grossly material as programme,
1t Is not surprising that we gained only vague
;dea that VIC listened with lndeGnable pleasur,
10 fresh, young voices sweetly hymnng ais
from the German, and soft, supple hands
rvoking from plano and harp the pathetic
homely tones of the "Last Rose of Summer" !"
The plaintive "Misercrc of Trovatore," or thu
vigorous, healthy notes of the "Carnlyal OF
Venice"
Where all was so excellent, comparison Is
unnecessary. (We claim perfect originality
Tor that sentlrnent.) Still we must remark thai
The proficiency displayed in the execution CT
The " Carnival" by Miss Seyrert, Is alike cred.
Fable to her own talents as a musician and to
ihc capacity of her teacher. The musical enter
ta!nnent.was agrecably diversified by the dis.
tribution Of the prizes to the various classes
Dfthesc, Miss Blanche Butler (thc only daugh
Ter of the hero of Annapolis, of Baltimore, Of
Iatteras, and of New orleans,) bore away
r!ght-the rewards Of unusual merit In almost
every branch of study.
Ter, also received number of these valued pre-
mlumf. The highest honor of the institute, a
rich and elaborate cross Of gold, was awarded
10 three of the young ladies, Misses Blanche
Fuller, Julia Turner, and Belle seyfert. The
address Of Father Early, the venerable and re-
spected principal Of the Academy, to the happy
recipients Of this distinguished honor, was re.
plete with kindly feeling and paternal advice.
In bidding them farewell, he pointed out the
trials and temptations Of the busy world upon
which they were about entering, and fcelngly
tesought them not to forget the teachings of
the good "slstcrs," who, for years, had watched
over them with maternal sollctude, preparing
them by inculcations Of iectitude and picty TO
walk through the tortuous path of life, keeping
their garments pure and unsolled from the sell
ilshness and vanitics Of the world.
After the usual Coronation IIymn-always
tang at the close Of these annual distributions
the young ladies bade each other sad adlcu,
wondering, perhaps, If in the dim future their
lives should cross each other and mnglc to.
Eether ngaln as In their halcyon days of school.
hood and soon after, the departure of numer-
ous dlyinties in snowy muslin, with detected
10, king trunks and band-boxcs, drew a sigh
from our aching heart, as We looked, it may be
for the last time, on the merry countenances
that had for few short years frightened our
aged and rather somhre sister city of George.
town. Adleu, dear girls may the good wishes
that follow you from the home Of your youth
''be as seed sown in good grouhd,,~ and bring
forth fruit of happiness, not sixty but hun.
dred fold,