The Abingdon Virginian. [volume] (Abingdon [Va.]) 1849-1883, 1864-07-22
For the Virg:nia.l. :
namcnce4aelsf Exercises.

sMessrs. Editors Eft was my good fortune to-
be present at the Commencement Exercises Of
Martha Washington College, which occurred,
sSas last Eaaasaae last
female beauty, the gay and elastic forms Of
chifdheod with the deerepitnee of totteTing age,
and the grace and ehivalry Of gallant youth with
the gravity and wisdom Of the.respected. sage.
! COMMENCEMENT Gay is the great Sabbath of.
College Efe To.scmE Of the young ladies' con-
nected with this Institution, this was one of the
most ncmentous days Of their being For
months they had awaitedits coming with mingled
emotions Of hope and fear; and from the distant
future they will look back upon its Joy lit
summit as one of the most memorable of all the
days of the past. = IS -
The services we're opened with an eloquent
prayer from Rev. Mr.. Bowman, ;1fter which
Capt Crank read the annual Report of the
Board of Examiners" and then seven young.
ladies'. with personal charms sufficient to con-
quer the world, and with hearts and minds we'll
cultivated to enable them to retain and adninis-
ter with credit to. themselves that world which
is won1an's peculiar sphere, read Essays. But
i mist not praise their beauty or commend for
admiration. their personal charms. lest, with
such holiness, should jnrur their dApleasure,
yet would collect countless gems, Hote brill
liant than were ever found in the Golcanla Of
the mind to decorate these fair daughters Of khe
Sunny Soulful would pluck chaplet Of moN
beautiful flowers than ever fancy created, and "a
wreath of sunshine blended with rainbow hHes
TO adorn their fair bFo#s-I would array them
in aInaranthine glories and unfading laurels,
and make them lustrpns as the morning and
pleasing as The eyening star, and to- sparkle with
a radiance brighter and more dazzling than the
-glittering ray of Summer MONDAY sun.
The ssSalutatory Address" by Miss Julia A.
: Thomas, of Abingdon, Va, sparkled with count
less brilliant gems. She reseled in the bright
fields Of fancy and gathered the pearl md ruby
of thought to decorate her ideas, which were
sublime in form and elegant in beauty, and
which challenged the spirit Of description and
force Of eloquence, as they burst in meteor.
grandeur on the beEildered view and awakened
dreamy thong ht. to action. 1tforms one more
leaf in the well won chaplet which adorns her
gentle brow. May he who is Inred to her side
byshers beauty and intelligence, Gull her with a
gentle hand from the .pasent-stem and shield her
in the, rich covert Of hisleve.
t.Who are our Martyred Herees,'' by Miss
Mary A. Tal1ey, of Mnrfreesboro, Tenn, was q
chaste;and beautiful Essay J, the poetic thoughts
Of which fell sslike pearls at random strung,
md sung like rivuless leaping in the sunshine.
She spoke with deep pathos-of the many who
have fallen while drinking inspiration from the
fount Of Liberty. Would that the power were.
mine to paint, as she did, upon the canvass Of
imagination, with artistic skill, the hosts of,
honest freenen. whose patriotism and invincible
courageis disentombing tae Sunny South from
America s crumbling sepulchre- whose bl3sold
crimsons-a hundred battle. felas, and who.
.nameless, unhonored and nnseing' have gone
down to their silent yrs to a cause
freighted with the hopes Of ten millions Of nen-
pie and conaecrated by the prayers-and tears 8 f
every woman. in the land. Peace to the memo
ry of the martyred dead 3s-ssr
ssStonewan Jackson = by Miss Henrietta NJ.
Dunn, Of Abingdon, Va. was in style easy, pure
splendor Of. a meteor's fight, be rose and b.
came the brave leader Of many successful bat
tles-that a warriors wreath entwined with 4
myriad n. OF lanrels, strung his manly brow-that
his march was ever onward. and that when
about to plant the Stars, and. Bars UPON
flames highest pinnacle; and wave it in triumph
oyer the acme Of glory, the ever restless and
unerring iron shaft Of death, chose him as its
victim and numbered him among the pale faced
natieus ef the dead. -