The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1873-06-26
GheGotelliQeneer.
WHEELING FEMALE COLLEGE.
Essays Read at Commencement by
the Graduating Class.
ITO DE oRSEoT TO DE"-DY LIZZIE NJ.
STEPHENS.

STEPHENS.
If Hamlet were. creature OF 10 day,
when murder and suicide are discussed as
fine arts and even recommended as q
duty, under certain condiliOns-when
Prot: Newman and other would.be philos.
uphers declare that painful, useless, aud
hopeless lie ought to be ended, he Ger
lainly would not deliberate so long as to
whether he should or should not cease
To be.
The creator OF Hamlet was not practical,
he lshould have lived in these days Of
erpedieney, when the only question oil con-
Germ Ia the amount OF comfort 10 be gotten
out Of existence.
He did, not seem 10 regard man as a
mere animal but entertained dread Of
something after death. a.
The question TO be or not TO be- is
capable Of more. than one application to
the life Of to-day. To be or not be honest
is one phase Of experience that Is growing
iatereSiilg 10 the American pGople-in-
deed It would seem that honesty has even
ceased 70 be the best policy under some
circumstances the question OF right and
torOag is no longer pertinent TO tho SuIJsct,
The matter seems 10 be reduced 10 a
single consideration, how much can l Rp.
pr0pTiAte (it would not be polite to say
steal from the public treasury and not be
.iOund opt?
No matter Il other nations do give us
some broadsides from their little batteries
or lhrust'us with their rusty old Ideas OIL
honesty. Is not the American Republic
the greatest nation under the sun? Have
they any American eagle, orstar spangled
bannere
This brings us to another application o.
our subject, 10 be, or not to be IN AHsrI-
can. To be an American IS 10 live in the
largest country in the world, to be Eng
lis6, French, Dutch, Spanish, Italian,
Chinese, African and Indian all at once
to vote-to have great expectations, TO be
bOndhOlders, stockholders and nOnltOldsrS;
10 have the largest lakes, the long
tst rivers, the grandest mountains
the brOadest prairies; to have more
railroads, telegraphs, steamboats,, canal
boats, last horses, fast men, newspapers
patent rights and humbugs than any
other people. To be rich or NOT to be
rich, Is o matter that Is really assuming a
dangerous aspect; coVetOusnCss, Us geTlEr.
alb understood Is but a mild expression
Tor the inordinate love Of gain that seems
to possess mems soul. What will they
not do for money? Falsehood, theft,
false dealing and murder, arc ever ready
means 10 this end, Il one has q relish
Tor details, the newspapers can tell how II
IS dOne-"Murder in high life" "elope-
ment extraordinary" important divorce
case pending In court" Such is the food
daily offered 10 the minds Of Occurring
nilioJbl AHd,moSt deplorable Is tho fac
that thUbablic mind has become so Villa
ted as scarcely to enjoy anything les
highly seasoned. Comparatively few arc
ready to offer the prayer oil Agur, "GivC
me neither poverty nor riches" Wig
then this prevailing desire to be rich
It is not that the precious golt
or greenbacks, as the case may be-
may be boarded up In some hidden room
rs treasures Of darkness. On the contrary
II Is that the world may behold and see
how great and mighty and rich Is he. Th(
miser Is Il thing Of the PGSt-seliindul-
gence aud displdy are the modern ideas o.
the use Of money-as a result to be or moi
10 be fashionable Is question Of the mos
absorbing interest," Fd1Iion makes COW.
ards us all; time, talents, and money Art
freely sacrificed to her. She bids US ireS
C0nSp lcuously that we may DO the o.
served Of all observers, and strsightway
We wear the hair high aud the shoes low
the dress long and the tunic short w
wear colors blended together without an!
artistic effect or harmony In the least
wear them when our natural taste revolt
from such q mixture, simply because 1t /
the fashionable combination, She say
We must gOto the mountains or seaside Ii
summer, and We 90; that in winter "
must cougTegate In the cities 4
attend the opera, the soirce and tn
lecture, and We obey, She suggests
mildly at first, that we had better 90 Il
Europe and we pack Our trunks, embrace
our friends, embark on the sea und at las
wake up in Italy, intoxicated with sight
and sounds, adorned with foreign orna,
ments and Affected with FOREIGN ARGENT