The Cairo bulletin. [volume] (Cairo, Ill.) 1872-1878, 1875-06-06
VXyyiIl'O Apoaxas,
To ,hs High school graduating cIa.
On Friday Afternoon, June 4th.


You have finished the work allotted
you here, and soon will cross the divid-
ing line between the the0yetic and prac-
tical. You are about to Cross the thrcsh-
oil of these academic halls, never to re-
turn, as students. The toll, the pleas
ures, the Joys and the pains Of school
life are behind. while the world, duty,
and reality are all before you. My own ex-
perience Is, in memory, fresh to-day, and
this enables me to enter into your hopes,
to feel the swelling Of your very hearts
with ambitious zeal, and to share your
fears. Coming from one who has occu-
pied the place you do to-day. and gone
deep into that which to you Is the I'M
known, untried beyond, a few practical
suggestions will, trust, be received by
you in that spirit OF Kindness in which
they are spoken.
ffyou have been indulging ia visions
and fancies. II is high time to dispcl
them. You are just entering upon an
important contest. This great battle
field is stretched out before you. and
fairly bristles with glittering bayonets.
II you would win you must fight and
here Jet me say, you had better die than
not to conquer. An early grave is better
far than long life OF gnominious failure.
In this contest you will meet the tried
veteran. the mighty army in brigades
/ "A t,..Hs A
preparation have made strong and pow
erful +; and you must strike heavy blows,
tor such you will receive. I speak
not upon information but from
actual experience. when | tell you the
contest is hot and terrible indeed. do
not wish to alarm you, or throw across
your pathway spectre or shadow. |
wish to write upon your hearts and minds
the great cardinal truth that not one Of
the human family lives by chancc-that
| life is real and earnest-that the world j.
not your debtor.
"ln the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat
bread, till thou return unto the ground.
Ifyou have not already learned the les
son, beg you to do SO before you 90
hcnce-that there's dignity and nobility in
labor. Your advantages only afford you
opportunity. What point you will reach.
what height gain, depends upon your
selves. Everything ofvalue is the repre-
sentative of labor. Therefore mental or
physical labor is your true destiny. unless
you would be jostled along with
whose lives are blanks, and in whose
death there is noloss. Are you ashamed
to toll! Arc you ASHAMED of the tokens
and titles of honest labor. and envious Of
the Haunting robes OF imbecile idleness
and vanity: 1t is treason to nature
it il impiety to heavcn-it is
breaking heavens great ordinance.
Toll, repeat-toil either of the
brain. of the heart or Of the hands the
only true manhood and womanhood. the
only true nobility.
Society is not little at fault for many
false notions and teachings in this re
spect. Within it- pale, h"- c~"Pt 'o"c''
-rs ur ritsc theories, vain notions and
,eernicious ideas. Ignorant of the true
standard of manhood and womanhood.
filed with false pride, usually uneduca-
ted, they teach that labor is debasing. that
those who do labor owe an apology
to their fellow-men for so doing. These
are the vultures of society. Should such
teachers OF false doctrine seek TO SOW
such foul seed in your hearts, beg yoIl
will defend your manhood and woman
hood against all such attacks. 1t is a
good thing TO remember, that the man
or woman who does not esteem,you more
highly for your honest toll and labor, Is
not worthy the name Of friend
say, then, meet duty stemly, deal
with it honestly, and whatsoever your
hands find to do, do 1t with your might.
The feudal system left heritage, under
which serfs labored, and gentlemen spent
their lives in fighting and feasting, but,
thanks to Christianity, thanks TO the
common school, this opprobrium OF toll
is done away.
There is one other proposition. While
you live, you must live by right or by
fraud. There is no intermediate ground
If you add something TO the world
store-house; If you enrich her treasures
: you live by right. If you continually
take, and return nothing you live by
.,,;n Nt Ia