Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1876-06-03


ing void and gross darkness which
would be left behind were literature
to be blotted out from the records of
humanity.
Mr. c. S. TvIE. Stewart Society |
" Egypt in History"
We trust we shall not be regarded as
speaking invidiouslya as affects the other
speakers, if we say that this was the
Grafton of the evening. The youthful
appearance of the speaker prepossessed |
the audience in his favor from the be-
ginning, and this favorable impression
gained strength to the close, by which
time it became evident that his ad-
dress did not need the excuse Of youth
fulness. He commenced by detailing
the power and greatness of Egypt be-
fore the very dawn of history, proceed
ing with her achievements in arts and
arms, in laws and literature from that
time, he brought down her sublime
record to che days when her history
became associated with that Of the
Hebrew nation, then with that of
Greece initiating the splendid but
tragic reigns of the Ptolemies. closing
with the mournful fate of Cleopatra,
over which the speaker dropped a tear
of youthful gallantry and sympathy.
But the peroration Of the address was
its jewel. He supposed personifca-
ton of the nation pleading before
modern nations for a compassionate
and sympathetic appreciation of her
present down trodden and abject con-
dition. There was an amount of
poetical enthusiasm in this effusion
which suggests high augury of the
future achievements of the young
orator, and its delivery was as good as
its composition. We esteem it as the
best oratorial effort we have heard, not
only from the speakers of Tuesday
night, but from those of Stewart Col
lege since we have been acquainted
with it.
Mr.. G. E. THOMPSON, Washington
Irving Society "Eras IN History"
Mr.. Thompson has the appearance
and manner of the recluse and student
rather than the orator. His address
consisted of learned resume of the
great epochs in the worlds history
from the creation Of man to the pre-
sent day, briefly assigning its distinc-
tive moral and intellectual character
to each. The narrative was made out
with an accuracy indicating careful
research and was lucidly presented to
the audience, but we fear the subject
was too extensive for the time assigned
to the speaker; with all this it was
scholarly and well written address.
The young orators having completed
their task. two elderly gentlemen were
now brought to the front, DIR. D. f.
Wright and Hon. Major g. A. Henry.
That is, the profane would call them
elderly judging by the color of their
hair we hardly think the gentlemen
themselves would acquiesce in the
epithet. Their Office was to present to
several members of the respective
Societies diplomas of fraternal esteem
from their confreres which was done
by Dr. Wright on behalf of Stewart
Society. and by Major Henry on that
of Washington-Irving. This they did,
each preceding his part in the cere
mony by some brief remarks. DIR.
Wright on the importance of the study
of history, and Major Henry on the
essential necessity of integrity and
honor as the basis of conduct in both
public and private business.
Now followed an amusing little in
cident. President Shearer in CRITICS.
ing the oratorial efforts of his pupils
mentioned as great defect that none
of them had addressed any part of
their speeches specially to the ladies
present. While he was thus speaking
DIR. W. was seen to whisper in the ear
of the Major whatever was said the
Major instantly arose smiling radiant
ly and indicated the gallantry of the
young orators, On the ground that they
preferred making their speeches to the
ladies in private. Ali Major, shame
on you, this was what we had whisper
ed to you. You stole our little joke.
You, with your oratorical celebrity of
forty years standing, laid hands upon
our unfedged pleasantly and violently
appropriated it to yourself, even as
King David laid violent hands on the
one eve lamb of Uriah. Take care
sir, you have been a Senator and are
therefore liable to impeachment-and
yet after all, we forgive him we can
afford the loss-it was not much of
joke after all.
The audience dispersed at about II
o'clock in the best possible humor.
WEDNESDAY NIGHT, MAY 81.
The one event of this night was the
address delivered to the Literary So
cieties of the University by the Hon.
J. w. Clapp. of Memphis. But if this
attraction was a solitary one, it was so
in the sense of the solitaire diamond, |