Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1878-06-07
ON, VA.
THE JUNE SEASON..

THE JUNE SEASON.
Elsewhere there ARE poets of June. pas
toral historians of June, society chronic
lers of June, but here, in Staunton all
talent that 'sruns to'' literature is made
repertorial in June. 1t is not for this To-
cality that picturing of quiet fields, ly-
ing lazily with their sides turned up to the
sun, or of soft cloud shadows that move
across the face of the earth, or OF balmy
winds, OF even of roses, is made,
but in their places come the stern
reality of the graduating list and
the soree programme. 1t is of the
busy note of preparation within those sa
cred buildings unapproachable at other
seasons of the year, Of the raids Of railroad
passenger agents upon affrighted and pan
ic stricken principals, of the worn and
haggard dress-makers and OF the arrival
of distinguished strangers at the hotels
which have been newly vamped to receive
them, that the burden Of the journalists
duties consists. And these things come to
his pen with the same dreadful mon
otony of water wheel. Pupils may come
and go, new faces may appear among the
passenger agents and the distinguished
strangers, but the valedictories and the
commencement sermons, and the essays,
and the symphonies and the duets know
neither change nor shadow OF turning.
Even the same hundred girls of two ses-
sions back, are so much like the hundred of
this, that man might easily perjure him
self by swearing that they are the same.
But it is only, we are glad to say, that to
chosen few, among whom may be num-
bered the journalists, the professors of the
colleges and the hack drivers, that this hue
of sameness pervades the picture. To the
mother of Annette all this is not old. To
that lovely and respected matron, for year
past the chief value Of the United States
Postal Service has been the transportation
of those monthly reports which have be-
come the centre of family interest. And
those letters from Annette! How clear do
they make all things. This low average
for October which was clearly the result
of personal dislike by the teacher; that
higher average for December which was
solely due to the superhuman efforts of the
writer herself. And those high and gala
days when s'to-day we had turkey" and
this morning we had strawberries, "have
they not been noted, as also those other
days when IT am nearly starved to death"
and when 81 wish you would get Pa to
send for me'' And has not that same
mail service borne to her the news of how
lonely it would be if it were not for Julia
Jones who 81 am devoted to- and the in
telligence also that her dress at commence
ment is to be ''exactly" like Julia Jones's.
And still newer to Annette's mother is 1t
when on commencement night she sits
within a stones throw of her daughter who
is arrayed exactly like Julia Jones, look
ing only little lower than the angels.
1t is true she is not full graduate which
is owing to the Partially Of the teacher,
previously noted by mail, nor even an
undergraduate, which is due to the depriva
tion of turkey, but she is called out forone
of the bass performers in Herr Rosenbaum's
Opus, No. SO, and the performance is ap-
plauded, and Annette stands covered with
glory, and a dress the counterpart OF Julia
Jones's. What is it, we say, to Annette's
mother that she has passed through journ-
eyings frequent, and valedictories often.
and essays by night and by day. and COM
mencement sermons Of fifty minutes save
one, if at the end she hath attained to this
glory. We say it is nothing, and she says
it is nothing. Next year Annette will be
an undergraduate, and the next full
graduate. and then the June season is over
forever. She may have August OF Septem
Der, but never again June. There is but
one June, mark you, I'D these young NO
mems lives. If they or theirs are Well-to-
do they fit through the hot July season
and settle down in the sober October state
of matrimOny, and if they are poor, they
take breathing spell and then become gov
ernesses or teachers. which is cold Decem
Der. and far oftener, dear hearts, it is chilly,
blustery March But we will not look at
this, but, witt. Annette's mother, and out
of her eyes, and feel her joy in her girl,
knowing how sad it is for the mind to look
forward to the day when the bright Al
nette OF to-day will have passed away, and
be replaced by one with grave mien and
grey hairs, and for whom there will be an
other commencement sermon, at which
there will also be music and flowers, but
L, r..
and the flowers will be immortelles, and
the commencement will be that Of another
life. into which she will, we trust, enter
through an archway, over which is writ
ten, 81 am the Resurrection and the
Life"
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