Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1879-06-14


theatrical sensations being merely prepared
: for the special OCCASION
; THE GRADUATES.
j The graduating exercises proper were the
bssiness of Tuesday morning. There were
other interesting transactions, but the main
interest centered upon the essays read by
; the fair graduates. which we now proceed to
detail:
Miss Fannie Hester being second in merit
among the graduates, delivered the saluta-
tory Apart from the formal address Of
welcome to the audience, the special title of
her address was
CONSOLATION"
We confess to having anticipated something
Of the Iacrynose order as the outcome Of
such title, but We're agreeably surprised
by hearing gay jeu Pesprit, offering con-
ISOLATION to those who in all classes OF society
were afflicted with the consequences of their
own follies: First, was consolation to boys
meaning those half-fiedged gallants who
exhibit their sprouting moustaches, and
their demonstrations of puppy love so in
dustriously around the palisade of the Fe-
male Academy. These were admitted to be
Legitimate objects of feminine compassion,
in view Of the severe snubbings which they
so frequently encounter as a consequence of
their own astounding seIf-conceit. Their
consolation was that they might bide their
time, and in due course gain that recogni-
ton as men which they are at present rath-
er prematurely claiming. The consolation
for defeated candidates consisted in the re-
Election that they were likely to make much
more respectable citizens while engaged in
some honest way of making a living, than
Il while they
"Crook the pregnant hinges of the knee,
Where thrift may follow fawning."
Consolation to mothers in-law, in the re-
Election that the flippant sarcasm of sons
in-law from Thackaray's days downward,
were to be really interpreted as cries of dis
tress from abject victims, who well know
that the good ladies hold too much substan-
tial power. to be shaken in it by such petu-
liant ratings. Consolation to old maids and
old bachelors: Here the young lady's wit
was specially trenchant, especially on the
latter class of unfortunates; the consolation
for both was the possibility of a union
among themselves.
| Miss May Elliott was excused on grounds
If sickness.
/ Miss Matte Hay:
| "RETRoSPECTION."
Contending that the past was irremediable,
and that useless repinings over it was fruit
less, the essayist urged that the present;is
our own, and that the true and worthy oc-
cupation of life is to employ that in such a
way as to secure happy topics of Retrospect
ton in the future: especially was this pre-
cept enjOined on the young, the favorite
theme of whose imaginings is the future.
Retrospection was spoken of as the more
congenial habit of old age, and against that
period they were urged to collect material
for happy retrospection.
Miss Maggie Plummer selected the nur-
sery rhyme of
JACK AND GILL
for burlesque treatment. With q comic air
of mock solemnity she made show of seek |
ing the origins of the legend in prehistoric |
times, and then addressed herself to the |
task of giving a romantic and sensational |
version of the assent of the hill, the drawing |
of the water, and the tragical fall which |
followed. This essay was a capital specimen |
OF grave, dry humor, and was well received |
by highly amused audience.
Miss Isabella Elder:
'sDIsCoRD."
The lady first stated her theme mythology |
cally by speaking of the action of the god
u6sS1 DISCOIO, at TIE DdHqu6i VI the EOUSy
stirring up enmity among the ladies of the |
Olympian court by the offer of the Golden |
Apple to the fairest, whence the judgment |
of Paris, the abduction of HELEN, and all |
the vicissitudes of 'the tale of Troy divine |
By a sudden transition she then addressed
herself to the causes of discord in modern
life, which she defined to be selfishness, and
above all, scandal to the Eris of the present
day. With passing allusion to discord in
political life, with the baleful train of evils
originating in party rancor, she closed an
excellent and well elaborated discourse.
Miss Rebecca E: Malone gave poeticaI
form to her contribution, which was enti-
tied,
''wHEN MY SHIP COMES IN"
She described the many cherished scenes
which awaited their ful6llment in the
hopes ard anticipations of various people,
and which they hope to see accomplished
when their ship comes home,' but in each
case lamented that the ship was freighted
with a different cargo from that which was
desired. One ship, however, she spoke of,
whose arrival never disappoint those who
in faith and patience await for 1.-THE ship
of Zion-freighted with the joys of Chris
tan consummatfOn, and commanded by
the Lord of Life-its lawful owner. This
was a very creditabIe contribution for a
youthful graduate.
Miss Carrie Bruce valedictorian-
"wILL IT PAY"
The moral of this piece was identified with
that of the last, though the treatment was
quite different. She started with the princi-
pie that no scheme of life should be underta-
ken without first putting the two questions:
ais it practicable ?" and ais it worth the
time and labor of pursuit if attained ?'' She
enumerated various objects of pursuit that
men have arrived at, and who, though sue
cessful derived neither happiness from
their their pursuit. the grasping after
power by the ambitious man, and of wealth
by the miser. With these she contraSted
the labor of mental culture, whose object is
the possession of clear and vigorous intel
lect and a conscience deciding rightly on
questions of right and wrong. Especially
were the aims at this goal free from the dan
ger of disappointment when the mental
training included the culture of the spirit
ual faculties on the principles of the Chris-
tian faith and this led her to the proper
object of a valedictory speech, a sympathet-
&c recognition of the training which she and
her comrades had just completed at the
Academy. The customary farewell words
I
lows who had not yet completed their
course, wound up series of addresses GER
tainly far above the average of such compO-
sitions.
The next thing in order was the presenta-
ton of prizes, but as the calisthenic exerci-
SEES had one of the prizes assigned them,
though they came on after the other prizes
were assigned, we will dispose CT them first
The young ladies who were candidates fQE
this distinction appeared in two separate
bodies, one apparently numbering from
eight TO thirteen years the other from the
latter age up to about seventeen. We may
here mention that at the request of the lady
teacher of this department we acted as one
of the Judges for the little girls. We will
not attempt to describe the evolutfons of
these harmless amazons; we will say, that
when it was oyer, and we, with the other
judges, were called upon to give our votes
on the younger class, we selected as our
protege n delicate little sprite who had
stepped ont with the airy dignity OF Titania
when parting in disdaip from Qberon. 1t
was foQnd that four little ladies had obtain
ed equal votes, and the prize had to be degi-
del by lot, The four were: Lula Bruce,
Laura Smith, Daisy McCulloch, and Matte
Lieber. Our pet was on that list, but the