The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1879-05-29
Snowdrops and Crocuses

SnOWdrOps and CrOeuses.
Lately being present at the Academy
of Music, on Broad-street, on a COM
'memoration morning, or as it is
called "the Annual Commencement
of a Medical College of Penn
sylvania," / happened to be
seated on one of the front benches
near an elderly gentleman. His benevo-
lent beaming face told at once that ne
was the father of one of the young as
pirants to fame, who this day had re-
ceiyed his diploma of M. D. and was
going forth to do battle in honor of his
profession. When the yaledictory
address was over, and the young men
and the public had listened to such
warning words as:
Farther, you most solemnly declare
that you in purity and holiness
VIII live and exercise your art to bless
Mankindi from acts Of mischief will abstain
And all seductive wiles; and will refrain
From giving drugs for deadly purposes or yile,''
The ceremony of distributing the floral
gifts begun. A large quantity of bou-
quets and baskets full of flowers filed
the front part of the stage. bat no
female form was there to give them
away. Men belonging to the profession
came forward to read the name on the
card attached to each gift, and calling
it out loudly, handed the flowers to the
young aspirant, who stepped up to claim
them. Crank, for goodness sake don't
bring me any MORE" said my neighbor,
smilingly, to tall young fellow, who
every now and then came back from the
platform to add to the floral load under
which the old gentleman was already
groaning; how in the name of heaven
are we to get all this homeW aNeyer
fear, father; we must manage it some
how" replied the young man, in hurry
to be of again for another gift which
was awaiting him on the platform. The
name Frank had awakened in me memo
ries of bygone days, and had carried
me back to the time when the distribu-
tion of diplomas did not represent such
brilliant scene as it does to-day, nor
any of the colleges turn out in one
stroke one hundred and ninety-six
young medical men to the solace of
suffering humanity. In the days l refer to
another Frank sat on one of the benches
then occupied by fewer aspirants. He
also was young man, but he had no
father or mother in the assembly. He
was stranger in the city and but little
known in its society, where his stately,
well-knitted frame was but seldom
seen. He was poor, but did not dis
guise it. He was hard worker, and a
great favorite with the teachers in the
college, but among his fellow students
there were not many who cared to cult
yate the acquaintance of one who was
always poring over his books, and
could find no time for riotous pleasures.
On the great commemoration day,
when he had won for himself the
distinction he worked and yearned for,
he cast his ewes around the assembly as
if in search of some known face. Pain
and disappointment were plainly to be
read in his eyes when he withdrew
them. Once again he scanned the audi
ence. This time his eyes must have dis
cerned some object of dislike, for sud-
denly he turned away his head and a
blush and expression of shame and in
dignation overspread his handsome face.
During the remainder of the ceremony
he did not look again in that direction,
but sat moody and silent until the dis
tribution of flowers commenced. Then
he reused himself and listened. Name
after name was called out, but his was
not among them, and again he relapsed
into his former listlessness, until
aroused by loud whisper from his next
neighbor: Crank, what ails you,
man? Don't you hear your name called
out, and don't you see that beautiful
basket of flowers held up for you to re-
ceiveY In moment he was on his
feet, but when he had eagerly grasped
the basket held out to him, and seen the
handwriting on the card, the joyful fire
which, for moment, had animated his
face vanished, and he returned to his
seat disappointed man. x
Frank, !" said his fellow-student
again, after pause. care you ill? Don't
you see that you have got the hand.
soonest and the choicest flowers of us all,
and you have not yet opened the note
which lays among them, and which, ]
declare, smells sweeter than all the
flowers put together. Shall 1 do it fol
youp "No," the other answered
gravely; " it would do you no good to
read it. I know the handwriting, and
wish it had never been written" he
opened and read it. Again the expires
sion of shame and indignation was seer
on his face, and he thrust the note into
his pocket.
The ceremony was over; the com
pany dispersed, gay and chattering
mothers and sisters clustering around
most of the young men and Offering tc
carry their flowers. No one came neal
Frank, who bent his way towards his
solitary lodgings, carrying his basket
and muttering, as he went along: d"
will do it. Why should Itnot? have
no one who cares for me. Other mer
have have done 80 before now, and
why should not II The only one
thought cared for mehas shown by hel
absence to-day that 1 have been fool
and l fear that / shall be something
worse ere tomorrow dawns. A single
little flower from her could have saved
me, and 1 would gladly have funf
this cursed basket 1 now hold, with th'
serpent in it, into the gutter ant
trampled upon it. Fate has willed i
otherwise. How gladly 1 would hav,
worked and waited for her. had she onl,
! given me sign to-day of her love. Sh
has deceived me, and why should
hesitate to finish her work by an &C
which, debasipg as it is, will separate u
forever. Heaven knows how differen
were my thoush hts this morning. IaI