The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1879-05-14
: NO. 80.

lNOs CCs
j their triumphs were those of war, and
they created widows aml orphans, sor-
row ann want. Bnt the trinmphs of
our hero were III &. Of peace. They
were attended hy joys alone, with no
lrcary back ground of SORROW
Judged at least by the true standard
of merit, the good done to the world,
the name of George Peabody deserves
to live long after the names of Cesar
a d Napoleon are forgotten.
Then strive for his sake also, to im-
! prove your opportunities. Strive for
yonr, own sake, for yonr parents sake,
for the sake of your professors, who
day bv day are telling SO patiently,
and fear too often tjianklessly, tn
plant in your young minds those seeds
fof knowledge which may some day RI
pen to glorious harvest. Do you
tl,iak all tie labor, all the trouble is OFT
lyoar side? II 30, never was q greater
mistake. You know not how hard is
4 the task Of those true friends when
their toll seems to meet witl, no re-
sward in the inental improvement Of
their pupils, and their best endeavors
not even received with the gratitude
they 10 richly merit You know not
how their labors are, ligItene,l and
icIleered by the consciousness that they
are appreciated. It matters little that
sou ore not 80 bright as some, only
show that you are. willing and anxious
to profit by their exertions, and the
task becomes ut once a pleasure
YDas will better recognize tiieirAydrtlt
in after life. Only this week ! met in,
this town one of my old professors
whom had not seen since Twas bGv.s
He had abandoned THE noble calling Of
training minds, for tile nobler. one Of
itrainins souls. He had abandoned the
teaching Of many books for the teach
| ing Of all in one, the book Of books. f.
had no love for him when was his
scholar, not because of his faalts as I
now we'll know, but because Of my
own. But when we met, my heart
went out to him as it was plain his
own did to me. Then my mind bad
only room for the memory Of the ben !,
|efits tueoeived from him years ago
and such, no daubt. will be, the expe- I
.rience Of some of yon in the future.
l cannot, urge sou too strongly to
guard your moral nature against bad
influences; avoid bad associates and
bad associations. 1t is stiil,true as the 4
Scriptures say, that "evil communica-
tions corrupt good manners The ia
tai influence Of suciI in our tender
youth too often drags as down in our
maturer yeaIs,s even when we would
wish to, strive against it. GAS the twig
|is bent, so il the tree Inclined" This
| 10 time when your minds are most
open to impressions, whether they he
good or evil. A we'll spent youth is
1.-THE precursor of q similar manhood,
and the converse Of this proposition is
equally true SEES s9S's.s.15s
| But let your associates be those whose
line of conduct your own conscience
eau RECOMMEND, and vito are approved
by your parents. For these last are
your beat guides IN this respect. YOU
mar form ties of friendship now which 4
Etime will never break, and which may
be to YOU 4 source Of! pleasure aud pro-
fit hereafter. And in this repect, my
young friends, can wish you no bet
ter fortune than that which has attend
ed me. For am surrounded by old
schoolmates who are near and dear to
my heart. / meet them In my daily
walks, Their friendship is grateful to
my soul. / 10y, to see their kindly
smiles and hear their welcome greet
Ing, and feel the warm clasp of their
hands. Tieir friendship has material
ly assisted me in the past, and is con-
tlnually doing so in the present. They
are the links in the chain which binds
en- thefpresent with the pleasant men,.
cries Of the past. And in this connec-
ton might take OCCASION to tell yo1
that among the foremost in that bOld
of old friends, stands your own honor
ell professor, Mr.. Waters, around whom
cluster the associations Of four differ
ent schools, which we attended togeth- q
er in our boyhood. s.
wish you all success and happiness
in every stage Of your career. For this
season. with you cannot last. This
lovely day, with che trees budding and
ieafing around you, with the grass
.springing green under your feet, and
the blue skies bending so softly over
your heads, isan emblem Of the bright
and beautiful Spring Of your life. Bye
and bye will come the Summer Of your
young manhood. To this will succeed
the more mellow and sedate glow of
your Autumn OF life, and the Winter Of
old age will close the shifting scene.
May you enjoy the freshness Of your
Spring, and the strength Of your Sum. I
mer, and the repose Of your Autumn,
and in yoursWinter may you be able to
look back with content on a life we'll
spent In the past, and look forward
with hope to the beginning Of new
and never ending life IN the future.
And now, in conclusion, my young
friends, may this day, consecrated to your
innocent sports and pleasures, be happily 1
enjoyed by each and every one of you.
May you 20 frorhit with redoubIed zest
to your daily tasks. May you look back.
to it with pleasure, and look forward with
pleasant anticipations to repetitions OF
in the future. The sight Of your fresh
young faces hos helped nle.a IfeeI that it
does, me good to, steal a day from my .rou-
tine Of study and witness your recreation, q
and commune with you from heart in
full, sympathy with you. I do not know
that my words will help you. | fear that
my remarks have been pitchel in graver7
key than might seem sqitablesto the occa.
sion. But, for many days past, the chords
of my heart have been attuned rather to
melancholy than to mirth j have strny-
gled against the feeling to-day, for
wonld grieve If any words Of mine should
cast shade Of sadness over your happy
snirita. What I have. said I,Ss hoar 1a..ii