The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1884-05-29

Quotations were here made from SenA-
tor Ingalls, "hetrorsum'' snd Mr.. Wares
SWashsFWomaHs Song"
Mira. Ellen P. AiIeftOu, Mrs. Annie
L. Burbank, Prof. b. B. Norton, Earle
Marble, Hattie Homer ana our own
Ruth HAdley were also mentioned
a. verse writers Of merit
and promise. The writer expressed the
hope and belief thst whea Kansas be
came older, and when her people have
more leisure, wealth and culture, poets
will arise who win give 70 themselves
and the staye an enduring fame.
Miss stotler also read the class histO-
n, winch vas listened TO with great in
terest. Her style Of elOcutiOn was ex-
celient, and the expressions Of favor
which her admirable productions invited
were hearty and general.
Miss Nation A. Culver followed Miss
Stotler with 6ue and thotghtfal ora
ton on "The Marx Of Interrogation"
In this age OF progress. queried the
speaker, what can be better subject tor
thought than the mark of interrogation
It lie certainly an appropriate symbol.
The graceful curve, stretching cut and
upward as II graphing after the innnity
of the heavens sbpve; the
vigorous dash downward represent
ing inquiry and investigation into all
things beneath the besvens, and the
terminal point which sYmbolizes the
necessity Of having an established foun-
dation, Fixed standard for departure
and comparison before investigating or
ideaIizing is possible. We are all search
eEs after truth and life is made up of the
marks of interrogation. Men may be
divided into two classes. The pass
word of one Is "ThIs Isl" that
OF the other els III" The former
rule Tie world aid break for themselves
a Path and walk in 1t; the latter follow
and step tut, the places left by the feet
of the former. The speaker then COM
pared the mark of Interrogation to the
spirit of investigation whish had accom-
pIisbed so much for the world, and re-
ferfed to the work oi the pioneers OF re-
form Ia all lines IF bumau effort, Fol-
iowiHg the example Ut these mUial and
intellectual heroes; said ihs speakers we
must first assure ourselves of certain
things that are, making a firm foJt-hold
OF things that are proven, and with such
foundation The investigating spirit of
the age becomes the tign OF beallh and
vigor, and the mark OF Interrogation. not
abandoned to It's narrow specification of
d ubt or want of faith, becomes the en-
blem of the highes, aim of man and the
end of all ne inquiry, stretching forth
and carrying men 10 that point Wht re all
Inquiries end-Our heaven above. The
excellence of the subject matter of Miss
Culver's Grafton WAS fully brought out
in the manner of its presentation which
was all that could have been desired
progress" formed the theme of the
Grafton of Alexander A. Reeves. He
began his address by saying that each
nation produces ITS great work In the
march of human progress, and reviewed
the gradual processes of evolution by
which CIVILIZATION had attained its pres
ent degree of perfection. In this work
commerce had proved a valuable factor,
bringing the different nations of the
earth into communication and thus
blending the different forms
of civilization AS there could
be no progress without protection,
governments had been formed by men,
and one dynasty had risen upon the
ruins of another, until now we enjoyed
in free America all the aggregated re-
suits of the past ages Of the world. The
watch-word of our Republic is progress.
We have built up on the wrecks of old
systems new and better methods and this
progress is going on all around US to-
day. Science has cast into disuse the
clumsy appliances of our fathers, and
the inv entions which result from the
modern diffusion of knowledge are
hurrying the nation on to 8 still graudei
destiny. Mr. Reeves, with singular ap-
pFOpriateness, then cast The horoscope
for his own race in the great future Of
the Republic, and spoke eloquenlly of
the possibilities in store for the cOlOred
man which has been vnucbsafed by the
splendid institutions of q government
founded upon the idea of human equal
itY. The fine presence of the spea' er
and the excellence OF his Grafton won
for him unstInted applause, and a show
er of floral tributes.
Miss Jean NJ. Gilmore chose the
unique title of "Cobwebs Brushed
Away" and treated the subject in her
characteristic style. The spider wcayes,
said the essayist, while We brush away
the web which he spins. His mesh,
though soft and silken, is a snare, and is
spread to entangle the unwary fly which
is enticed to Its doom by the voice of
the flattertr CObwebs were compared
by the speaker to the vices and
ioIbles which corrupt socie'y and
weaken and degrade character, and were
also likened to the difficulties which be-
set our pathway. Shoddyism and shams
were cobwebs, which though flImsy en-
tangled many people. The speaker
dwelt upon the power Of Individual in
flucnce in brushing away the cobwebs,
and spoke of the power of strong and
pure characters in reforming the abuses
of society. This happy production
was followed by the class
prophecy, and in lifting the
veil aud casting her prophetic eye
into the future Miss Gilmore showed
that the task of molding the destiny Of
her class mates had been intrusted to in
genious hands. The impression made
by her was most favorable, and she took
her seat amid rounds of applause which
we've we'll earned by the fair essayist.
Think, Work, VIM" was a fitting
subject for the closing Grafton by Miss
Nettie Miller, in which the value OF re-
search and labor as prerequisites TO sue
cess were logically set forth. There is
no healthy thought, said the speaker,
without labor. Each day should bring
some achievement as the result of intel
ligent effort. If we work thinkingly
we shall not be The slaves of toll. but Its
regal masters. Thought makes labor
easy. 1t lightens toll by keeping always
the end of effort IN view. The
fruit of thoughtful labor is invention,
and all the best achievements in the
realms OF art, science and literature
have been given % the world by those
who think and work. Industry accom-.
piishes more than genius. and there If
no task to which well-directsd effort il
not equal. The advantages which had