Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1886-07-01
vALEDIcroRY
MISS CARRIE CHAMBERLAIN.
ST. HIRYS FEMALE SEMINARY
SATURDAY. June ea;h. lssd.


The midnigh, Winds wrre softly Sishine.
Through the trees all bright with xl:umn
glow;
The silver moon mid white clouds Il ring,
Shed sost, weiri light On all below:
Silence r-igned CA earth. but far ia heaven.
Celestial spheres made harmony divine.
In such q night, On Illus ST Mary's shore.
Our Alina Mater spreads her portals wide
To greet band Of girls, whose tourney Der.
Had come In quest ofknOwletige g. her side.
As feeble ivy hound strong oaks will wind,
And, clinging all around one great parent
tree,
The little tendrils Intervene and twine
About each other, one can only see
How strong their union 10 the central vine,
And "a each other is, by tearing them apart:
30 twas with Us, we did not understand
How dear each had become unto the others
heart,
Until to-day, We part by Fate's command.
Together We aspired 10 climb the height
of VISIONS frowning precipice, So steep;
At first, IL all seemed dark a. Us a. night.
But, A. the sun arouses Us from sleep.
~ Ia our minds the light Il kn"wltSlg,
came;
We grievcd no more for friends, or home -
sweet,
But ever upward" was our aim,
Until to-day, We come with task complete.
And rs We stand here on the neutral glound,
Iwixi girldhood's sunny path and woman
way.
While sweetest song and music CAV ~
round,
Methinks youth listen - my simple lay
Though but trifling, worthless little RI ymt.
Not worthy in this harmony tn mix,
Yet in il glad, young voices swertly chime:
lis waited from the class of So.
Well, time went on; old hnary winter came:
He found us deeply buried in our books
BY History lead, through corridors of fame.
We wandered watching with admiring looks
The greatest actors on I.ife'S stage march by g.
In h majestic, ncver-ceasing throng.
Or. with rama, would search the SkN,
And watch the golden planets sweep along,
The deep. cerulean curtain yelling hcay' n;
We learnt IL give a. each unknown world
lis name:
How OF we used H. trace the Sisters Seven.
And, sometimes, laughing. call ourselves
the same:
For with the little maid | can reply.
"Oh, master. We are seven -
Fair Science did her richest page unfold:
FL.
Unlocking 10 our ewes her wealth untold /:
~ passed the days: each one new pleasures
brought:
rous thing:
The golden moments, with true knowledge
fraught,
All left Us wiser ere they took to wing.
Thus, link by link, was forged the chain of
love.
Binding Us Ia one another, and this spot:
For As each moment took its flight above,
Bearer Ia Us became the school girls lot.
The soft and balmy breezes of fair spring,
Waiting sweet fragrance from the southern
cline,
To Us poor. weary tnilers seemed Ia bring
Hope, JOY and gladncSS on thr wings oi
Time.
Ii brought~to us sweet dreams ii future
Years;
We built bright, glorious castles in the air
Ne'er dreaming il would ever cost us tears
To leave our school days, fora world So fair
"Oh, hasten, hasten, Father Time" We cried
And bear us swiftly DER this little stream
That We may launch into l.ife's ocean tide
And grasp ths substance Of our tondesi
dream"
Time glided hy: the hours, horne on his
wings,
At last have brought Us To Commencement,
Day,
When in each quivcrirE voice farewell
rings
Lips cannot utter what the heart would say.
After the harvest come the golden shravcS;
After Il weary day comes sweet rcpn~c;
\ summer shower the brilliant rainbow
leaves
The bud blooms ont into the perfect rose:
The richest rccOmpcnSc that time can bring
l. reaping what We watcrcd with our tears
And now, Ia Us is given this precious thing
The fruit of all our labor now appears.
Each bygonr day, still some sweet memory
brought,
And backward floating toward the misty
past
Now rises from the ocean OF our thought
To render up lis golden fruit AT last.
Alas in some a missing link We find
Forever lost fr,.m that great chain ofh"urS
Which days a. Years and years Ia centuries
bind,
And link the present with the future l.nw r.
These golden hours were wasted. and sank
down
In an abyss of ruln-oi nothlngncS>.
Fan would We call them back, but. with i
trDwn,
Fate echoes these sad wordS-no more. n.
less,
With accent stern she cries, To" late. tH
LATE"
Days of my school life, forever adicu.
You Were rare, priceless jewels lent me by
God;
Had hut known Your value ever true.
| might have Civ n YOU back in highest laud
a..h IL #, vol l.
But now, sweet days. farewell; no voice ~
earth
Can wake You from the past for II" path
leads
To that deep glen, where hygone grief ana
Lie >lumbering, till the sea gives up il dead
All. then my school days will arise. anj
4 true account If all did and said
In each Of them: God teach Us - 10 live.
That the days hidden in the future may.
Each with some noble deed or gentle word
Resplendent shine on that great Judgment
Day,
When all our secret sins and thoughts ar,
heard.
Ere thrice yon sun has kissed the Western
wave
81. Mary lovely banks will fade away
And in the distance seem a. find grave
Dead a. the hearts thus leaving them thai
day
Dead: No. till Lethe quench litt's stream
this shore,
This dearest spot, shall live in many a heart
Fresh, green, and beautiful, as twas Of yore'
Enchanting scene, farewell! for now We part
Dear Principal and Teachers, ere We say
Farewell Ia you and 10 all others here.
I'll try "a thank YOU in this humble lay,
For all the care received by Us this year.
Words fail me Ia express.
How much this girlish heart still clings I"