The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-02-24
THE ABBEVILLB HIGH SCHOOL
COMPOSITIONS, REGULATIONS AND DEcLA-
NATIONS BY THE SCHOLARS.
Prosramme Of Public Exercises IN
the Academy on Friday Noon, feo-
ruary 10, 1856.

ruary 1Ss ISoO'
Last Friday the people of our town "er
hiuhiy entertained by the recltatlonS ot IN
scholars of the Ab6eviile hlgn Sehuoa a,,;n,s, en
of the time and place of the speaking; ana oe
f,re the anpointed hour had arrlFea, Ine rooil
Was crowded with ready and eager llstehsIs
Prior to the recitat'ons, Pre!. Arsmet nla1I t th
few appropriate remarks of welcome 10 In
nndience, explaining. also. the object OF sue
"n event He believed 1t would De stlmun
ting to the patrons to recognize the prSS,G;S1
Of their sons and daughters anu TO .nt pup nrd
to have an opportunity oA alSpias iiiS viz -
press they had made. oror
We made. as we thought at the Time, W Pio
er effort TO get the copy Oh every 80 81 noi-
piece but we found out, when 700 J lne W 'n W
tharefHre publish such as we could get, WIN
ont Intending to show partiality 10 any ont
IF we mad not besn disappointed we ~ou;. ;, !;
have given every child life size porIl'i' II
snS me-, iilesaS arSoeeS we're commenced by the reci
+at;on Of the following piece by MISS LtHHa
Marshall:
WHICH SHALL 1T RE?
r, rich man who had no children prcpose'
W his moor neighbor, who mad seven, 10 YAK
one Of them and promised, IL the f,atenl
Svonid consent, that he would give them PROF Pro
erty enough to make themselves ahn llel
other six children comfortaoie lot tsf7'i
Which shall it be? Which shall 1t be?
looked at John, John looked at me,
And when found that must spedaK pd Sreok
Ny voice seemed strange.S Rghsr, ,oa said d': y. ~
And then |. listening, bent my neao-
This is his letter.
81 will give
, bo,,ee and land while you shall live,
II in return, from out your seven,
One child to me for aye is given.
7 looked at Johns old garments worn;
I thought of all that he had borne
or poverty, and work. and care,
Which I, though working, could not snare
7 thought of seven young moaths to leeu'
or seven little children's need,
And then of this.
"Come, john said I,
asNe'll choose among them as theS ne
Asleep" So walking hand IN hand.
Dear John and sqryeyea mSSi,S sfSnped 1ar edno
Where Lillian, the baby slept.
Softly the father stopped to lay
His rough hand down in loving way.
When dream or whisper maze ner SUIT,
And huskily he said: "Not her y
We stopped beside the trundle bed,
And one long ray of lampight sheo
Athwurt the boyish faces there,
In sleep so beautiful and lair.
saw on James's rough, red cheek
a tear undried. Ere John could speak
~He's but q baby, too,' said l.,
And kissed him as we hurried by.
Pale. patient Robbie's angel 1ace
Still in his sleep bore suffering trace,
.iNo for u thousand crowns not MN
He Whispered, while our eyes were dim.
Poor Dick bad Dick ! our wayWard son
Turbulent, restless, idle one
Could he be spared? Nay, He VINO gave
Babe us befriend him TO the grave;
ONLY q mothers heart could Ue
Patient enough tor such as he;
~And So" said John, II would not dare
70 take him from her bedside prayer"
Then stole we softly up above,
And knelt by Mary, child OF love.
'Perhaps for her 'twould better De-
I said to John. Quite silently
He lifted up curl that lay
Across her cheek in q wilIul way,
And shook his head: Nay, love, not thee,
The while nay heart beat audlbly.
Only one more, our eldest lad,
Trusty and truthful. good and glad,
So like his father, NO, John, no!
7 cannot, will not, let him co.
And so we wrote in u courteous way,
I'VE could not give one child away;
And afterward toll lighter seemed,
Thinking of that Of which we dreamed,
Happy in truth that not one face
Was missed from its accustomed place;
Thankful TO work for all the seven,
Trusting the rest to One in heaven