The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1886-04-21

William IL. SonneryilIe, Esq,
~ the Closing ExereiAce OF
The PIensant Flats school,
March 25tli, and Published
BY Request uf Teacher and
PHpils.
Lddies and Gentlemen, Friends and
farone In behalf of the Teacher
and scholars 81 our little school, !
bid you welcome hrrs
To use The expressions Of she
young Indies who are participants
with Us, you are as welcome asthe
aowersthat blow aud the songs ot
the birds we love 10 we'll. Youare
welcome, forby the presenceofthis
appteciatiye audience we are merry
ed with renewed seal in our effort
toentertainyou. Youare welcome
because your presence indicates
that you too, are inleteslg;i3in the
aud training oithe youths
Of our land.
YOU are welcome, because your
presence is indicative Of the fact,
that you are interested in our sac
red and must fondly cherished ins.
lilutions. Need I say that | refer
TO our grand and glorious inslilu-
tions Of learning2 Our success in
the days gone byi our hupe in the
days 10 come. II is education that
forms the MUD, and is the source
Of all that il ennobling, and that
places US on the high road to hoa-
or and renown; and travellers npon
this road, can look through the gray
mist Of the dawn, toward the east.
ern horizon and behold the glim,
mer Of the day, whose sun with It's
refulgent rays, will reflect merit,
where merit and honor is due.
Then our respectability in
the social circle, aud our chances to
be heard in our public assemblies,
will no longer depend upon The
length Of our purse; nor will the
voice Of Justice be hushed by the
clink Of coin,
But so long as money wields a
greater influence than talent our
cherished institutions are in dan.
ger, for money unrestrained would
pervett the mind and subyert the
universe, if thereby it could secure
its own aggrandisement.
My friends, l am going to make a
broad assertion, which nevertheless
is true. | make it after due reflsc-
tion. 1t isthis: The love Of money
has wrecked more happiness than
any other evilextant. / shaiIuot
enumetate the direful results ene.
mating from this baneful passion,
but suffice to illustrate with Que
incentive. How often do we see
persons courting the favors Of the
rich, who have nothing commenda.
tory, but their wealth, aud perhaps
that other thing called a "title," /"
and let me here ray, that | would
rather see my daughter weddtd to
a miud well stored with useful
knowledge, than TO pnrse we'll
filled with glittering ore. But we
see the young lady Of "Lhe period"
Courting the smiles Of the rich aud
Turing him on with cunning aud
strategy; and perhaps, urged on by
a vain and ambitious ulolhet
whose idea Of happiness consists
10 the donning Of rich and luxuti
ant apparel and sallyiDg forth in
a fonr.in'hand, to be gazed upon by
The vulgar, to the chagrin Of her
peers, and they are wed. In whom
there is no more similarity than
there is in the Apostles creed or
an act of'Congress. Welded but
not united.
Icannol draw The picture Of mis-
cry that follows in the train of this
unhappy event, but let the paint
ers with brush dipped With the
tears that flow from glazed and gla
ring eyes, down the pallid cheeks
Of a wretched wife, perform tbe
task, and to give the picture color
let him touch itup with the blood
rung from the heart:strings of
helpless children-worse than beg
CARED orphans-and then, obi for
skill to point, sit might have
BEEN"
But | am digressing, AT the in.
stance Of the scholars aud patrons
ofour school, our teacher has beeS
induced to give an entertainment.
We have selected our programe
with the view to entertain, amuse
and instruct; how nearly We shall
succeed this night will determine.
"This world is but a stage and we
are all actors on it,n Some act we'll
.ls a,