The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1888-06-21
Wilmington Star.1

" IllllIISlOH t-tdl
1t was very pleasant after an absence
of thirty-nine years to visit ones Il ALmz
Mater-to walk about the grand old
grove made sacred to scholarship, and
to look upon the old buildings in which
SO many of North Cardinals greatest
men-in which SO many of the great
men of the South have been trained
and disciplined for the great and solemn
duties and responsibilities Of life.
When our eyes last looked upon the
University and its surroundings we had
not attained our majority. Then life
was before US with all its alluring
promises and hopes and joys. Then
it was the rising sun that gllded the
heavens of our aspirations and antlci-
pations. Then, it was the " fresh green
days Of life's fond spring" when the
music of the heart was loud sounding
and joyous; then it was " boyhood S
blossom hour.
But after nearly four decades during
which the most terrible war OF modern
times had passed with its desolating
powers over our fair land, we returned
to find many changes. 1t was now
not the rising but the setting sun. It
was not the buoyancy and thrill of
lusty, vigorous manhood, but the weak
ness and decay of advancing age, OF
valtudinarism. The glamor of youth ;
the fond expectancy of full flushed
verility were gone. A serene and be-
nignant old age was now the study,
and constant looking forward to
that time when the grave would re-
ceive the body and the immortal spirit,
set free from thraldom and its " muddy
vesture," would be at peace in the
sweet realms of the redeemed, and
bask forever in the brightness of that
world that requires no sun to illunl-
nate it, and where the glorifed OF
God are forever happy, forever at rest.
There was a tender grace resting
upon the hallowed scenes we once
more gazed upon; there was a pathos
in the very air we breathed, and we
thanked God that we moved once more
in the sacred groves and trod again
the old walks known to Us in the long
ago.
We Will be pardoned this strain fol
old age grows garraulous and time
mellows and softens the heart. How
often it comes to us as Robert Southey
said:
81 can remember, with unsteady feet
| Tottering from room TO room and hndlns
| pleasure
In flowers, and toys, and sWeetmeats
things which long
| Have lost their power to please; which
when | see them,
Raise only now a melancholy wish,
| were the little Trifier once again
| Who could be pleased SO lightly"
Retrospection is inevitable to tn
old. Youth comes not back again
but Memory repeoples the past and b.
its magician's wand brings the tadin!
scenes and transitory memorials. Bu
retrospection may not always be pleas
ing. You must recall the evil done a
we'll as the good, the distressful a
we'll as the pleasing. the ugly and re
pellant as we'll as the beautiful and tn
good.
Horace thought man who so pos
sessed dominion over himself and is S
happy as to be able to say each da
l." Iha0e H0cd" was the true phll0so
pher; for he says, " the Heavenl
Father may not either involve til
world in dark clouds, or cheer it wit
clear sunshine" When rctroSpeCtiol
comes, as come It will let no ma
think it is in his power to recall onl
the pleasurable and happy scenes {
. events. He may not bid the enchant
er call up only such parts Of life ;
have been passed with satisfaction an
enjoyment AL will come up, an
while happy childhood and ebullier
youth and manhood's vigorous prime
With all their attending ministers (
pleasure and delight, may pass b
fore you, it is inevitable that the so
rows and disappointments and hear
aches and misfoFtanes shall rise up ais
l as so many ghosts to annoy and d.
press. When we reject upon the pas
! that never returns, with satisfaction
| then indeed is the office Of memol
delightful.
, *
| The class that WAS graduated nna
t bered 10. OF these IA were Meth
dists. We learn that in the class
1887, Methodists preponderated ais
There is no sectarian prejudice in thi
bat hearty recognition OF the exec
5 lence OF the University, the chiefe
: ornament Of the State. The gradua
: ing class was the best we ever 50
graduate in the three colleges we ha
Eattended on Commencement day, wi
D the sole exception of the Universi