The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1889-06-08
A PARTICULAR STAR.
MISS MILDRED ovERToN MATHEs's
GLASS vALEDICToRY.
A Young Lady Who Gives Promise of
High Literary Attainment = Words
of Farewell Fifty and Gracefully
Spoken.

#" VI Nopts u ilNlNNl hAiito, CullOi VI bhS
Ledger, was the valedictorian of the class
graduated at the Clara Conway Institute
Thursday. The young lady is one OF the
z four who contemplate taking a course at
.t Vassar. She has won special distinction
rs a student and rs n contributor to the
"a Ledger. She has aspirations to make q
name tor herself in literature and her nat
ural intellectual endowment, her studious
disposition and her positive determination
justify her friends in their confidence as to
her ultimate success. At the Conway In
\ stitute she attained special distinction as a
Il winner OF honors, taking almost every
n thing. The following was her valedictory:
''ouT finest hope is finest memory
1--WE stand today upon the ridge which separates
the valley OF the old from the valley of the new'
childhood from youth and underlined longugs
from the glad aspirations OF womanhood,
We stand upon the ridge aud, looking back, dis
Germ the broad expanse OF rolling land over which,
scarce conscious OF the movement, we trod 10 this
Strange aud inexpllcable seem our childish
thoughts and fancics In the warm ligh Of today
Emerson speaks OF time when we cease TO
know ourselves that Is, the old selves we have
ever been. We see our dead hopes and fears MS
through mist and we evolve does the ehrysalis
into larger and brighter being
II Is the awakening 10 consciousness.
Every chrysalis does not become the bright and
glowing creature that flies toward the sun, yet
surely on this day II ever, we lift our wings TO
nObcr ambitions higher ideals.
They may he vague aud uncertain, as are our
r. 1reamings In the springtime; they may anguish
Tor a season, as do our purposes in sumner YET the
autumnal blasts OF after days will bring them back
Every hope Is the beginning Of its own fulan.
ment. Hope gives to the feet OF the youth an elias
tic spring; he bounds along the oulsiretching
plains TO an Invisible III Dorado, the goal OF youth
and unspent ambition.
It comes refreshing to the parchcd lips of fcrvld
man, as cool brcaths from the Sierra, or iced
from the Lebanon Old age Is but second youth
sans vigor and faculty lie sits amid the ashes Of
his household gods, one hand laid fast. on
hopc,-thc hope Of life beyond.
Alas how wondrous fair yet sadly ncellng Like
tender buds born In day OF sunlight whose deli
cate framework the nrst wind losses To the earth,
yet leaving the tree the gladdcr for their coming
Like the purple vintage fOstcrcd by the sun which
By mans cruel touch Is soon shOrn Oi It's beauty.
Yet the blossom will live again In the sprnglme
and the purple live again ON the hill So hopes
once fed may come ggain' though Ike the gold
and honey bees must needs lure them back again.
Then, cling TO hope, for without 4 our lives are
over. 10 hope that Is earnest and true.
But we may ask whence comes this hope.
upon which the happiness OF mankind 10 surely
rvstsf'
answer. hope Is Gods best gift; It Is the morn.
ing star OF existence, aud she who said with
sweet introspcctlon, "Our finest hope Is finest
memory" sounded the proioundesi depths OF
human life.
i History and romance abound In examples OF
futures coniomably TO some memory, some fond
Tccollcctions
ing notes from his fathers organ. Mozart, tic
youth, attracted the brilliant courtcfs n lac drew
forth mrcr notes than had ever rysouudcd from be
meath the kAppelmostcrs touch.
George Eli0t deals faithfully and uncrringly with
. the power Of hope aud memory In the upbuildina
OF n character Adam bcdc's rugged siWnrth II
the result OF forces too lntHughc tur definition. yc
the student If human character srcs la him nn In
tense realization Of TIC nolding forces Of hope and
That Romoli's ideal nature soarcd after a din
Satisfaction IN the rgiun Of the divine was du'
perhaps TO an Inspiration OF hope. OF which she
+. hcr.elf was only dimly conscious.
M The molding power Of horc and memory "a
thing We feel aud believe In Naturc implicitly "a
the bound e. nS crtious In the holy book, God j
. Love- aud yet, ecs 10 nualygc IT, aud We seem u
have reached blank wall OF acccpiancc-nothing
monc. Vet Truth n thcrC and. tay, tcicncc. !,
knocking nj our door demanding rvcogniiion and
expression.
pom who d turning the channels ut our lives int
Broader aud mon majestic sweeps Ia whom Oul
- souls hasten with oui,tfctchci arms A. rush "a,
soon fade, will nevertheless influence our future.
TO many 4 ~, difc say comes the dear rccol
irct trust and Christian iath in,pifc the dc.rr 1,
attain 20 q beautiful old age. Tor the morning 81
life g a. God made a. but Of the evening We our
selves arr the artists, aud Il g dull or glowing. a
| We have painted u 90 or well.
Beautiful are The hopg,oi youth founded on pur
ct, warmc,i memory. for while material consider
ntions all 800 little Ia determining an Ideal. "a,
soul q the young responds only to the good an,
THAT prophetic Joy with which youth iorcscc
nnd welcomes chansc Of light aud shade aud hap
pines in ever chnugc what one among IA whl
knows what after ne htc1mcs would rudciy dHsi
IS cxultntiouf u u the spiing vitality which send
the zap streaming upnaris 70 hll 70 o,crliowing 30
Make the most Of H. lay ~ your store 81 Joy
prophecy famous future In a golden dfcam o
hupe. fof the power does not come twice hut ola
kccpit pure iei thought aud feeling. o. thcy rang
onward IN triumph. y hnloUcl ~ the though
that you are thcclild 81 God, aud called o. be ~
servant fnIm change Ia change.
''Frnm chanro 10 changc' She who gave % yoi
this morning the Glad word Of welcome. spoke o
change l. whtte saddCf lot II &, dear tenchrra an
classmates. 10 bid you farewell eau bat rcaliz
what a'i era today marks IN our lives
u u with ceiling OF CXultaii0u that We Loo
upon our worn and battered books saying ''w
h.,o solved YOU cnlsmas now, aud fear no iongc
your air OF ionnid9,is,l.e. wisdom. afcNeiL dnl
opening hour If liberty aud sou onward IN ella
Antcipatiousl or shall We In coming ycan u
member with mingled pleasure aud sorrow Oh
old school days and Ike Tom brown rriurncd {
Rugby. revisit the scCnc ui our early failures nLl
~ Que Of the old iom,-ihc Ncy one We occupic
In our lat school year. aud there live again
fancy the past, with all IL childish Ericis an
shall our eycs grow din with tom aud our hear
grow wetiul ne memory recalls cncn iuoe,eath fuft
loved Of yuryl We shall scc tham al then. n
ihosc Who.c motto seemed the adjudication {
Shaii We noi think Of those who ravc ~ the tcl
stone Of sucrcss the foundation Of know ledge ~
the principles Of sclfFuygmmcut without Whic
the hfuadest undcfmudluK aud gfyaicst genius
but drufs7 Tor the principle aud CnuCnXuf 1T ot
school il tWuiuld flrt uu'ug each one - she hiEl
ct realization II The talent which Col gave b,
and next a. funfctiuincss Of tcu In duty.
some of ne who have spent 20 many ycaf bet
thatwc almost cndcaf our school by the Ton
unmo ~ home remember the cuCuurarlu
words 81 one Who had hcrscii known the ylciss
tudCs Of occurring un education, aud Whuso gene
ous sympsthy viii be life long Inspiration oi hoI
Ne have hem lived life secluded from the bu,
world We have here known only the Food N
pun aul tie true iUf wisdutu's ways are Ways
iienstntuUss and ~ her paths ard peace.
Many 1T ~ leave thrac paths to-day, We Cnii
ench ulaa her own life Cuursc. somc tfayCfac N
hrttd aud funilt fuad ui pleasure others wandi
~ paths tuu hy thurus. We would not ID "
could in the imlenctfiblc veil that hanrs tefo
our future iof u would rob The present of 0
pleasure and luspire us With druid 90 eager Ion
lug o. our each particular case might h.
We wander, then. into devious paths aud whc
ono Of ut shall know her luu Fofthe mighty sha
b. humhlcd aud the humble exalted. Yet thcfc
one n whom We may trust without falling for ~
lie not snid. "iu. am with you always. even uu
the rud ui the Nufd, aud u will guide thee vi
Mini eyer" NtnnEn uyrrJS MArurs
know not n ar dark or light
Shall bc my lot
itu.tNH'f'. ~ cart delight
Dc beat or not
Ny barquo Il waited from the timndI
~ breath divine.
And on the helm iioro rcst hand
Other Than mine.