The Monitor. [volume] (Woodstown, N.J.) 1884-1892, 1889-06-21
wonderful creature, the millinerl who, at

wonderful creature, the millinery who, at
tired
s.In a miracle of tulle and lace,
With marabouts upon it,"
and in a rhythmi-
cal way, slowly waving gossamar fans,
impressed us as those who toll not, neither
spin, (unless it be an occasional schoo
girl yarn), and yet that their mothers, or
grandmothers, in all their glory of house
cleaning and s%crubbing on wash day, were
not arrayed like one of them. Not SO
much to hear "a member of the class, III
a p~erfunctory way, pass to the prihci-
pal of the school a handsome basket oil
flowers or some other like gift, ''as a slight
testimonial of regard" to be received in a
like perfunctory manner with the usuai
feeling response and the usual adden-
dunn al shall never cease to cherish this as
among the brightest and happiest events
of nv life" ETC.; not so much for any or
all of these things as for the rare privilege
of sitting lazily in our seat, with nothing
on hand but to think out the heftiest sort
of thought. As we sat there we thought
and thought great solid chunks of thought
and little willowly-whisp rainbow-tinted
thoughts, that chased each other
Like sunshine on the sea-
We thought of the school ediice of the
present, their interior and exterior appoint
ments, the curriculum and all that per-
tains to it, and the plain old frame school
house, with its whitfield desks and high
back seats and old fashioned, Il poor
fashioned, too, pedagogue that we were
familiar with when a boy. Then a shadow
ghostly phantom came the remembrance
| of the ever present birch and %ferrule, and
of the p~enchant, almost passion, the school
room dictator possessed for making a fire.
it to his pupils. Ha, ha, ha, but there
was fun, too, in those days at school, but
| we're not going to mention it now-we
| shall need a week off some of these days
| for that-but where are we wandering?
Well, in occupying our seat on commence
ment day, in presence of the professor and
faculty and graduates on the stage. we
| could but think of the absent faces that
year after year disappear, not only from
off the stage of action but from off this
school stage, and the feeling caused a
pause of sadness. Where is A B n G?
we mentally queried, each of whom were
here last year, and nc answer was needed
as we had seen them, one by one, carried
to the quiet church yard to enter on that
greater commencement that has no ending.
Then we thought of the large expectations
that at the moment were filling the breasts
of som of the waiting graduates.
But make way for the ''lady' chow soon
pretty school girls are spoiled with the APP
pellation of LADY, that now daintily trips
to the front, almost too ethereal for earth,
to deliver her little essay. With a low
courtesy she bows to the DR.. Prof. and
then to the audience, and the reading from
the delicate billet DOM is began. The es-
say is read in a clear, distinct, we'll modu-
lated tone, but it is a woman's tone. The
| llllit GeStuIc tueTt Is aUOub IL Il d oihah
ly pose and the heavy parts of the speech
are given in a feminine way that, while it
may impress the hearers can never move
them. No, we mentally evolve, women
were never intended as orators, whatever
other niche they may fill in life.
While the fair miss is holding the little
world of the commencement hall audience
to her theme, we glance about and see that
but few present are of the worlds democ-
racy-the laborer-we mean by this the
hard outdoors laborer. This, re con
clude, because out of sympathy with the
work, rather than the want of invitation
or the inclination to be present, and do not
regard it as a good omen for the future.
After awhile the last essay is delivered,
the last piece of music rendered, the last
plaudit given and the last hand shake
concludes the little play, and professors,
graduates, visitors and all miDgle in one
common jam for the door, and we all are
once more on an equal level and commence
ment day is at an end.