The Iola register., 1891-05-15

the civil war put that government t.
the test and demonstrated its strength
as nothing else could have done. Mr.
Woodin's composition is direct ant
epigramatic and although having
apparently the wrong side of the cas-
he made strong argument.
Lutte Slower had an interesting story
to tell, and he told it in graphic Ian
guage and with fine elocutionary eff
feet. A person looking at diamond
in the rough could have little idea o.
the beauty that lay in itand that could
be brought out by the skillful work
man. And so a casual observer look
ing at the Indian, rude, ignorant, saw
age, would find it hard to believe thai
out of such a race might come man
keen, quick, sagacious, with the quail.
ties of soldier and statesman. Yet
such man was Joseph, war chief Of
the Nez Perces. A patriot because he
fought only to defend the homes of his
people and not for plunder. A soldier
who, i'm one of the most remarkable
campaigns ever conducted in this
country, provel himself more than a
match for more than one general who
had been educated at West Point. A
diplomat whose logic and arguments
trained lawyers could not refute. A
modest, honorable man, who had nev-
er been accused of a mean act and
whose word, once given had never been
broken. This was the kind of man
that had come out of a race still i'm the
rough. What might beexpected from
it when it had received the polish of
civilization The story was listened
to with the closest attention, the per-
feet self-posession and fine voice of the
speaker adding much to the interest
of the marathon.
No mere summary can do justice to
Miss McDowelrs essay, so much of its
excellence beng due to the graceful
composition and beautiful word paint
ing. The central idea, however, was
that we should not allow ourselves to
be daunted or discouraged by the walls
of difficulties, however high or mass
i've they might seem to be. Milton
beat down the wall of blindness and
gave us the immortal epic. Mozart
was not discouraged by the deafness
which shut him like wall from the
sound of his own music, but in spite
of it wrote out the divine harmonies
that will charm us as long as music
lives. Whatever the infirmities of our
bodies, our minds are free and we
should send our thoughts out beyond
the walls. If we but arm ourselves
with All iron will we can be the mas
ters of our fate. Miss Mcdowell has a
graceful presence and she spoke with
much ease and animation.
AT the close of Miss McDowell's ad-
dress six little girls came upon the
stage bearing great baskets of boquets
which they presented to the graduates
as tokens of the love and appreciation
of their friends.
The diplomas were to have been pre-
sented by Capt. Ewing, president of
the school board, but he was unavoid-
ably absent and the duty devolved up
on Prof. Whitehill who performed it
in very happy manner, after which
the audience was dismissed with the
benediction by Rev. Freed.
The vocal music on the program was
very kindly received by the audience,
as was also the cornet solo by Mr..
Hardy Hamm, with Miss Beulah Rel
inert accompanist, and the piano solo
by Miss Grace Beck. The music by
the ladies band was even better than
usual we thought.
Taken altogether the ninth COM
was a most gratifying oc-
casion, as have been all those that have
preceded it. The young ladies and
gentlemen who compose the class of
81 have every reason to be proud of
the manner in which they acquitted
Their essays showed
and serious preparation,
and nothing occurred at any time to
occasion the slightest embarrassment,
either to speaker or audience.
lola congratulates teachers and pu-
pills and felicitates herself upon having
built up school in which such good
work is done.