The Daily Texarkanian., 1894-06-06
DISTANT HILLS so GREEN
BY GABRIELLE AvoNDINo.

entS ana klnd frlendS, TO greet you
on this occasion. In the name of
my schoolmates, more especially in
behalf of the class of '94, do | ex-
tend cordial welcome to all who
are assembled here to witness the
exercises that close our school life.
Long have we anticipated this
Joyous event, to it have all our en-
ergies been directed. Tonight our
highest hopes are realized, the
grand goal for which we have so
bravely and perseveringly striven
has been attained Our hearts beat
faster at the glad thought that we
have finished our academic course
and are now about to take our
places in the vast circle of life; but
before we cross the brook that di-
vides the past from the future let
us cast a retrospective glance DER
the days that are dead.
Drawing memory's rosy-hued cur
tain aside and gazing far into the
past, it seems to me that a school
girls greatest trial is essay writing.
The graduates essay is time-hon-
ored feature of closing exercises,
and though it may be handed back
repeatedly to the unfortunate es-
sayist, to be revised, transposed
and corrected, yet it must be on
hand Commencement day, to be
read in the presence of the assem-
bled audience.
How necessary is patience. Years
ago when | was the baby pupil at
ST. Agnes, how eager was I for
knowledge, how anxious to excel,
how fondly hoped some day to
graduate, and, OF course, have an
essay to read; but as years glided
past on the silvery wings of time |
soon realized that graduation pre-
supposes endless hours of study and
research, and that essay writing is
something more than mere past
time, especially when ones school
days are interrupted and her chan
mel of brilliancy takes a widely diff
ferent course; but Hope diffused her
beauteous light DER all my plans,
and the Fates unseen seemed to
weave my destiny, for,
Though at times my spirit fail me,
And the bitter tear-drops fall
Though my lot is sad and lonely,
Yet hope-I hope through all"
Another fascining picture paint
ed by fancy's magic brush was the
life of social enjoyment awaiting
me. In it we're no dark shadows,
no lowering clouds, no roaring cata-
racts; from it's peaceful azure sky
silvery sunbeams scattered life and
health and happiness, DER the
smiling valleys and verdant hillsides;
but again is our fairy fancy doom
ed to disappointment, for now that
schooldays are over, and the huctu-
ating light of expectation leads us
on, we begin to realize that nothing
can equal the tender innocent
hours of childhood. What were
those days? We cannot tell for
they glided past SO silently and
swiftly, that only their enchanting
memory fans us now as the zephyrs
that kiss the FLASHING foam Of the
mighty deep.
Oh, how tender and sweet do
those blissful days seem to us now!
True our sky was not cloudless, and
often have we wished for the time
when we could say goodbye to
school forever; but now as we near
the Rubicon that divides the brill
liant present from the shrouded fu-
ture, we cast loving glances back
ward ore the sunny scenes of child
hood, and it is with hearts full Of
love and regret, that we bid adieu
to our loved Convent home and its
cherished inmates.
The future, filed with glorious
promise stretches out invitingly be-
fore US. The path that leads to
Wisdom's mount has been pointed
out to us, but it is only by our own
individual efforts that the lofty sum-
init can be attained. The future
with its lights and shadows, is now
Ill our OWN udltNl0'
''The world before us stretches widely,
A ready field for each life's work;
In which lie all around us
Duties that we cannot shirk.
Could we dip into tho future
See what now awaits US there,
We might save ourselves the worry
Might avoid the pain and care
Our longing gaze cannot reach the
distant hills of the future to see
what there awaits us. Affections
may be in store for us, but why mar
the present, by peering through the
mystic veil that screens the future
Rather let us with brave hearts and
steady hands,
"Do each one our special duty,
Taavo naupht IN The hand Of fate