Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1897-07-08
ADDRESS
Hon. BARNES COMPTON
CHARLOTTE HALL THURSDAY. June "a.


LADIES AND GENTLEMEN The
duty assigned me in the ceremonies
Of the day is one not altogether Of
unmixed pleasure. The scenes OF
former days which come crowdinR
upon my memory ore overcast with
shade of sadness which IL would
be impossible for me altogether to
dispel. The memory of those now
beyond the river with whom as
sociated in my boyhood days in and
about these classic halls brings to
my mind 80 forcibly the inevitable
decree which awaits us all that am
prompted to pause, while in silence
/ drop q tear upon their graves. !
am ready to exclaim with the poet i:
II feel like one who treads alone
Some banquet hall deserted.
Whose lights are fed, whose garlands dead.
And all but he departed
The only way in which to dispel
these sad recellections is to call to
mind, as l do with pleasure, the
many, very many, happy and joy
ful days which | experienced while
student at this old school, New
er can / forget my youthful associ-
ates and my beloved tutors. With
the former enjoyed degree of
pleasurable aud intimate associa-
ton, which renders the memory of
them and the scenes in which we
participated never failing source
of qualification and JOY. with the
latter / love to dwell upon the re-
collections associated with them and
their tutelsge. Never can l, or any
one who was associated with me here
as student, forget the kindly, but
at times the abrupt, demeanor of him
who presided over the destinies OF
the school. The Rev. Mr. Clax-
ton. while serious aud at times sc.
we're, had running through his ma.
ture a vein of Irish hnmor. which
always conspired to make him one
Of the most interesting characters
with whom was associated IN youth
can see today, as plainly as il
he were before me at the blackboard
the professor of mathematics, Mr.
Merriam, who, with his hands be
hind him, clasping the book will
his fingers between the leaves a
which the problem was to be found
pacing the floor and listening t
the attempt, sometimes successful
and when otherwise most disagree
able to him, by some student t.
demonstrate the 'pons asinorum' o
some other equally difficult prob
lem.
But the professor whose memo
rv is most treasured by me, VIII
was indeed my beau ideal of &c
nial gentleman and accomplishe
scholar, was James Miltimore. New
er while live can | fail to remem
Der with the liveliest sense th
splendid rendition by him of th
Latin classics. | can hear his soft
mellow tone now, as interpreting tn
construction of Virgil's master
piece, he would anticipate the stu
dent and render those beautifr
lines so laden with melody an
rhythm. Now, changing in mar
ner and tone, as to represent th
sentiment he was about to uttel
like a war horse scenting battl
from afar, he would rise from hi
chair and with fire in his eye recii
"Arma virumque cano." But bel
of all was his rendition of Cicero
orations. No one who ever hear
him will forget his description {
the Roman Senate, of the Roma
Senators and the scenes during Il
delivery of Cicero's oration again
Catiline. A stiffness as compile
as that which settled upon the r.
man Senate chamber settled upo
the school room when, after b
graphic description of the scene, !
would rise from his seat and begil
"Quousque tandem abutere Cal
lima patientia nostra."
/ When such scenes come crow
ing upon me | feel like exclaimil
with another poet:
.Lons. long be my heart with such memor
filed,
,. Like the vase in which roses have once b
distilled.
You may break. you may shatter the vas.
vou win,
But the scent OF the roses win cling &
stili.''
But while | could dwell more