The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-06-24
CLASSICAL HIGH SCHOOL,.
Interesting Ceremonies at the Closing Es'
ercises in the Afternoon.


In the afternoon, at O'Clock, ths
graduation exercises of the class of 49,
classical high school, began. Ths
streamers of purple and white re-
manned festooned over the balcony rail-
ings, but the shields at either side had
inscribed: &C, H S, 49," and the larga
shield at the rear of the stage was Of
white with purple letters "Vincit qui
patitur CHe conquers who endures), the
| class motto.
The graduating class was arranged
on the platform, after the form used by
those who were graduated from the
English high in the morning. Upon
the platform were Principal e. R.
| Goodwin, classical high school, Super
intendent of Schools Clarence F. Car
roll, Chairman of School Committee
George F. Brooks and Gen. lockwood
HOar.
The last notes of the opening chorus
had barely faded away when the exer-
cises were formally opened, Jessie Sar-
gent Goodwin delivering the salutatory
with an essay Sydney Carton, an I'M
heroic hero" She said in part:
At school Sydney Carton got the
other boys lessons and neglected his
own. What belonged to him seemed
unimportant, and it seemed hardly
worth While to work for himself. He
never improved his own opportunities,
but he never failed to improve an OPP
portunity to help some one else. When
he and his friend, Stryer, were study
ing in Paris, Stryer was always some
where, and he was nowhere. Stryer
and Carton were lawyers, the former
having attained prominent position
in legal circles, and the latter had never
thought of succeeding.
Carton realized his failings, his vast
ed opportunities, his inequalities and
resigned himself to them. There was
no sadder sight in London or elsewhere
than Carton, this man of good abilities,
good emotions, but incapable of their
use. From time to time Carton visited
Lucie Manette, and the interest he at
first felt in her grew into a strong love
which became the ruling passion in his
life.
He made her interests his interests,
and his whole aim in life was to make
her happy. This aim and this feeling
were the making of Carton. Under
their influence he did the greatest and
nOblest deeds of his life.
At this time the revolution was rag
ing in France. The people had risen,
seized the prisons, rehlled them with
mobiles. established the guillotine and
were carrying things with high hand.
Charles Darnay, whom Lucie Manette
had married, was descendant of one
of the prOudest and most oppressive
families in all France. Darnay, dis
gusted with his position, and hating
the tyranny of the nobility, had left his
estate in France and was earning a liv-
ing in England.
When the French people were wreak-
ing their vengeance on the mobiles and
all connected, Darnay received a letter
from an old servant begging him to
return to France and save him. OAR
nay went, but upon reaching Paris
was seized and clapped into prison
Alarmed by his long absence, his wife
and her father, set out to find him.
When they reached Paris they Learn
that Darnay had been imprisoned as
an aristocrat
When DIR. Manette and his daughter
had come to Paris, Sydney Carton had
followed. Unknown to them, he was
there ready to help them. Carton met
one of the turnkeys at the prison where
Darnay was confined, and because Of
former knowledge of the turkeys life
the jail official allowed Carton to visit
Darnay, After he had visited the jais
Carton walked over familiar ground,
and was deep in thought.
The words which as a boy he had
leard read over his fathers grave, kept
inging in his ears: Il am the resurree-
ion and the life, saith the Lord; he
that believeth in me, though he weTs
dead, yet shall he live: and whosoever
liveth and believeth in me, shall never
die"
A few days later Carton visited the
Jail and saw Darnay They exchanged
clothes, Darnay unwillingly but forceu
to, s Carton had drugged him and or
dered the turnkey to have him con-
Veyed away in a carriage at the door.
When the prisoners were doomed
Ole, Carton answered to DaTnay's nams
and on the way to the guillotine' ne
comforted some of the poor creatures
VINO were to be slain. Carton dlea
Tor Lucie's sake. They said his tace
was the most cheerful they had ever
seen at the guillotine. Was Carton
!'fe a failure? No: a life which enoeg
IN so great a sacrifice cannot be ealleu
a failure. Though he got no applause
from the world. though his sacrifice was
unknown, his life was no less a sue
cess.
Ii is from the finished product thas
we judge whether a thing is good OF
evil Although Carton made many
mistakes in life let pass away man!
opportunities, his last sacrifice blots gu.
oil these and we see in Sydney Carton
a hero.