The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-05-30
The News of Carbonda1e.

the recreant Judges would expiate theif
folly In the maestrom of u popular re-
sentiment. No they won't dare to find
| against u.s." But, ladies and gentlemen
| they did find against us And the then
students of this school, tenderly took us
| down to the depot gently put us OH
bonrd the train and tearf,illy sent us bacl,
from whence we came.
As | said In the beginning that was Il
long time ago. but trivial MS the incl
dent Is IL taught me In measure to look
ut both sides of things. 1t taught me the
lesson of federation, that lost chord IN
the lives of so many otherwise perfect
men. What have said puts me in mind
OF II time not long since when I was as
signed I'm criminal court to defend 81 man
who was charged with having been un-
duly familiar with his neighbor's chick
en- coop. | defended the prisoner so very
well that when the jury went out
! turned to the defendant and told him 10
make some arrangements to pay me for
my services. He said h, had no money
but that he would very easily get work
when he obtained his freedom and 7 ac-
cordingly commenced TO draw up an Or
der on his prospective pay. But while
was writing the jury came In with rer-
dict of guilty and the judge after re-
marking that my client had been very
properly convicted sent him to jail for
something too much of this
AS we stand here upon the threshold Of
the rare and radiant month of June, a
month dedicated to the bride and tho
sweet girl graduate, the month when the
school bell hears its mandate to be silent,
n silence for some of you that means but
n brief and welcome forgetfulness of
school tasks but for others IL silence that
is neither "auf weidersehn' moi, "au re
ntv.' htt ssrnn hoo -I,.n''
ever" AS we stand upon that
threshold then, surely it is neither
amiss nor premature to extend our
sincere congratulations to those who
are about TO take their diplomas
and go out into the world. 1t is
far from my intention to talk to you pros
pective graduates upon what must be to
you now the very thrcadbarc subject Of
duty Since your lspiug childhood an
endless line of teachers have been point-
ing the word DUTY at you much as
Robin Hood pointed his arrow and | for
one am thoroughly satisfied that the dart
long since struck home. AS | said l feel
strongly the appropriateness of congrat,,-
lations-only. In
| feel that the mature men and women
assembled here need no assurance from
me of the fitting manner in which you
prospective graduates must necessarily
have sustained yourselves. But il there
are any here present who need such as
surancc. to them | would say that. the
student whether his shining morning race
bears the impress of the ruddy kiss of
Strawberries from the hill or is sckliad
DER by the pale cast of thought wheth-
er he wears cap and gown or carries II
broken slate. he has triumphs and trials
that are as poignant and numerous as
they are peculiarly his own. Many !of
them may be ina ginary but they are
none the less intense.
None of your students arc Very cd
Yet measured by the length or brcvitv of
your lives. which ever You choose. 1t is q
long time. II very long time, since with
hearts going pity pat YOU first darllened
the primary scloo! house door. How
many student lads and lnssies have YOU
stood shoulder to shoulder with since us
the years went by and you advanced step
bE step ana where are they now? Some
lay down by the roadside. some wcat to
chase rainboWS and Wili-o'- the-wisps,
some grew weary and struggled to the
rear and still others went u sailing with
the grim feriyman whom all must know.
For after all the discip.ining of the mind
is half the game of life ana it is not sur
nrisns that many push the Gamc away
from them and say it is not worth the
candle. But you a chosen few among the
hundreds have passed through the food
and field of your labors. You are here.
and that is what | meant when | spoke
OF congratulations
YOU ladies and gentlemen of the class
of l.02 have. l do not doubt. begun to live
though brief period of sweet conceits
1T is the preroSative of Il graduate to
believe that the world gyrates around
nm. 1t is dream that will pass away,
but none the less his prerogltive For
the next few wce's you will lie walking