Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-06-21
CLOSING ADDRESS.
Edwin Laforest Harvey, Bethel.

SGOSbN0 N10O6Sos
Edwin Laforest Harvey. Bethel.
Many centuries ago, in the peaceful val
ley of Ndishapur, III far-Off Persia under
the tutela.,e of ADD us sam;id the famous
doctor OF laws. dwelt three boyhoOd
fricnds-ilasan Ben Sabbah, ihkin omar
compact existed among these three, that,
in after life. whatsoever should receive
the favor of fortune. should share IT
eInincncc to himself 1t so happened that
as the years rolled on. Nizam became one
whom the tickle Goddess" selected for
her f;,vorte. In course Of time he became
NiZer to the Sultan, and was soon Called
upon to fulfill his compact with his two
friends. Hasan elected to hold office at
plottrr, and suffered ignomy and disgrace.
Omar selected us his boon. the privilege
of living in peace and quiet in corner
of the realms: ana spreading abroad an''
So, at Nashapur, thus lived Omar khay-
yam, the astronomer-po poet, well known IN
his time for his wisdom. virtue and truth.
He WAS often called upon to perform
deeds of trust and service to the state,
and each added to the honor and respect
in which he was ever held by his fellow
What he had contributed to science has
pcrishcd but i'll his philosophy. we. today,
can md many helpful lessons: The
Rubaiyat supposed by many. to be the
pulingS of Il pagan and Il cynic. is a YER
liable epic of Life-a sympathetic enron
icle of the secret ycarnings and DOUBTS
the Class of 1905. are bidding our adieus
to these old familiar scenes of many joys;
and this grand old garden of our boyhood
hopes, we IND IN omar words Il 'oicc
for all our thoughts.
-Four happy years ago we knocked at
the Tavern door and shouted:
open then the door.
You know how little while we have to
And, once departing, may return no
more
Thouchtless, drunk with expectation.
we rushed within. and threw ourselves
into the arms OF the siren of cOllcSe-n1e-
Forgotten was the cold. hard. practlciDle
world without; forgotten were the outles
and strifeS of prosy commonplace exist
once. Our present Mistress was far'uisc
enow.
"A Book of Verses underneath the Bough;
A jug of wine, Il LOAF oil breao-aiio
Beside me. singing in the Wilderness- ;,
Oh, Wilderness were Paradise Enow!
Oh. that the singing had never ceased.
Oh. classmates. that it We're never for us
to drain the Jug. and eat the itst re"
crumbs of the loaf! But now, with trem1
Verses, and creep from beneath the shady
hough. ont from our Paradise into the
dusty lanes and stony hlisldcs OF nlc;
The Phantom of False Morning Dies
and we stand all haltnS and unpr"pared.
knowing not which way to direct our
steps. We stand, today,e The Eaintin n
Desert We turn backward our faces. and
too many of us, l fear think OF what
might have been, of paths that might
have been trOd to better advantage, ar
of others that ought to have beSuiled our
maynard steps
~
Doctor and Saint and heard great arSu-
About it and about. but evermore
Came out of the same door wherein
went
Put such thoughts as these can avail
us nothing. The Past is of the Past.
| The moving Finger writes; and having
writ.
Moves on; nor all your Pirty n" Wit
Shall lure it back to cancel hall a line,
Nor all YOUR Tears wash out word
of it"
IT is rather Of the future we must think.
In This thinking We find little joy enough.
There lies before us th"-"Road which,
We discover We must travel. too. As
tiny. the false reality of Today, and the
true uncertainty of Tomorrow. Like IN"
tent maker of old, We turn afar our
Smurting eyes and cry:
Would hut some Winged Angel ere too
late
Arrest the vet tnfoldcd roll of Fate.
And make the stern Recorder otncrWlSG
tnrigcSter or quite oblitcrate!
Eut let MS not like him. after vainly
|cudcavoring to unShacklc our steps from
DESTINY, and to catch some authentic
glimpers Of tomorrow. fall back, WITH the
consolation, that
OF magic shadow shapes that come and
Round with the Sun-illusioncd Lantern,
IT, Midnight Nv the Master Of the Show
But helpless Pieces Of the Game lie
Upon this, Checkerboard of nights and
tIithcr ana ththcr moves. and chocks
and Stays,
And one by one in the closet lays"
This is the philosophy of inaction and
1nspair. Enter with the poet the pot
trr's shop where the poor creatures Of
clay, ranged round the walls. arc lifting
m their voices in lament. and halkcn
with him to the smallest. uGlicst CT them
all
"Surcly not in vain
MY substance of the common earth was
And TO this figure moulded to be broke
or tramplcd back to shapelcss earth
again.
Let MS take from this poor hit of clay
mr. lesson Let us put aside our doubts
and fears. and with loins girded for the
frav. break joyous through the Desert.
for only a little beyond Ii" SUNNY Banks
and Shaded streams, where all indeed is
Paradise cnoW.
rms Classmates does the poor. pagan
noet paint for us our Rubaiyat. Thus
Iocs he teach us rot to mod like the
nv in our hearts his words. and when, rs
rho wears to come, We are Drawing til"
Turning Desert, and seeking the shadiest
I,o,,gy, the sweetest wine or the largest
Ionf NAV our manner be such that none
~ ne shall ever hear the warning from
tho Tower of Darkness cry:
"E,oI vour reward is neither Here nor
There"