The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1908-06-20

pressed on his sons character thos
noble and sublime ideals which. in late
life, so marked his personality and aid
ed him in becoming the second great
est OF all English poets. Later, Milton
attended Christ College, and graduated
from there with high honors. For 81,
years after leaving college he remained
at Horton, his fathers country home
where he spent his time studying, ant
writing his earlier poems. In 1888, h,
started on tour to Italy, that home o.
art, culture and song. While there ht
received news of the political strife II
England, and shortly after returned
home and zealously espoused the Puri
tan cause. 1t was while defending the
Commonwealth that he lost his eve.
sight, so that in the prime of life, he
was totally blind. Milton held promin-
ent government positions, but upon the
Restoration he lost his offices, and even
his life was in danger until the inter
cession of friends secured his safety.
When peace was fully restored, he be-
| gan the fulfillment of his life's ideal
the composition of the great epic,
Paradise Lost" After finishing this
poem, he wrote several others, but they
are all inferior to Paradise Lost, :"
which opens with the following lines:
"Of Mans first disobedience, and the
OF that forbidden tree, whose mortal
Brought death into the world, and all
our woe
With loss of Eden, till one greater Man
Restore us and regain the blissful seat,
Sing, Heavenly Muse. y
The poem relates how the sinfulness
and misery of man begins with the en-
trance of Satan into the garden of Ed
en-, where we can imagine our first par
ents dwelling in a state of continual
bliss, until the willy serpent enters
Paradise, and induces Eve to eat the
forbidden fruit, for he knows that such
an act will cause Adam and Eve the
loss of Paradise, and brings suffering
and death to future generations. Why
does Satan, by such wicked deed,
wish to ruin not only these two souls,
but all mankind? Pride is the cause of
his action, for Satan had once been
powerful and glorious in Heaven, until,
becoming vain in his influence, he had
warred against God for supremacy in
Heaven. For daring to defy His pow
er, the Almighty casts Satan and all
his followers into horrible dungeon of
fire, henceforth to be known as He'll"
At this point as in that of the proceed
ing essay, Miss Ryan clearly depicted
the story as portrayed in the celebrated
writing and by her clearness of tone,
excellent stage department, combined
with the interest embodied in the story,
she held her hearers spellbound until
the end. At the conclusion Miss Ryan
was the recipient of large and beautiful
floral tokens.
The double number piano solo rem
dered by Miss Bertha Crebassa was en-
joyed in every respect, the first being
quiet and harmonious selection, while
the second part displayed splendid tech
nique.
The essay entitled Washington
Contribution to Nationality" was pre-
sented by Roy Stratton. Mr.. Stratton
had as his subject one of special inter-
est and the manner in which he handled
it would have done credit to many
speakers of his senior. Following is a
gist of the essay:
"A subject which cannot be without
interest to us as citizens of this pros
porous and progressive country, is a
study of some Of the potent influences
that contributed to our nationality. A
look into history at the conditions exist
ing in this nation after its separation
from Engl and, will show thirteen indie
pendent states, each having different
interests and private jealousies, and
presenting problem of difficulties,
through which only jealous and deter
mined patriots could foresee future
nation, and method of establishing a
firm government. George Washington,
by his nobility of character, sound
judgment and devotion to this cause,
was preeminent in our early history
and contributed more than we can est
mate to the national welfare. WASH
ington's personal influence was due
chiefly to his honest and upright char
acter, and the invaluable services he
had rendered his country during the
Revolution. He had shared the dang
ers of the war with his soldiers, there
by gaining the respect and love of all.
During the terrible winter spent at
Valley Forge, Washington's lot was
almost as bad as that of the common
soldiers. When the war was over and
the survivors of the army returned to
their respective homes, they carried
with them the stamp of their great
generals personality. The commercial
and creditor classes had learned to res
pect him, and believing his policy to be
one of safety, did not hesitate to lend
him money for carrying on his great
works. His personality was preemin-
emit among the statesmen of the time,
the greatest being Hamilton and Jeffer-
son.
Continuing, Mr.. Stratton rehearsed
the conditions existing between the
years of 1871 to 1874 in politics and
war, eagerly seeking to establish in the
minds of those listening, the supreme
qualities of the man Washington. In
concluding he said:
From these facts we may conclude
that the dominating influence which
may be regarded as having most large
ly contributed to the building up of
American nationality was the PERSONAL
ty Of George Washington. In moulding
the plastic elements of the country, in
securing comparative peace between the
angry factions of the day, in holding the
nation, as no other man could have
done, from the giant trouble between
France and England, in impressing res
pect for law, public credit, and for the
forms of the new government, and in
silently, but powerfully and grandly,
teaching the lesson of devotion to the
4 T.~s< L. - g.. g.