College of William and Mary - Colonial Echo Yearbook (Williamsburg, VA)

Page 29 text:

On rushed the stream; and on each mortal face There shone determination — and life ' s race Sped madU one: for each to gain the Gold, Put Joy aside, and e ' en was Honor sold. Sacrificing all to thai vain goddess Fame; Or what was e ' en the stake in life ' s bold game. But what of that! For in yon shining light, The final goal shone dazzling clear and bright, Sacrificing all to that vain goddess Fame; The final goal shone dazzling clear and bright. Turning from that weird, yet enchanting scene, Turning from that dimly glimmering, golden sheen, 1 felt a holy presence — heard a voice, Bidding me to ponder well and make my choice. I looked into a gentle smiling face: Minerva, in her majesty and grace, In accents sweet and low, said: Choose thy goal. And calm rejoicing filled my falt ' ring soul. I looked into a gentle smiling face And calm rejoicing tilled my falt ' ring soul. Then looking forward thro ' the -hade of time, I saw the rocky heights there were to climb. The thorny path- thro ' which I need- nui-t go; The waves which fain would ti -- me to and fin. I gazed into the mi-t of years to come, I brushed away the webs, and heard the hum Of industry: A picture came to view ; I read the legend: To thyself he true. i gazed into the mi-t of year- to come, And lead the legend: To thyself he true. [ ENVOI. Standing on Parnassus ' glittering height. And gazing o ' er the foaming, glistening sea ; Aero— the heaving billows in it- Bight, Methinks a speeding hark I dimly see. Within that frail hark the warrior- hold. Have steered their craft into the tide of life. The Rubicon i- crossed; and from life ' s mould The warriors gaily leap into the strife. Untutored in the way- that rule the world. Unknowing how the bold and Btrong survive; Vet win they must: — the hanner i- unfurled. The warriors an- the Class of Naughty Five. May the fullness of God ' s blessing always go with you; Ami now we part, my comrades! Kind friend-, adieu! I IMES W 11 II VM I iOSSW - I 25 ]

Page 28 text:

SENIOR CLASS POEM. XI i; K AM Kl) one night in joyous balm] June, 1 beneath i he i l- ni ■!!— silver n Phantoms passed within the shadows of tin- trees, MM winged elves 1 1 « bj with every breeze. All was silent, save from yonder wood, When r 1 1 . 1 1 1 .i • ; ia in oak. so stalwart, si I. There ea me t he ow let ' s weird, ominous i i Mid the pine-tree ' s moan and wear] sigh. Ml was silent, save from yonder « I There tame the pini tree ' s moan, the owlet ' s weird cry. Before we passed a living, rushing stream, Looking ghastly in Diana ' s yellow gleam, Rushing ever on with ne ' er a pause, Struggling as for some immortal cause. The stream of mortals never ceased to flow; And some mute power beckoned me to go; Bui yet another power stronger -till Bade me follow ii t the tempter ' s will. The stream of mortals never ceased to flow, Ami yet I followed not the tempters will. The voice that tempted me was clear and bold, And bade me follow her for fame and gold; I i i when I looked, a woman ' - form stood near. Then bending o ' er me whispered in my ear: ' Forsake, young man. the idol in thy heart. For wisdom i- in life a dreary part; Give ii | • thy aims, ambitions, and thy pride, And win the goddess Commerce to thy side. Forsake, young man. the idol in thy heart. And win the goddess Commerce to th] side. Far in the distance whither flowed the stream, A lighl burst forth — a mellow golden gleam. The temptress pointed with her jewelled hand. And there upon the shining, silver sand, Great man-ion- rose like magic in the air. And si, one in all their splendor, grand and fair. 1 looked again, and thro ' the golaen sheen A city ' s splendor could be dimly seen. iwi.it mansions rose like magic in the aii ■; A city ' s splendor could be dimly seen. [ 24

Page 30 text:

SENIOR PROPHECY. And your young men shall see visions. ' 4 ' t prophesy ! to gaze into the future, and to snatch from the hands of a t futurity those great secrets which she so jealously guards, and to expose them to the eager eyes of the present: this was the superhuman task -- gned me by thai great, august, and thoughtless body of men known as the Senior Class of nineteen-five ! Tin- was ii ordinary task, this delving into the future lives and acts of creatures ranging from a McDonald to a Carson, from a Blackiston to a Eillman; -. evi n from the Highlands of old Scotland to the Alamo of Texas, and from the shores of the Atlantic to the green hills of Virginia. Fully conscious of the great responsibility resting upon me, and becoming more and more conscious of my inability to accomplish it without some superhuman issistance, 1 sat vainly trying to collect my wandering thoughts far into the night. As I sat thus, with bowed head, and gazed dreamily, half-unconsciously into the dying coals, which cast their shadows on the wall, suddenly 1 heard a rustle behind me as of some one passing out at the open door. Quickly rousing myself, I glanced around, and as I did so I beheld a peculiar looking, but beautifully shaped goblet filled to the brim with a bright and sparkling liquid, and at the same time I beheld, just above my d a perfectly shaped hand, which, even as I looked, began to write, lid that hand of old, and after it had written and vanished 1 read the one word, Drink! [nstantly the thought rushed up to me that this was the means by which some kind pro idenee was to assist me in my prophecy, so without a moment ' s hesita- tion I seized the sparkling nectar and quaffed it lovingly and long. Immediately 1 felt a wonderful change coming over me. I saw things of which 1 had never dared dream before. I saw men whom man had judged to be good, and I found, alas ! that man does not know the half; I saw men who had been judged to bi bad, and I felt glad that I had been allowed to see them in their true light, and in know that a man is not always as he is judged bj his fellow-man. Although the things that 1 saw were many, and although I saw the past as well as the future, I quickly controlled my wandering thoughts and concentrated my attention to the future and the things which it should hold. Soon my attention was attracted by a crowd which thronged the streets of a large city. Seeing that this human stream appeared to set in one direction, I followed, and soon entered the portals of a magnificent cathedral. A constrained excitemenl seemed to reign over the large congregation, and in a few minutes I had lered from a whispered conversation the cause. Two of the great ministers of city were soon to meet at the altar — one to officiate at the nuptial ceremony and I 26 1