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

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

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 31 text:

the other to give and receive the binding vows. .hist at the appointed time the grea.t orchestra began a beautiful wedding march, which seemed to roll in volumes, and tn echo and re-echo among the arches of ih ' building. A door in the rear opened, and a small man robed in his clerical attire entered, just as the wedding procession entered at the front. As they met at the altar I saw all. 1 recognized in tin- minister prepared tn do the work our class President, J. Hubby Lloyd, and in the person before him. who seemed tn he writhing in fear and uncertainty, I recognized our patriarch, Moses Sydnor. ■ Alas! 1 thought, that shi — whoever -In ' ua Imiihl have come tn this ! Next I was wafted along through space, and soon found myself passing along another great thoroughfare of a great metropolis. As 1 passed one of the large law buildings I heard a voice, which rose ami fell with such a peculiar cadence, as it rolled off period after period of oratory, that I was forced tn pause. Where had 1 heard that voice before? It was familiar, yet I was unable tn recall it: so, moved h some hidden impulse, 1 entered the building. 1 beheld a large court-room filled tn overflowing with an intensively attentive audience, and looking in the direction in which every eye was strained, I saw a slight, nervous man expounding the law in such a convincing manner that every eye was fastened upon him. ami every sound was stilled, dust behind this speaker, and in front of the judge ' s desk, was another intellectual looking man. somewhat smaller than the lirst, and on whose face, in spite of tin 1 exertion from which he seemed tn he just recovering, there was a satisfied expression, which seemed tn say as plain as words, I have done a good work ; let me rest. .hist behind the desk, in the judge ' s chair, was a portly looking gentleman, with thinly scattered sandy-white hair. With one final, prolonged plea, which would have excited the emotions of a stone, the speaker ended, and as he and hi.- colleague turned in acknowledge the rounds of applause with which they were greeted, a light Hashed across my memory, ami I recognized my old class-mates. In a few minute- the jury passed in their unanimous verdict, and then the air was filled with shouts of how the great h.w firm of Shawen Counts, in the court of .hi dec Slater ' . Blackiston, had won one of the greatesl victories in the legal Geld of the day. They had convinced a refractory jury that a man is justified in doing the other fellow, and doing him lirst. provided the other fellow will allow it. It was noised abroad as a great precedent in the legal world. Soon the scene was changed; I found myself in the broad, open country, free from the din and the noise of the city. Being weary, 1 lay down upon the grass, ami felt a- though I could lie down like a wearj child and sleep away this life of care, which I had borne and yet must hear. ' That was not to be, however, for soon I heard ;i sound as of a rushing, mighty wind, and looking up, I beheld in the distance a diabolical looking machine, which approached so rapidly that 1 though! it musl be racing with eternity. Just as it go! opposite me, one of the infernal arrangements in front balked, and the thine, suddenly changing its course, flattened out against the fence beside me, while it- six occupant- continued then- journey for some appre- ciable distance beyond the fence. Amazed at the remarkable agility with which they recovered themselves, I looked more closely at these unfortunate wayfarers, and recognized in them, by some peculiar marks and signs, the persons of Washington