22
THE BATTALION.
she may brighten the Lone Star and keep her the richest
gem among the jewels of the nation. I should feel my task
wholly unfinished were I to forget a tender farewell to the
ladies of the campus, whose kind attention and bright smiles
have ever stimulated us to honest effort. Our Texas
women are the noblest, the purest and most refined. Their
winning ways make us what we are,—incite us to efforts for
which we would of ourselves lack energy. To you we bid
farewell and the memory of 3 r ou and your connection with
our college days will be a burnished golden link in memories
chain.
Class-mates:—In the fullness of my heart I can scarcely
give expression to the emotion which now possess me. If any
feelings have been engendered in the past which would mar
the clear page of pleasant recollections, 1 would erase them
all and substitute lines of mutually hopeful significance.
Today our ways separate and the goals for which we strive
will be various, though the rough world may buffet us alike
yet discipline and loyalty and determination will in the end
lead us victorious and guide us amidst the slippery paths of
our different avocations.
We have answered to the last call to cadet duties and
henceforth must answer the trumpet call to service in. the
regular army of life. New distinctions to win, new watches
to keep, new lessons to learn. Let us guard well the post as
signed us, where duty shall be the countersign. Many seem
ingly well founded nations have fallen. We have the noble
task upon our hands to be preservers and cultivators of the
true principle from which spring the life and well-being of
the commonwealth, that is practical industry.
We start out across the land of opportunity with the
strength of flush young men, hard in blood and muscle, with
the fiery impulses of youthful ambition. The flattering en
couragement of beautiful sponsors, the gloomy passes of dis
couragement made bright by college success About us
figuratively and really are the pleasant rippling murmur of
running brooks; the praise-giving notes of beautiful songbirds,