The Wheeling Daily Register

OUR BETHANY LETTER.

The Meeting of the Alumni Association—Their Entertainment a Great Success.

Correspondence of the Register.

BETHANY, June 19.

Yesterday afternoon at 3:30 o'clock the Alumni Association of the College held their meeting in one of the society halls, and the names of the twenty new members who are just about to graduate were enrolled. The chief business that occupied the attention of the Association was whether or not they should have an alumni dinner next year, and it was decided with great unanimity that they should. Consequently by next year upon the Tuesday immediately preceding commencement there will be a grand dinner given, and an enjoyable time is anticipated by all who expect to be present.

Last night the Alumni Association gave a performance in the College hall. Mr. W. C. Lyne, of Washington, Pa., was the lecturer appointed, and Professor C. L. Loos, of the College, also spoke, as the orator who was expected did not arrive. The attendance was very small, as it was pretty thoroughly understood that there was to be no performance.

Kramer arrived this morning and has been adding greatly to the enjoyment of the occasion by discoursing sweet sounds through the streets of the village, and upon the campus at the dedication of the Senior tree. This performance is generally one of the most pleasant and one of the best of all the Commencement exercises, and this one was no exception to the general rule.

Mr. C. L. Sallee, of Kentucky, was the class orator. He had an oration brimful of eloquence and beautiful language, and he delivered it in a masterly style. He well deserves the name of "class orator." The exordium of his speech was a metaphorical comparison between the Greeks turning away from the siege of Ilium and the class leaving college victorious in having attained their degrees. From this he passed into college life in general, and ended with a masterly peroration, showing the fitness of the custom of planting class trees, showing that the tree was the emblem of life and knowledge, and in what reverence it was held by the ancients. The class poem by John Ambler, of Virginia, was a beautiful comparison of college life with the flight of an eagle, as it goes onward and upward in its course, until it is finally lost to view in the misty darkness of the clouds. Then he described in touching and beautiful language the sad partings and last farewells of those who have been associated in such close communion as friends and companions.

Mr. Ambler writes easily and gracefully and his style of reading is peculiarly impressive.

The Class History by B. L. Smith, of Ind., was exceedingly good, full of hard hits at his brother graduates, and was well appreciated by the audience as their frequent laughter showed.

D. O. Thomas, of Wales, then read the class prophecy. Mr. Thomas has just enough of the brogue to make his reading exceedingly funny when he wants to, and his delivery of the prophecy together with the subject matter was irresistible and kept his hearers laughing most of the time. We only regret that time does not permit of our giving some of the many funny prophecies he made.

J. H. Shinn presided over the occasion and did it well.

To-night the Nottrophian (and not Metropolitan) Society gives its final entertainment at the College Commencement Hall.