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CHAPTER XIX. COMMENCEMENT.
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 The next day was Commencement.
 
A brief, informal session was held in the morning, but it was a session from which none wished to be absent, for then the names of the prize-winners were to be announced.
 
There were many anxious hearts, and a few hopeful ones, for though the rank-list read the day before told each boy his standing1 in class, it did not settle the matter of the prize scholarships.
 
It is safe to say that only one boy grudged2 Stanley Clark the first rank that he had so fairly won by his steady, thorough work. That boy was Everett St. John. He would not have been present at all, that morning, but for the Latin essays. He had still a lingering hope that his might be adjudged the best.
 
But now Mr. Horton was writing on the blackboard, and every boy gazed eagerly forward to read what was written. In his clear hand, they read the names of the six colleges offering the scholarships. Then, with the chalk in his fingers, he faced the school.
 
[267]
 
“You all heard the rank-list read yesterday,” he said, “so you know that Clark, St. John and Gordon would have the first claim on the second, third and fourth of these scholarships, but as these three are to enter other colleges, these scholarships go to the next in rank, Graham, Griffin and Bent4; the two last named being members, as you know, of section A.
 
“The last two scholarships on the list have, I am happy to say, been won by girls. And now there remains5 but one—the first—which will be awarded to the boy whose Latin thesis has been considered by the judges to be the best. That thesis I hold in my hand, but I do not know what name it bears, as it was handed to me in this sealed envelope.”
 
Every eye watched as he tore open the envelope and read the name of Stanley Clark, and hearty6 cheers expressed the satisfaction of his classmates at the result.
 
As soon as he could secure silence, Mr. Horton went on:—
 
“The judges desire me to say that they have awarded the prize to Stanley Clark because of the high character of his essay, and they also wish me to state that, in elegance7 of style and choice of words, the essay submitted by Everett St. John is decidedly superior.”
 
[268]
 
It was Clark who led applause for St. John, but the latter only scowled8 in response to it. His pride and ambition were too bitterly hurt to appreciate any expression of kindly9 feeling.
 
“There is one more prize to be given this year,” Mr. Horton went on, taking a small case from his desk. “It is a gold medal which has never been given before, but the donor10 has made it a perpetual gift from this time. It is to be given to the boy in the senior class who has made the greatest advance in moral character during the year. Of course, we can only judge from what we see, and therefore this is the most difficult prize to award; so you, to whom the decision is left, must think carefully before you decide. This is to be awarded by vote of the class. I should have added that, by express desire of the gentleman who gives this prize, it is to be, this year, awarded to some member of section D. After this year, it is not to be so limited.”
 
The boys looked wonderingly at one another. They did not quite like the responsibility laid upon them.
 
“May I speak to some of the boys, sir?” Clark asked, and as Mr. Horton gave assent11, he quickly turned to Hamlin, and whispered:—
 
“I think Crawford ought to have it, don’t you?”
 
“Yes,” said Hamlin, promptly12. “I had thought of Freeman, but though he has improved immensely[269] this year, he hasn’t made such a jump as Crawford, because he never got so far down.”
 
“And I’m sure it will help Crawford to know how we feel about it,” suggested Clark.
 
From one to another the suggestion passed, and, when Mr. Horton called for the decision, it was almost an unanimous one for Crawford. He was taken utterly13 by surprise. Not one thought of the possibility of its being awarded to him had entered his mind, and he was prepared to vote most heartily14 for Freeman; but he was honestly pleased to know that his efforts to “do the square thing,” as he would have expressed it, had been appreciated, and that shining gold medal was a constant incentive15 to fresh effort thereafter. It was many a year before he discovered that it was his stern guardian16, Mr. Chase, who had given this prize, earnestly hoping that Crawford would be the winner.
 
The Commencement exercises were held in the evening in one of the largest opera-houses.
 
Never had the decorations on such an occasion been so beautiful as this year, for never before had so many outside friends lent a helping18 hand. There was Gordon’s father, so proud that the old high school was regaining19 its old reputation, and so proud and happy because of the share his boy had had in bringing this about; and there was Reed’s father, who was but too happy to spend some of his[270] abundant means to make the occasion a memorable20 one, not only for his own boy’s sake, but also for the sake of Stanley Clark, whom he had taken right into his big heart. And, by the way, he had carried matters with a high hand, and when he made arrangements for his boy at Yale, he had made arrangements for Stanley Clark to go with him, and no refusals would he listen to for a moment. Clark had been obliged to give in, and accept the generous provision, though he did it with a mental vow21 that he would pay it all back one of these days.
 
Then there was Mr. Chase, who was so relieved and delighted at the improvement in his ward3, that he, too, insisted on “lending a hand” at these Commencement arrangements. And so it happened that no graduating class had ever had such beautiful decorations, such perfect stacks of flowers, or such fine music as graced this occasion.
 
And it was Clark who, much against his will, delivered the oration17 for the class. He did his best to get out of it, declaring that it should be given by Gordon, or Hamlin or St. John; but it was Clark himself that his classmates now delighted to honor, and it seemed as if they could not do enough to make up to him for what was past.
 
His story had spread through the school, and he was the unanimous choice of the senior class, so there was no escape for him, and he was obliged to be the orator22 of the evening.
 
[271]
 
He performed his duty well, as was testified by the applause that followed, and so many floral tributes were sent to the stage, that Reed laughingly told him that he’d have to hire an express wagon23 to “tote ’em home.”
 
But the boy’s glad eyes sought out the spot where his mother sat with a tall man beside her, a man whose strong, noble face bore the marks of the sufferings of the past years.
 
When it was whispered about that Clark’s father was there, every boy was wild to see him, and not one who looked into his face that night but felt that he was a father to be proud of.
 
The exercises were over at last. The address to the graduating class had been made by an eminent24 lawyer. The diplomas had been received with more or less grace and ease, or more or less shyness and awkwardness.
 
“Rosy” had distinguished25 himself by darting26 out of the line, as the boys passed forward to receive their diplomas, and picking up Grace Harlan’s handkerchief, which he presented to her with his most fascinating smile.
 
Then the benediction27 closed the exercises, and in a burst of martial28 music from the orchestra, the crowd began to disperse29.
 
But the boys of section D lingered still. They realized now that they could never be all together[272] again, and Mr. Horton, as he clasped one after another by the hand, found it harder to say “Good-bye” to this than to any class he had ever before taught.
 
“I am afraid I shall dread30 to go back next year,” he said, holding Hamlin’s hand, while he laid his arm affectionately across Clark’s shoulders. “You boys are going into new scenes, and you will soon forget the old high school, but I shall be there with all new faces. Boys—you don’t know how I am going to miss you.”
 
They crowded about him then, realizing, as they had not done before, how real and true was his interest in them—his friendship for them—realizing, too, that the great days of our lives, though full of sunshine, have yet their shadows.
 
But they were boys, strong, healthy, happy boys, and life was all before them, with ever new heights to reach, new prizes to win, and no shadow could rest long on their young hearts on that glad day.
 
In the years that followed they made no mean record in college and in the world, and often Mr. Horton would read with a happy smile of what one and another of his boys—the boys of section D—had accomplished31 out in the great world.

点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 standing 2hCzgo     
n.持续,地位;adj.永久的,不动的,直立的,不流动的
参考例句:
  • After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
  • They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。
2 grudged 497ff7797c8f8bc24299e4af22d743da     
怀恨(grudge的过去式与过去分词形式)
参考例句:
  • The mean man grudged the food his horse ate. 那个吝啬鬼舍不得喂马。
  • He grudged the food his horse ate. 他吝惜马料。
3 ward LhbwY     
n.守卫,监护,病房,行政区,由监护人或法院保护的人(尤指儿童);vt.守护,躲开
参考例句:
  • The hospital has a medical ward and a surgical ward.这家医院有内科病房和外科病房。
  • During the evening picnic,I'll carry a torch to ward off the bugs.傍晚野餐时,我要点根火把,抵挡蚊虫。
4 bent QQ8yD     
n.爱好,癖好;adj.弯的;决心的,一心的
参考例句:
  • He was fully bent upon the project.他一心扑在这项计划上。
  • We bent over backward to help them.我们尽了最大努力帮助他们。
5 remains 1kMzTy     
n.剩余物,残留物;遗体,遗迹
参考例句:
  • He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
  • The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。
6 hearty Od1zn     
adj.热情友好的;衷心的;尽情的,纵情的
参考例句:
  • After work they made a hearty meal in the worker's canteen.工作完了,他们在工人食堂饱餐了一顿。
  • We accorded him a hearty welcome.我们给他热忱的欢迎。
7 elegance QjPzj     
n.优雅;优美,雅致;精致,巧妙
参考例句:
  • The furnishings in the room imparted an air of elegance.这个房间的家具带给这房间一种优雅的气氛。
  • John has been known for his sartorial elegance.约翰因为衣着讲究而出名。
8 scowled b83aa6db95e414d3ef876bc7fd16d80d     
怒视,生气地皱眉( scowl的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • He scowled his displeasure. 他满脸嗔色。
  • The teacher scowled at his noisy class. 老师对他那喧闹的课堂板着脸。
9 kindly tpUzhQ     
adj.和蔼的,温和的,爽快的;adv.温和地,亲切地
参考例句:
  • Her neighbours spoke of her as kindly and hospitable.她的邻居都说她和蔼可亲、热情好客。
  • A shadow passed over the kindly face of the old woman.一道阴影掠过老太太慈祥的面孔。
10 donor dstxI     
n.捐献者;赠送人;(组织、器官等的)供体
参考例句:
  • In these cases,the recipient usually takes care of the donor afterwards.在这类情况下,接受捐献者以后通常会照顾捐赠者。
  • The Doctor transplanted the donor's heart to Mike's chest cavity.医生将捐赠者的心脏移植进麦克的胸腔。
11 assent Hv6zL     
v.批准,认可;n.批准,认可
参考例句:
  • I cannot assent to what you ask.我不能应允你的要求。
  • The new bill passed by Parliament has received Royal Assent.议会所通过的新方案已获国王批准。
12 promptly LRMxm     
adv.及时地,敏捷地
参考例句:
  • He paid the money back promptly.他立即还了钱。
  • She promptly seized the opportunity his absence gave her.她立即抓住了因他不在场给她创造的机会。
13 utterly ZfpzM1     
adv.完全地,绝对地
参考例句:
  • Utterly devoted to the people,he gave his life in saving his patients.他忠于人民,把毕生精力用于挽救患者的生命。
  • I was utterly ravished by the way she smiled.她的微笑使我完全陶醉了。
14 heartily Ld3xp     
adv.衷心地,诚恳地,十分,很
参考例句:
  • He ate heartily and went out to look for his horse.他痛快地吃了一顿,就出去找他的马。
  • The host seized my hand and shook it heartily.主人抓住我的手,热情地和我握手。
15 incentive j4zy9     
n.刺激;动力;鼓励;诱因;动机
参考例句:
  • Money is still a major incentive in most occupations.在许多职业中,钱仍是主要的鼓励因素。
  • He hasn't much incentive to work hard.他没有努力工作的动机。
16 guardian 8ekxv     
n.监护人;守卫者,保护者
参考例句:
  • The form must be signed by the child's parents or guardian. 这张表格须由孩子的家长或监护人签字。
  • The press is a guardian of the public weal. 报刊是公共福利的卫护者。
17 oration PJixw     
n.演说,致辞,叙述法
参考例句:
  • He delivered an oration on the decline of family values.他发表了有关家庭价值观的衰退的演说。
  • He was asked to deliver an oration at the meeting.他被邀请在会议上发表演说。
18 helping 2rGzDc     
n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的,辅助的
参考例句:
  • The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
  • By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。
19 regaining 458e5f36daee4821aec7d05bf0dd4829     
复得( regain的现在分词 ); 赢回; 重回; 复至某地
参考例句:
  • She was regaining consciousness now, but the fear was coming with her. 现在她正在恢发她的知觉,但是恐怖也就伴随着来了。
  • She said briefly, regaining her will with a click. 她干脆地答道,又马上重新振作起精神来。
20 memorable K2XyQ     
adj.值得回忆的,难忘的,特别的,显著的
参考例句:
  • This was indeed the most memorable day of my life.这的确是我一生中最值得怀念的日子。
  • The veteran soldier has fought many memorable battles.这个老兵参加过许多难忘的战斗。
21 vow 0h9wL     
n.誓(言),誓约;v.起誓,立誓
参考例句:
  • My parents are under a vow to go to church every Sunday.我父母许愿,每星期日都去做礼拜。
  • I am under a vow to drink no wine.我已立誓戒酒。
22 orator hJwxv     
n.演说者,演讲者,雄辩家
参考例句:
  • He was so eloquent that he cut down the finest orator.他能言善辩,胜过最好的演说家。
  • The orator gestured vigorously while speaking.这位演讲者讲话时用力地做手势。
23 wagon XhUwP     
n.四轮马车,手推车,面包车;无盖运货列车
参考例句:
  • We have to fork the hay into the wagon.我们得把干草用叉子挑进马车里去。
  • The muddy road bemired the wagon.马车陷入了泥泞的道路。
24 eminent dpRxn     
adj.显赫的,杰出的,有名的,优良的
参考例句:
  • We are expecting the arrival of an eminent scientist.我们正期待一位著名科学家的来访。
  • He is an eminent citizen of China.他是一个杰出的中国公民。
25 distinguished wu9z3v     
adj.卓越的,杰出的,著名的
参考例句:
  • Elephants are distinguished from other animals by their long noses.大象以其长长的鼻子显示出与其他动物的不同。
  • A banquet was given in honor of the distinguished guests.宴会是为了向贵宾们致敬而举行的。
26 darting darting     
v.投掷,投射( dart的现在分词 );向前冲,飞奔
参考例句:
  • Swallows were darting through the clouds. 燕子穿云急飞。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
  • Swallows were darting through the air. 燕子在空中掠过。 来自辞典例句
27 benediction 6Q4y0     
n.祝福;恩赐
参考例句:
  • The priest pronounced a benediction over the couple at the end of the marriage ceremony.牧师在婚礼结束时为新婚夫妇祈求上帝赐福。
  • He went abroad with his parents' benediction.他带着父母的祝福出国去了。
28 martial bBbx7     
adj.战争的,军事的,尚武的,威武的
参考例句:
  • The sound of martial music is always inspiring.军乐声总是鼓舞人心的。
  • The officer was convicted of desertion at a court martial.这名军官在军事法庭上被判犯了擅离职守罪。
29 disperse ulxzL     
vi.使分散;使消失;vt.分散;驱散
参考例句:
  • The cattle were swinging their tails to disperse the flies.那些牛甩动着尾巴驱赶苍蝇。
  • The children disperse for the holidays.孩子们放假了。
30 dread Ekpz8     
vt.担忧,忧虑;惧怕,不敢;n.担忧,畏惧
参考例句:
  • We all dread to think what will happen if the company closes.我们都不敢去想一旦公司关门我们该怎么办。
  • Her heart was relieved of its blankest dread.她极度恐惧的心理消除了。
31 accomplished UzwztZ     
adj.有才艺的;有造诣的;达到了的
参考例句:
  • Thanks to your help,we accomplished the task ahead of schedule.亏得你们帮忙,我们才提前完成了任务。
  • Removal of excess heat is accomplished by means of a radiator.通过散热器完成多余热量的排出。


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