Every year shows a marked increase in the number of women graduates who make their influence felt wherever they move; and civilization receives an added impulse from its relations with them. No longer are they masculine women, in the old conception of the term, "college graduates," but girls who are fitted to adorn any sphere of life to which they are called; to minister to the comfort of the household, as well as to translate a page of Pliny or Sophocles. With their intellects broadened, and their minds more perfectly developed, they are women in the noblest and truest sense of the word. So the American girl is now known as a bright, cultured, intellectual woman, and her college training has tended to strengthen and foster, rather than to weaken, her love for home life. LILY BECK, Epsilon, '94.

TENNYSON.

His hand so smote the chords of life,

With gentle, yet prophetic touch,

It woke the slumb'ring harmonies

Of love and faith, with power and might,
That ever wave and echo on

To music, in their ling'ring breath.

Him, Nature spied, with kindly eye,
The child of genius, in his youth,
And shed on him her bounteous charms,
And thrilled him with her magic touch.

From inspiration of that touch

He woke as from some by-gone dream,
And lo! the beauties that he saw
O'erflowed the measures of his soul.

In answer to the wondrous charm
That filled his life with dreamful joy,
A song breaks forth of Nature's praise,
A gentle music fills the air.

He sings of rippling brooks and flowers,
The forest green, and singing birds,
And all the joys of sights and sounds
That make such music in his soul.

The matchless beauty of his words
Is captive to the charm of song;
Yet ever seeks to rise above
The melody that gives it force,

Like birds that fly, in summer air,
And flaunt their pinions on the breeze,
That ever seek to rise above

The air, by whose embrace they soar,

Yet borne upon its bosom, strong,
They yield to its caressing breath,
And joyous dip their airy wings,
And soar away to larger heights.

Just so the magic flow of words
Is lifted on the breath of song;
And, borne upon its melody,
Arises to a loftier strain.

For now his song has broader scope,

Nor pauses long at Nature's smiles,

The pretty face, the lovely form,

Which once absorbed him with their charms.

But deeper themes of life and love

Are sung to deeper melody,

Not less melodious in their flow,

But suited to his larger soul,

Which, searching into truth, confronts

The mighty problems of the age

Whose conflicts press upon his thoughts,
And leave their solemn impress there.

He feels the deeper cares of life
Press down upon him, with their load,

Deep sorrow for a friend he loved
Obscures the day with gloom and night.

In unison with solemn thoughts,
He suits the music to the theme;
Maturer years bring measured flow,
In matchless art and harmony.

Though saddened by the memory
Of one he loved beyond his life,
He never yields to stormy doubts
That cast their billows o'er his soul.

But, though his bark seems tempest-tossed
Upon the sea of black despair,

With wand of faith, the waves divide,
Dry land appears, he passes o'er.

Triumphant faith is in his tones -
A richer, lovlier melody

Seems hallowed in the closing strains
That float upon the evening air.

And all the world is hushed to awe

The poet's song is dying low;

But all the echoes come and go

Of what he sang in by-gone years.

And though the last strain has been sung,

These songs will ever linger near,

Their cadence echo on and on
To touch the universal heart;

To broaden views of humankind;

To strengthen holy friendships, dear;
To brighten gloom within this life;
To cheer the heart with sympathy;

To breathe sweet calms of faith and love;
To stir the noblest sentiments

Of right, of will, of duty, clear;

And thus arouse the nobler man.

Ah, Tennyson, our bard divine,

They strew thy grave with flow'rets fair
But none as fair as thou hast placed
Upon our grateful memory.

NELLIE COOKE, Gamma, '92.

Editorials.

WITH this last number of the present volume, we look back upon the hopes and fears and plans of a year ago. All have been partially realized. We may still congratulate ourselves, as regards chapter letters. Every active chapter has been represented in every issue, and we have heard once or more from every alumnæ chapter. This shows active interest, and strong, healthy growth. We are thankful that we are so "conservative" that we have no dead or half-dead chapters. The plant that grows too quickly becomes weak, and dies. The same law holds good for humanity, and for institutions, as well. Healthy growth is slow and sure.

Even

Another reason for congratulation every chapter has contributed to the literary portion of the QUARTERLY, during the past year. our baby chapter has accepted our invitation.

We had planned to open each issue with an article upon some phase of fraternity life, to follow with a poem especially interesting to Alpha Phi, to be followed by another article and poem of less narrow scope. This aim it has sometimes been impossible to carry into effect. The alumnæ are so busy that the editor's invitations cannot always be gratefully accepted. Manuscript written for another occasion is offered in the place of the fraternity article asked for. The editor must take what she can get, if she cannot get what she wishes, in the line of subjects. The editor of no other paper is so entirely at the mercy of contributors.

We wish to thank the associate editors for their readiness to assist in the work of the past year. Also, all contributors, and helpers in other ways. Nor must we forget the generous helpers financially- the advertisers. Advertising in a fraternity paper is not always the most profitable, and we feel grateful to them. Let us not forget to show our gratitude in substantial form, when the opportunity presents itself.

THERE appeared, recently, in a well-known magazine, a series of prophecies to be realized after four hundred years. Authors, governors and preachers uttered wonderful predictions; and there were heard, also, the voices of representatives of reform, in all its aspects. But where was the fraternity prophet? No sound was heard from that direction. Has the college society no future, beyond the present limit? We think that it has. Not that its opportunities are not all open to us to-day, but we have not yet learned to make the most of its advantages. A four years' membership in a society composed of persons of similar tastes and

noble aspirations — ought this not to mean more to us even than it does mean? A wonderful opportunity, surely, for inter-influence, both mental and moral. But cannot we make more substantial the feeling of brotherly kindness that pervades a fraternity? Would it not be well to introduce an element of restricted charity? When we tell a friend who has never attended college of our glorious X Y Z fraternity, he seems rather in the dark, as to just what kind of society it is. One of the first questions is, generally, "Is it a charitable society?" It is not, and it cannot be. It is not fitted to do wholesale charitable work. But there is often an opportunity of helping some one in the chapter, during his or her college course. It often happens that a member of a fraternity is obliged to leave college, before the course is completed; and the life may be changed, entirely, by the unexpected turn of affairs. If only each chapter could raise a small fund, this could be given, or loaned without interest, when occasion required. Some Harvard graduates give the interest of a certain amount of money for class reunions. Let the fraternity man remember his fraternity as well as his college. Its needs and its opporunities are as great. Then, after four hundred years, the college fraternity will be all that it is now, and more. It will be physically, mentally, morally and substantially helpful.

A COLLEGE instructor has called attention, in one of our current magazines, to the decadence of good English, among college graduates, and to the general indifference to the subject. He ascribes the lack of correct speech to the prevailing manner of reciting in colleges. Oral examinations are no more, and even the oral recitation is being rapidly displaced by the lecture. Debating societies seem to have reached old age, and have quite disappeared from not a few colleges. The student has no opportunity of speaking his English, and hearing the sound thereof. When he leaves college, he has no time to think of the subject, and the golden opportunity has vanished. Verbum sap.

Chapter Letters.

ALPHA PHI ALUMNE CHAPTER OF CENTRAL NEW YORK.

A MID-SUMMER letter from the Central New York Alumnæ Chapter of Alpha Phi cannot report another social meeting, for its members are scattered throughout the country, enjoying their summer rest. Since