The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1879-06-12

deep-red spots glowed on her cheeks. She
touched up the flowers, manfestly making
the offering ready for the shrine. .
"Now, it's his turn" she said, turning to
me face in which pride and delight and
anxiety seemed about equally mingled.
But when the overture was played through,
and his name was called the child seemed,
in her eagerness, to forget me and
all the earth besides him. She
rose to her feet and leaned for
ward for = better view Of her
beloved as he mounted to the speakers
stand. l knew by her deep breathing that
her heart was throbbing in her throat.
knew, too, by the way her brother came up
to the steps and to the front, that he was
trembling. The hands hung limp; his
face was pallid, and the lips blue as with
cold. felt anxious. The child, too,
seemed to discern that things were not well
with him. Something like fear showed
in her face.
He made an autotomatic bow. Then
bewildered, struggling look came into his
face, then helpless look, and then he
stood staring vacantiy, like a somnambu-
list, at the waiting audience. The mo-
ments of painful suspense went by and
still he stood as if struck dumb. saw
how it was; he he'd been seized with stage
fright.
Alas little sister! She turned her large,
dismayed eyes upon me. "He's forgotten
it." she said. Then swift change came
into her face; strong, determined look;
and on the funeral-like silence of the room
broke the sweet, brave, child-voice
Amid the permutations and combina-
tions OF the actors and the forces which
make up the great kaleidoscope of history,
we often find that turn of Destiny's
hand"
Every body about us turned and looked.
The breathless silence; the sweet, childish
voice; the childish face; the long, un-
childlike words produced weird effect.
But the help had come too late; the un-
happy brother was already staggering in
humiliation from the stage. The band
quickly struck up, and waves Of lively
music were rolled out to cover the defeat.
gave the little sister glance in which
I ment to show the intense sympathy felt;
but she did not see me. Her eyes, swim.
ming with tears, were on her brothers face.
| put my arm around her. She was too
absorbed to heed the caress and, before I
could appreciate her purpose, she was on
her way to the shame-stricken young man
sitting with face like statues.
When he saw her by his side, the set
face relaxed and quick mist came into
his eyes. The young men got closer to-
gether to make room for her. She sat
down bside him, laid her flowers on his
knee, and slipped her hand in his.
could not keep my eyes from the sweet,
plying face. saw her whisper to him, he
bending little to catch her words. Later,
found out that she was asking him if he
knew his ''piece" now, and that he answered
yes.
When the young man next on the list
had spoken, and while the band was play
ing, the child, to the brothers great sur
prise, made her way up to the stage steps,
and pressed through the throng Of profess
sors and trustees and distinguished visitors,
up to the college president.
"1f you please, sir she said with little
courtesy, will you and the trustees let my
brother try again2 He knows his piece
now"
For a moment, the president stared at her
through her gold-bowed spectacles, and
then, approaching the child's petition, he
smiled on her, and went down and spoke
to the young man who had failed.
So it happened that when the band h z.
again ceased playing it was briefly an
nounced that Mr.. - would now deliver
his Grafton" Historical Parallels"
amid the permutations and combira-
tons OF the actors and the forces which
nuke up the great kaleidoscope of his
tory" This the little sister whispered
to him as he rose to answer the summons.
A ripple OF heightened and expectant
interest passed over the audience, and then
all sat stone still, as though fearing to
/ breathe lest the speaker might again take
fright. No danger! The hero in the youth
was aroused. He went at his piece" with
a set purpose to conquer, to redeem himself
and to bring the smile back into the child's
tear-stained face. watched the face dur
ing the speaking. The wide eyes, the
parted lips, the whole rapt being said that
the breathless audience was forgotten, that
her spirit was moving with his.
And when the address was ended with
the ardent abandon of one who catches en-
thusiasm in the realization that he Is fight
Ing down wrong judgment and conq1er-
ing sympathy, the effect was really thrill
ling. The digniied audience broke into
rapturous applause boquets intended for
the valedictorian rained like tempest,
and the child who had helped to save the
day--that one beaming little face, in its
pride and gladncss, is something to be for
ever remembered Sarah Winter KEEL
logg.
A GOOD nurse is blessing to every fami
ly, and all sensible nurses recommed that
innocent hut cffrctnnl remedy for NIL the