New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1879-09-10
A SECOND TRIAL.

o@0.o<1nN-, ). 10
4 SECOND TRIAL.
IT was Commencement at c. Col
lege. The people were pouring into
the church as entered it, rather tardy.
Finding the choice seats in the center
OF the audience-room already taken, I
pressed forward, looking 10 the rig hit
and 10 the left for vacancy. On the
very front row Of seats found one.
Here little girl moved along to
make room for me, looking into my
face with large gray eyes, whose
brightness was softened by very long
lashes. Her face was open and fresh
as q newly-blown rose before sunrise.
Again and again found my eyes turn
ing to the rose-like face. and each time
the gray eyes moved, half-smiling. to
meet mine. Evidently the child was
ready to make up with me. And
when. with bright smile, she returned
my dropped handkerchief, and l said
Thank your we seemed fairly intro
duced. Other persons, now coming
into the seat, crowded me quite close
up against the little girl, 50 that we
soon felt very we'll acquainted.
There's going to be great crowd"
she said to me.
eyes," I replied; ''people always
Ike to see how schoolboys are made
into men,"
Her face beamed with pleasure and
pride as she said:
my brothers going to graduate;
he's going to speak; I've brou ght these
flowers to throw to him."
They were not greenhouse favorites;
just old-fashioned domestic flowers,
such Al we associate with the dear
grandmOthers; "but," I thought,
"they will seem sweet and beautiful to
him for little sisters sake.''
That is my brother" she went on,
pointing with her nosegay.
"The one with the light hair?'
asked. .'% =
"Oh, no." she said. smiling and
shaking her head in innocent reproof;
mot that homely one, with red hair;
that handsome one with brown wavY
hair. His eyes look brown, too; but
they arc not--they are dark-blue.
There! he's got his hand up to his head
now. You see him, don't youp"
In an eager way she looked from me
to him, and from him to me, as if some
important fate depended upon my iden-
tifying her brother.
see him." I said. "He's very
goOd-l0Oking BROTHER
$ Yes, he is beautiful" she said,
with artless delight; "and he's so
good, and he studies so hard. He has
taken care of me ever since mamma
died. Here is his name on the pro-
gramme. He is not the valedictorian,
but he has an honor. for all that"
l saw in the little creatures familiar
ity with these technical college terms
that she had closely Unidentified herself
with her brothers studies, hopes and
successes.
He thought, at first" she continued,
8 that he would write on the Romance
Of Monastic Life"
What q strange sound these long
words had, whispered from her child.
ish lips! Her interest in her brothers.
work had stamped them on the child's
memory. and to her they were ordinary
things.
g But them" she went on, he de.
cided that he would rather write ON
Historical Parallels and he's got q
real good Grafton, and he says it beau
tifully. He has said it to me great
many times. l most know it by heart.
Oh! it begins so pretty and so grand.
This il the way it begins she added.
encouraged by the interest she must
have seen in my face: "sAmid the
permutations and combinations of the
actors and the forces which make up
the great kaleidoscope Of history, we
often find that turn of Destiny's
band
..Why, bless the baby!'' l thought,
looking down into her bright, proud
face. l can't describe how very odd
and elfish it did seem to have those So
norous words rolling out of the smiling
infantile mouth.
The band, striking up, put an end to
the quotation and to the condolences.
3 As the exercises progressed, and ap-
preached nearer and nearer the effort
on which all her interest was concen-
trated, my little friend became excited
and restless. Her eyes grew larger
and brighter, two deeP.red spots
gloWed on her cheeks. She touched
up the flowers, manifestly making the
Offering ready for the shrine.
Now, it's his turn" she said, turn.
Ing to me . face in which pride and de-
light and anxiety seemed about equally
mingled. But when the overture was
played through, and his name was
called, the child seemed, in her eager.
ness, to forget me and all the earth be-
side him. She rose to her feet and
leaned forward for a better view Of her
beloved, as he mounted to the speak
er's stand. l knew by her deep
breathing that her heart was throbbing
In her throat. I knew, too. by the
way her brother came up 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.
I felt anxious. The child, too, seemed
to discern that things were not we'll
with him. Something like fear
showed in her face.
He made an automatic bow. Then
Q bewildered, struggling look came
into his face, then . helpless look, and
then he stood staring vacantlY, like 8
somnambulist, ct the waiting audience.
The moments Of painful suspense
went BY, and still he stood 40 II struck
dumb. saw how it was; he had been
seized with stage fright.
Alas! little sister! She turned large,
diSmayed eyes upon me. :. He's for
gotten it, she said. Then : swift
change came into her face; strong,
determined look; and on the funeral