River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1879-06-19
A Second Trial.

bolttHcu DIV very long idSHcS. iIoF lac
was open and fresh as "A newly-blowl
rose before sunrise Again and again
found my eyes turning to the rose-lik,
face, and each time the gray eyes moved
halt smiling, to. meet NINE. Evidently
the child was ready TO make up Will
me. And when, with a bright smile, sh,
returned my dropped handkerchief, and
sand "thank youla we seemed fairly in
troduced. Other persons, now coming
into the seat, crowded me quite close NJ
against the little girl, SO that we soor
felt very well acquainted.
There's going to be a great crowd,
she said to me.
"Yes." l replied; ''people always like
to see how school boys are made into
men,"
Her face beamed with pleasure and
pride as she said:
my brothers going to graduate; he's
gong to speak; I've brought these flowers
to throw to him
They were not greenhouse favorites
Just old-fashIoned domestic flowers, such
as we associate with the dear grandmoth-
ers; "but,' | thought "they will seem
sweet and beautiful to him for little sis
| tef's sake
"That is my brother, she went ON point
| ing with her nusegay,
"The one with the light hair" | asked.
"Oh, no." she said, smiling and shak-
| ing her head in innocent reproof; mot
that homely one, with the red hair; that
| handsome one with brown wavy hair.
| His eyes look brown, too; but they are
not they are dark-blue. There! he's
got his hands up to his head now. You
see him, don't you?"
In an eager way she looked from me to
him, and from him to me, as if some inn
portant fate depended upon my identify
ing ler brother.
II see him." ] SAID. ''He's a very good
looking brother"
Eyes, he is beautiful, she said, with
artless delight; land 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 programme. He is not the
valedictorian but he has an honor for all
that"
saw in the little creatures familiarity
with these technical college terms that
she had closely identified herself with her
brothers studies, hopes and successes.
s'He thought at first" she continued,
''that he would write on the Romance
of Monastic Life
What strange sound these long words
had, whispered from her childish lips,
Her interest in her brothers work had
stamped them on the chIld's memory,
and to her they were ordinary things.
'sBut then, she went on, che decided
| that he would rather write on Historical
Parallels and he's got real good ora
ton, and he says it beautifully. He has
said it to me great many times. |
| most know it by heart. oh. it begins
so pretty and SO grand. This is the way
it begins she added, encouraged by the
| interest she must have seen in my face
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
"Why, bless the baby" / thought,
looking down into her bright, proud
| face | can't describe how very odd and
selfish it did seem to have those sonorous
words rolling out ofth smiling infantile
mouth.
hC Ddbbs otiihlh5 up, pun eh Nh' w
| the quotation and to the condolences.
! AS the exercise progressed, and ap-
preached nearer and nearer the effort on
which all her interests was concentrated.
my little friend became excited and rest
less 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, turning
| to me a face in which pride and delight
and anxiety seemed about equally
mingled. But when the overture was
played through, and his name was call
ed, the child seemed III her eagerness, tC
forget me and all the earth beside him
She rose to her feet and leaned forward
for a better view of her beloved, as he
mounted to the speakers stand. ! knew
by her deep breathing that her heart was
throbbing in her throat. | knew, too
by the way her brother came up the steps
and to the front, that he ives trembling
The hands hung limp; his face was pal
| lid, and the lips blue as with cold. ! felt
anxious The child, too, seemed to dis
Germ that things were not well with him
Something like fear showed in her face.
He made an automatic bow. Then
bewildered, struggling look came into his
face, then helpless look, and then he
stood staring vacantly, like somnambu
| list, at the waiting audience. The mo
ments of painful suspense went by, anC
still he stood as if struck dumb. saw
how it was; he had been seized will
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; a strong, determined look
and on the funeral-lIke silence of thu
room, broke the sweet. brave, child voice
Amid the permutations and thu
forces which make up the great kaleido
scope of history,we often find that turn
of Destiny's hand
Everybody about us turned and looked
The breathIess silence; the childish face
the long. unchildlike words, produced
weird effect.
But the help had come too late; the un
happy brother was already staggering il
humiliation from the stage. The bant
quickly struck up, and waves of livel,
music were rolled out to cover the defeat
| gave the little sister a glance ii
which meant to show the intense sym
pathy felt; but she did not see me. He
eyes were swimming with tears, wer
on her brothers face. | put my arm
around her. She was too absorbed t
heed the caress. and before | could ap
preciate her purpose, she was on her wa,
to the shame stricken young man sittin,
; with face like a statues.
When he saw her by his side, the sc
face relaxed, and quick mist come int
his eyes The young men got closer to
gether, to make room for her She sa
down beside him, laid her flowers on hi
knee, and slipped her hand in his.
could not keep my eyes from lac
sweet, pitying face. ! saw her whispe
to him, he bending little to catch he
words Later | found out that she wa,
asking him if ne knew his piece now
and that he answered yes.
When the young man next ON the lis
had spoken, and while the band wa
playing, the child. to the brothers grea
surprise, made her way up the stag
steps, and pressed through the thron
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