Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1879-06-11

room already taken, pressed forward, look
ing to the right and to the left for va
cancy. 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 soft
ened by very long lashes. Her face was
open and fresh as a newly-blown rose before
sunshine. Again and again | found my
eyes turning 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
a bright smile, she returned my dropped
handkerchief, and said Thank you |" we
seemed fairly introduced. Other persons
now coming into the seat, crowded me quite
close up against the little girl, so that we
soon felt very well acquainted.
"Theres going to be great crowd" she
said to me.
Yes 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
going 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 grandmothers; "but," |
thought, " they will seem sweet and beau.
tiful to him Tor little sisters sake"
"That is my BROTHER" she went on, point
ing with her nosegay.
"The one with the light hair 2" | asked.
"Oh no" she said, smiling and shaking
her head in innocent reproof "not that
homely one, with 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 hand up to
his head now. You see him, don't your
In an eager way she looked from me to
him, and from him to me, as if some i'm.
portant fate depended upon my identifying
her brother
a. see him." said. Giles a very good
looking brother"
" Yes, he is beautiful" she said, with
artless delight land he's so good, aud he
studies so hard. lie has taken care of Inc
ever since mamma died. Here is his name
on the programme. He is not the valedic-
torian, 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 broth
er's studies, hopes and successes.
He thought, at first, she continued, " that
he would write on the Romance of Monas-
tic Life"
What strange sound these long words
had, whispered from her childish lips HeI
interest in her brothers work had stamped
them on the child's memory, and to her
they were ordinary things.
" But them" she went on, "he decided
that he would rather write on Historical
Parallels and he's got real good Grafton
aud he says il beautifully. lie has said il
to Inc great many times. most know il
by heart. Oh, it begins so pretty and SC
grand. This is the way it begins" she
added, encouraged by the interest she must
have seen in my face: 60 Amid the permu
tations and combinations of the actors and
the forces which make up the great kaleido
scope of history, we often find that a turn
of Destiny's hand -
"Why, bless the baby" thought, look
ing down iuto her bright, proud face.
can't describe how very old and elfish ii
did seem to have those sonorous words roll
ing out of the smiling intantile mouth.
The band, striking up, put an end TO the
quotation and to the condolences.
As the exercises progressed, and APP
preached nearer and nearer the effort on
which all her interest was concentrated, my
little friend became excited and restless
Her eyes grew larger and brighter, two deeI
red spots glowed on her cheeks. She touched
up the flowers, manitestly making the offer
ing 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
beside him. She rose TO her feet and leaned
forward for a better view of her beloved, a.
he mounted TO the speakers stand. | knew
by her deep breathing that her heart wa:
throbbing III her throat. | knew, too, by
the way her brother came up the steps anc
to the front, that he was trembling. The
hands hung limp his face was pallid, and
the lips blue with cold. | felt anxious
The child too, seemed to discern that things
were not well with him. Something like
fear showed in her face.
lie made an automatic bow. Then be
wildered, struggling look came into his face
then helpless look, and then he stood star
ing vacantly, like somnambulist, at the
waiting audience. The moments of painful
suspense went by, and still he stood as il
struck dumb. | saw how it was &; he had
been seiz~d with stage-fright.
Alas little sister She turned her large
dismayed eyes upon me. I" 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, chid-voice
"'Amid the permutations and combina
tons of the actors and the forces which
make up the great Kaleidoscope of history
we often find that turn of Destiny,
hand -
Everybody about us turned and looked
The breathess silence; the sweet, childish
voice; the childish face the long, unchild
| like words, produced weird effect.
But the help had come too late; the un
happy brother was already staggering IL
| humiliation from the stage The banc
| quickly struck up, aud waves OF lively musiC
| rolled out 10 cover the defeat.
| | gave the little sister glance in which
| | meant TO show the intense sympathy
| felt but she did not see me. Her eyes
| swimming with tears, were on her brother!
| face. put my arm around her, but sh,
was too absorbed TO heed the cares, and be
| fore could appreciate her purpose, she Wa
on her way TO the shame-stricken young
man sitting with face like statues.
When he saw her by his side, the set fac,
relaxed, and a quick mist came into hi
eyes. The young men got closer together
| to make room for her. She sat down beside
him, laid her flowers on his knee, and slippe,
her hand in his.
could not keep my eyes from her sweet
plying face. saw her whisper to him, h
| bending a little TO catch her words. Later