Connecticut western news., 1879-05-28

words had, whispered from her childish ipsl Her interest in her brothers work had stamped them on the child's memo ry, and to her they were ordinary things.
 "B But then," she went on, "he de- | cided that he would rather write on Historical Parallels, and he's got a real good oration, and he says it beau | tifully. 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 ther per- mutations and combinations 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 babyl'' I thought, looking down into her bright, proud face. can't describe how very odd and elfish it did seem to have those sonorous words rolling out of the smiling infan- tile mouth.
 The band, striking up, put an end to the quotation and to the condolences.
 As the exercises progressed, and ap- proached nearer and nearer the effort on which all her interest 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. i
 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 eagerness, tofor- get me and all the earth beside him. She rose to her feet and leaned forward for better view of her beloved, as he mounted to the speakers stand. I 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 trem- bling. 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 a bewildered, struggling look came into his face, then helpless look, and then he stood staring vacantly, like a, som- nambul1st, at the waiting audience. The moments of painful suspense went by, and still he stood as if struck dumb. I 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 like silence of the room broke the sweet, brave, child voice:
 ".Amid the permutations and combi- nations of the actors and the forces which make up the great kaleidoscope of history, we often find that turn of Destiny's hand"
 Everybody about us turned and looked. The breathless silence the sweet, child sh voice the childish face :; the long, unchildike words, produced 8 weird effect.
 But the help had come too late the unhappy brother was already stag gering in humiliation from the stage. The band quickly struck up, and waves of lively music were rolled out to cover the de- feat.
 I gave the little sister glance ir which I meant to show the intense sym pathy I felt but she did not see me- Her eyes, swimming with tears, were on her brothers face. put my arm around her. She was too absorbed tc heed the caress, and before could ap preciate her purpose, she was on he1 way to the shame-stricken young mar sitting with face like statue's.
 When he saw her by his side. the SC face relaxed, and quick mist came intt his eyes. The young men got closer to gether, to make room for her. She sa down beside him, laid her flowers ol his knee, and slipped her hand in his.
 could not keep my eyes from he sweet, pitying face. saw her whispe to him, he bending little to catch he words. Later, found out that she wa asking him if he 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 ; of professors and trustees and dis l tinguished visitors, up to the colleg president. l eff you please, sir" she said with 3 little courtesy, ''will you and th
 trustees let my brother try again? B , knows his piece now.''
 For moment the president stared { her through his gold-bowed spectacle : and then, approaching the child's pet t tion, he smiled en her, and went dow t and spoke to the young man who hs l. failed. e So it happened that when the bar s had again ceased playing, it was brief u announced that MT. -- wou
 now deliver his oration-" Historic e Parallels"
 e "'Amid the permutations and COT l. binations of the actors and the fore
 which make up the great kaleidoscol y of history-'" This the little sist
 whispered to him as he rose to ansW h the summons.