The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1879-05-30

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. l felt anx
iOus. The child, too, seemed to
discern that things were not well
with him. Something Ike tear
showed in her face. .....'g .., ...
He made an automatic bow.
Then bewildefedj struggling look
came into h's face, then a helpless
look, and then he stood staring va.
cantly like somnambulist, at the
waiting audience. The moments of
painful suspense went by, and
still he stood as if struck dumb. l
saw how it was he had been seized
with stage.fright. .f5r4
Alas! little sister! She turned
her large, dismayed eyes upon me.
"He's forgotten it," she said. Then a
swift change came into her face ; a
strong, determined look; and on
the funeral-like silence of the room
broke the sweet, brave, child-voice +:
"Amid the peTmutatiOns and
combinations of the actors and the
forces which make up the great
Kaleidoscope of history, we often
find that a turn Of .Destiny's
hand" ........
Everybody about MS turned and
looked. The breathless Silence {;
the sweet, childish voice; the
childish face the long, unchildlike
words, produced weird effect.
But the help had come too late !;
the unhappy brother was already
staggering in humiliation from the
stage. The band quickly struck
mp, and waves of lively music were
rolled out to cover the defeat.
| gave the little sister a glance
in which | meant to show the in
tense sympathy | felt; but she did
not see me. Her eyes, swimming
with tears, were on her brothers
face. l put my arm around her.
She was too absorbed to heed the
caress, and before / could appre.
ciate her purpose, she was on her
way to the shame stricken young
man sitting with face like "a
statues.
When he saw her by his side, the
set face relaxed, and a quick mist
came into his eyes. The young
men got closer together, to make
room for her. She sat down beside
him, laid her flowers on his knee,
and slipped her hand in his.
| could not keep my eyes from
her sweet, pretty face. | saw her
whisper to him, lie bending a little
to catch her words. Later, found
out that she was asking him if he
knew his "peace' now, and that
he answered yes.
When the young man next on
the list had spoken, and while the
band was playing, the child, to the
brothers great surprise, made
her way up the stage steps, aud
pressed through the throng of pro-
tessors and trustees and distin-
guished visitors, up to the college
president. . ,,t-......
off you please, sir" she said |
with a little courtesy" "will you
and the trustees let my brother try
again 7 He knows his piece now.n
For a moment, the president
stared at her through his gold
bowed spectacIes, and then, appre-
ciating 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 had again ceased playing, it
was briefly announced that Mr..
would now deliver his ora
tion-" Historical Parallels"
amid the permutations and
of the actors and the
'Orces which make up the great
of history This
,he little sister whispered to him
rs he rose to answer the summons.
A ripple of heightened and ex.
,ectant interest passed over the
audience, and then all sat stone still,
rs though fearing to breathe lest
he speaker mightagain take fright.
10 danger The hero In the youth
vas aroused. He went at his
piece with set purpose to con-
luer, to redeem himself, and to
ring the smile back into the child's
face. / watched the
ace during the speaking. The
vide eyes, the parted lips, the
Whole rapt being said that the
audience was forgotten,
hat her spiritwas moving with his.
Aud when the address was ended
vith the ardent abandon of one
fho catches enthusiasm in the
that he is fighting down
wrong judgment and conqnering
sympathy, the effect was really
hrilling. That dignified audience
roke into rapturous applause
intended for the valedic-
orlan rained like tempest. And
be child who bad helped to save
be day-that one beaming little
ace, in its pride and gladness, is
to be forever remember
d.-Sarah Winter Kellogg, 81.
TichOIas for June.
A sacrilegious exchange says .