Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1879-06-04

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 tor
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 COM
binations 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, childish voice; the childish face;
theelong, unchildlike words, produced
a weird effect.
But the help had come too late; the
unhappy brother was already stagger-
ing in humiliation from the stage. The
band quickly struck up, and waves OF
lively music were rolled out to cover the
defeat.
I 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 brothers face. ! put my
arm around her. She was too absorbed
to heed the caress, and before l could
appreciate her purpose, she was on her
way to the shame-stricken young man
sitting with face like statues.
When he saw her by his side, the set
face relaxed, and quick mist came
into his eyes. The young men got
closer together, to make room for her.
She sat down beside him, laid her flow
ers on his knee, and slipped her hand IN
his.
I could not keep my eyes from her
sweet, plying face. [ saw her whisper
to him, he bending a little to catch her
words. Later, found out that she was
asking him if he knew his ''piece" 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, and pressed through the throng
of professors and trustees and dlstln-
guished visitors, up to the college pres
ident.
eff you please, sir" she said with
little courtesy, "will you and the trus-
tees let my brother try again? He
knows his piece now."
For moment the president stared at
her through his gold-bowed spectacles,
and then, approaching the child's petit
ton, 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 OratiOn-" Historical
Parallels"
"'Amid the permutations and COM
binations Of the actors and the forces
which make up the great kaleidoscope
of history" This the little sister
whispered to him as he rose to answer
the summons.
A ripple of heightened and expectant
interest passed over the audience, and
then all sat stone-still, as though fear
ing to breathe lest the speaker might
again take fright. No danger! The
hero in the youth was aroused. He
went at his "piece" with set purpose
to conquer, to redeem himself, and to
bring the smile back into the child's
tear-stained face. I watched the face
during the speaking. The wide eyes
the parted lips, the whole rapt being
said that the breathless audience was
forgotten, that her spirit was moving
with his.
And when the address was ended
with the abandon of one who catches
enthusiasm in the realization that he is
fighting down a wrong judgment and
conquering a sympathy, the effect was
really thrilling. That dignifed audience
broke into rapturous applause; bouquets
intended for the valedictorian rained
like a tempest. And the child who
had helped to save the day-that one
beaming little face, its pride and glad
ness, is something to be forever remem-
bered.-Sarah Winter Kellogg IN St.
Nicholas for June.