Dodge City times. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1876-1892, 1880-10-23

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with modification!
al didn't bring airy for my boy"
she said. with . quick involuntary
glance toward the exquisite bouquet in
the hands of Wills mother. 81 might
have brought some. l have roses
and pinks and lilies. and most every
kind"-
She became silent. The third orator
was speaking. But Johns mother
could not listen, except to the fear and
questioning OF her own heart. Would
there be any flowers for John? Had
anybody remembered her boy? II he
should not get any. would he feel very
badly about it?
At the end Of each address, she
looked eagerly about, in dread lest the
speaker might receive no flowers, al
most hoping that he would not receive
any. so that her John might not be
alone in the misery of being neglected
If he should not be remembered.
At length the last speaker preceding
her John was standing before the au-
dience. All the others had been hon.
ored with floral tributes; and as this
one ended eulogy On Thomas Jeffer-
son, Johns mother saw the flowers
fairly pouring toward him. Nineteen
bouquets, according to one report, he
received. Alas! she saw how it would
be. John would be the solitary slight
ed one-alone in his misery; for only
viii was to follow, and Wills mother
had that superb bouquet for him.
But perhaps-perhaps-it might be!
John might be remembered. One per-
son there might be in all that large au-
dience who had thought to bring for
him little bunch of flowers. "But,"
she said, with sigh. lit was not likely
when his own mother had not"
But John was advancing to the front
of the stand. Soon her question would
be answered. She listened with inter-
est so tense that an ache possessed her
whole being. He gave a noble Grafton
for youth-a clear, terse argument.
But it was not of the kind to please
that part of the audience which does
the cheering. The applause Jagged
and the flowers!
The mother, with unconscious en-
treaty in every feature and motion,
looked right and left, backward and all
about. She saw people looking con-
strained, people looking sympathetic.
people looking amused, people whis-
pering. Northumberland did she
see the coveted spot of fiOwer-color ex-
tended.
Alas, alas! there were no flowers for
joint She saw his face swelling and
growing red. Perhaps people did
not perceive that he cared; but she
who had been studying that face
through nineteen years, she saw that
John was hurt. Tears gathered in the
faded ewes; one spattered on the loose
brown kids clasped in the lap.
And Wills mother was turning the
grand bouquet between her pale lilac
gloves, in atriumphing way, as itseemed
to the other.
1t was in triumphing way. A tri-
umph had been won: the beautiful bou-
quet was lifted; it was held out; it was
reckoning an usher.
20 mammal wildly demonstrated
the child. xviii! You bought it for
Will! Suppose he shouldn't get anyr'
HE won't mind; he's the valedicto-
rian," whispered the sweet-faced lady,
as she gave the bouquet into the usher's
hands. With misty eyes. she saw it
borne along the aisle-the noblest offer
ing of the day-into Johns hands.
A sigh of relief went around the
class; glow came into every face; all
the audience seem to warm. Johns
mother turned one grateful look to the
beautiful woman whose sympathy had
prompted the noble deed; and then the |
brown gloves were nervously placed
over the wornface quivering with tears.
and were not removed until the last
words of the last speaker had been !
spoken Youths Companion.