Osage Valley banner., 1880-10-21
NOFLOwRRs.


been up at three, or, for the matter of
that, at any other hour of the night,
for there bad been none in which she
had not walked IL was the night pro-
ceding Commencement, and her boy
was TO speak. This is why she had
been wakeful; this is why she rose be-
fore the sun.
As far as could be, the preparations
for an early start had been made the
night before. The bath had been taken;
the clean clothes had been laid by the
bed; the old turned black silk with lace
basied in neck aud wrists, had been
hung on the rocking-ehair; the bonnet
and gloves and fringed parasol laid out
ON the sofa. Never had dress and
bonnet been more carefully busted,
never had lace and linen been more
carefully laundried,
Johns mother knew when things
were well done, so n was with COM
pacent feeling that she drove, in the
well-kept spring.wagOn. behind the
sleek bay, 10 the collego-town. But as
she approached the church her heart
was beating faster, and when the hired
boy helped her from the wagon, he felt
the nervous tremor in her thin hand.
She was early. The church was not
vet open. She had half mind % 20
10 her Johns boarding house. Had She
done thisshe would have found the object
OF her solicitude not yet dressed for
breakfast, being barely half-past seven.
But bound upon getting good seat, she
sat on the church stops, and waited a
weary time till the janitor came to open
the doors and TO ring the bell.
Sho entered the church followed by
another woman, who was young, and
lnoked very warm; rs well she might,
since she had walked three miles from
the country, and wore an alpaca dress.
bright blue, with yellow satin ribbons
and white cotton mitts.
Johns mother seemed, by compari-
son, most respectable in her thin black
silk and white Grape shawl, and those
loose brown kids. She hurried along
the aisle, as though nervously fearful
yet OF missing good seat from which
she could hear and see' her John. She
glanced in a frightened way to right
and TO left, after the manner of one
who was finding all the seats taken,
and was in a panic lest she might have
to stand. or TO retire from the house
She took the very front seat, and
heayed sigh of relief like one safe Mt
last.
AS the people assembled, john s
mother began to suspect that they
avoided the front seat. Fearing there
might be reason for this, sine moved
back four pews, But no sooner was
she there seated, than she felt lost be-
hind the towering heads aud bonnets
'OhF' cried her frightened heart,
I'm afraid | sha'n't be able TO see
John, and how his new clothes look; or
the gestures, or anything, I'll go back
to the front seatp'
This she did, and sat there with a
feeling OF graduation in her good for
tune, AS she saw hurrying people with
anxious faces pressing this way and that
TO the good seats
After time, man touched her on
The shoulder and said. "These front
seats are reserved for the trustees,
ma am"
Johns mother got to her feet trem-
bling, a swift look of alarm--of dismay
coming TO the thin face. What II she
should have To go away back where she
could not hear his oration, and could
only half see himP What if she could
not get seat at all?
She lost no moment in beginning the
search, Up one aisle and down anoth-
er she went, the poor face turning this
way and that in pathetic appeal, with a
halt-crazed look in il.
Young women, young men, children
stared, smiled, giggled, but no one
offered seat. II the piteous alarm in
her heart could have been seen as she
was suffering il, all the audience would
have risen 10 their feet and entreated
her acceptance.
Wearied at length with nnavailing
wanderings, she turned 10 little girl
az the aisle end of u seat.
4" u hold you on my lap, my dear, II
you'l let me have your seat, v she said