Osage Valley banner., 1880-10-21


child stepped into the aisle
When Johns mother was seated, the I
fine lady said to her child. You can
sit on mammals lap"
But Johns mother protested.
81 am younger than you, and can
better hold herr said the handsome
lady.
al can't take the seat unless you will
let me hold her. persisted Johns
mother. Aud this she held to.
There could hardly have been n
stronger contrast than these two women
presented; the one quantity old-fash-
ioned in dress and manner. the othor
fautless in style, quietly elegant, her
whole expression inetlably gracious.
~ wouldn't care, said johns moth
er. apologetically to the other, "only
my son Is senior. aud he's going to
make a speech and / naturally want to
hear him A lad doesn't graduate but
once la lifetime"
Mammas son is going TO speak,
too; he S senior. too!n said the child,
with eager pleasure, "I'lls show him to
you when he comes in,
"What is your sons namep' asked
the elegant lady wishing 10 show SYM
pathy.
John Osborne"
al think / have heard my son mem
ton that name Let me think. Isn't
he pre-cminent in the classp Doesn't
he excel in debate, or is it in compost
tionPn
The faded eyes were glowing with q
proud smile, and the mother replied,
"John does have the name of being II
good debator. though shouldn't have
mentioned At, il you hadn't asked for
Information.
There they Gomez the child cried.
I in loud whisper. Then she pointed
out her brother to the old lady, and
John mother pointed out her boy to
the girl;
4 Where does your son come on the pro-
! gramme?" said the child, laboring with
I the printed document "Oh, see his
name; here it Is, nest 60 the lastp'
Then the exercises began As tho
first speaker closed his address on
"The Crescent and the Cross" flowers
poured in upon him bouquets, baskets,
| crosses, crcScents.
"Well, now. amt they pretty" said
Johns mother, in undisguised admlra-
tiOn. "Ain't they nice? | never did
see the like"
That's the way it always is,n the
/ child explained. "The speakers al
ways get flowers. But, don't you be.
lievep- year there was one OF the
seniors that didn't get any flowers, Oh,
! did feel so sorry for him! His face
was Just as rod'
Il,,t 4hn anry,nI pr.ut tuag gppaLInfg
When he had ended Johu's mother
looked eagerly about, Again flowers
were handed from this quarter aud
that 10 the ushers, and passed to tho
last speaker
"Who gives the iiowersp' asked
Johns mother ot tho child. "WhY
didn't that senior get some last yearP'
4 "Why, the friends OF the students
bring the flowers, guess that senior
didn't have any friends, or maybe they
forgot TO bring him some. Mamma has
bouquet there 10 give to brother Will
II cost four dollars"
A sudden fear seized Johns mother
She hadn't brought any flowers for
John. 1t wasn't likely that uybody
\ else had remembered him. He was
going TO be slighted as that poor senior
had been, and his dear face would burn
with modification!
~ didn't bring any for my boy,N
she said. with a quick involuntary
glance toward the exquisite bouquet in
the hands of WINS mother. might
have brought some. have roses
and pinks and lilies, aud 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 JOhnP Had
anybody remembered her boyp If he
should not get any, would he feel very
badly about itP
AZ 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 ali-
dience. All the others had been hon
ored with floral tributes; and as this
one ended a eulogy on Thomas Jeiier-
son, Johns mother saw the flowers
fairly pouring toward him Nineteen
bouquets, according TO one report he
received. Alasl she saw how il would
be. John would be the solitary slight
ed one-alone in his misery; for only
win was to follow; and Wits mother
had that superb bouquet for him.
But perhaps perhaps 1t might bel
John might be remembered. One per
son there might be in all that large au-
dience who had thought TO bring foI
him a little bunch of flowers. "But,
she said, with a sigh, sit was not likely
when his own mother had not )"