The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1892-05-04
THE SCHOOL ENTERTAINMENT


How Little Girl Delivered Her Recita-
ton.
Last day was near at hand, and prep
arations for it filled our minds. Even
those of us who We're to be spectators
only looked on with delighted interest
at the daily drill taking place before
and between and after the regular les
sons. Echoes of it reached the outside
world, moreover, although the school
house was buried deep in the woods, far
from the nearest house, and back from
the road. This little brown house was
the theater; the stage-the masters
platform cleared of desk and chair-the
actors, all who We're scholarly or
smart" or especially gifted in oratory.
Deep in my own heart lay the pride
OF new accomplishment, poem, long
for seven years old, that | could say
without the book. 1t was a charming
little story of two robins, told by them
selves to certain pleasant old gentle
man to be imagined. The story was full
of the tender details of home-making
and housekeeping in tall elm-tree.
The master smiled when | asked him
if ] might ''speak piece" on last day
so shy was always, fearing the sound
of my own voice in the daily primer
but he did not refuse.
To surprise those at home with the
performance was part of the plan, so |
had to watch my chance to practice un-
observed in the little kitchen bedroom
A small loolSing-glass, hung high
against the wall, served my purpose,
for fitting it forward with chip l
could see almost down to my feet. l
practiccd my bow before it, in all the
little moments alone that could steal.
Indeed. l tried many kinds of bows be-
fore l hit upon one to suit-the one
when ] poised robin-wise, with head
tipped sideways, and a winsome, con-
fiding look on my face, BETTING the open.
ing lines:
I'm little robin -redbreast sir,
| My nest is in tree;
If you look up in yonder elm
NY pleasant home you'll see.
The bow once perfected, could go or
easily with the other seven verses to the
perfect satisfaction of the audience be
hind the looking-glass.
By happy chance my mother dressed
me for last day" in my best blue me
rino frocl, with peaked jet buttons al
down the back. 1t is true they were
hard to lean back against but the effect
would be pretty as stepped up on t.
the stage.
The exercises went forward smoothly
and lost in delighted satisfaction in my
little friends, listening and looking an(
wondering, forgot my own part til
the master smiled towards me and beck
oned. | went forward in dizzy shy
ness. turned round to see before me rows
Of faces, eager children gazing, thu
neighhors' wives looking frankly aston
ished, and among them my mother
flushed and troubled
Far less gracefully bowed to then
than to the lool1ing-glass, and began t.
speak, my heart beating so loudly from
fears of my own so real that the robins
little story was sadly jumbled up. No
| u confidential robin was speaking now
but "a frightened little girl instead
hurrying whispcringly through thu
dainty particulars of the elm-tree nest
bowed again-this time to Mrs. Reu
ben Dydge, who sat directly in front
then fled 10 my seat.
There was murmur of applause
everyone smiled pleasantly. Just theI
shabby little girl, my seat-mate
never very dear to me, gave into IN,
hand. out of the close clutch of her no
little fingers, a grimy penny. | thrus
it back coldly. trust she was gla,
| did. With the sweet breath of ap
prevail round me, and in the flush o
t delicious success, needed no materia
: gift and pledge of affection. My GU
: was full.-Louise Lyndon, in Men ant
Things.