Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1892-10-31


preached nearer and nearer the eff
fort on which all her interest was
concentrated, my little friend became
excited and restless. Her eyes grew
larger and brighter, two deep red
spots glowed on her cheeks. Sns
touched up the flowers, manifestly
making the offering ready for the
shrine.
"Now it's his turn,o she said, turn
ing to me face in which pride and
delight and anxiety seemed equally
mingled. But when the overture was
played through, and his name was cal
led, the child seemed in her eagerness
to forget me and all the earth beside
him. She rose to her feet and leaned
forward for better view of her be-
loved as he mounted to the speakers
stand. knew by her deep breath
ing that her heart was throbbing in
her throat. / knew, too, by the way
her brother came to the front he was
trembling. His hands hung limp; his
face was pallid and his lips blue, as
with cold. [ felt anxious. The child,
too, seemed to discern that things
were not well with him. Something
like fear showed in her face.
He made an automatic bow. Then
a bewildered, struggling look came
into his face, then helpless look, and
then he stood staring vacantly, like
somnambul1st, at the waiting audi
,4- 80 fr11
pense went by, and still he stood as if
struck dumb. I saw how it was; he
had been seized with stage fright.
Alas! little sister! She turned her
large dismayed eyes upon me. "He's
forgotten it," she said. Then a swift
change came into her face; a strong,
determined look; and on the funeral
like silence of the room broke the
sweet child voice:
g 'Amid the permutations and COM
that 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,
the long, unchildish words, produced
weird effect.
But the help had come to late; the
unhappy brother was already stag
gering in humiliation from the stage.
The band quickly struck up, and wav-
es of lively music were rolled out to
cover the defeat.
gave the sister glance in which
I meant to show the intense sympa-
thy which felt, but she did not see.
Her eyes, swimming with tears, were
on her brothers. face. put my arms
around her. She was too absorbed to
feel the caress, and before 1 could ap
preciate 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 a quick mist
came into his eyes. The young men
got closer together to make room for
her. She sat down beside him, laid
her flowers on his knee and slipped
her hand in his.
l could not keep my eyes from her
sweet, pitying face. / saw her whis-
per to him he bending little to catch
her words. Later, I 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 broth
er's great surprise, made her way up
the stage steps, and pressed through |
the throng Of professors and trustees
and distinguished visitors, up to the
college president.
eff you please sir" she said with
little courtesy. twill you and the
trustees let my brother try again? He
knows his piece now"
For moment the president stared
at her through his gold-bowed spec
tacles, and then appreciating the child
petition, 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 brief
" announced that Mr. would now
deliver his oration-stH Historic Paral-
lels''
q Amid the permutations and COM
bination of the actors and the forces
which, - This the little sister wills
pered to him as he rose to answer the |
summons
A ripple of heightened and expec
tant interest passed over the audi
enee, and then all sat stone still, as