Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1893-01-13
a SECOND TRIAL.

On the very front row OF the seats
found one.
Here a little girl moved along TO
make room for Inc, looking into my
face with large gray eyes whose
brightness was softened by very long
lashes. Her face was open and fresh
as q newly blown rose before sunrise.
Again and again l found my eyes
turning to the rose-like face, and each
time the gray eyes moved half smiling
to meet mine. Evidently the child
was ready Ito make up" with me.
And when, with a bright smile, she
returned my dropped handkerchief,
we seemed fairly introduced. Other
persons, now coming into the seat,
crowded me up quite close to the lit
tie girl, so that we soon felt very well
acquainted.
''There's going to be great crowd,
she said to me.
YES" l replied ''people always
like to see how schoolboys are made
into men,"
Her face beamed with pleasure and
pride as she said:
my brothers going to graduate
he's going to speak. I've brought
these flowers to throw TO him."
They were not greenhouse favor
ties just old-fashioned domestic flow
ers, such as we associate with the dear
grandmothers but" l thought,
''they will seem sweet and beautiful
to him for his little sisters sake"
THAT is.my brother" she went on,
pointing with her nosegay.
1.-THE one with light hair ?" / asked.
"Oh, no, she said smiling and shak-
ing her head in innocent reproof
mot that homely one with red hair.
His eyes look brown, too, but they
are not; they-are dark blue. There
He's got his hand up to his head now.
You see him, don't you ?"
In an eager way she looked from
me to him, as il some important fate
depended upon my Identifying her
brother.
Il see him." l said; "he's very
good-looking brother"
"Yes, he's beautiful" she said with
artless delight, 'and he is good and
studies so hard. He has taken care of
me ever since mamma died. Here Is
his name on the programme. He is
not the valedictorian, but he has an
honor for all that"
| saw in the little creatures famil-
iarity with these technical college
terms that she had closely identified
herself with her brothers studies,
hopes and successes.
"He thought at first" she contin-
ued, that he would write on The
Romance of Monastic Life
What strange sound these long
words had, whispered from her child
ish lips Her interest in her brothers
work had stamped them on the child's
memory, and to her they were ordina-
ry things.
"But then" she went on, "he de-
cided he would rather write on His
torical Parallels, and he's got a real
good oration, and he says it beauti-
fully. He has said it to me great
many times. l most know it by heart.
Oh it begins so pretty and SO grand.
This is the way it begins" she added,
encouraged by the interest she must
have seen in my face: Amid the per-
mutations and combinations OF the
actors and the forces which make up
the great kaleidoscope OF history, we
often find a turn of Destiny's hand. !"
"Why, bless the baby ~ l thought,
looking down into her proud face. L
can't describe how very odd and elfish
it did seem to have those senorous
words rolling out of the smiling in
fantile mouth.
The band, striking up, put an end
to the quotations and to the conf
dences.
As the exercises progressed, and ap-
preached nearer and nearer the Ell
fort on which all her interest was con
my little friend became e1-
cited and restless. Her eyes grew
larger and brighter, two deep red
spots glowed on her cheeks She
touched up the flowers, manifestly
making the offering ready for the
shrine.
"Now it's his turn" 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
called, the child seemed in her eager
ness to forget me and al the earth be-
side him. She rose to her feet and
leaned forward for better view OF
her beloved as he mounted TO the
speakers stand. knew by her deep
breathing that her heart was throo-
bing In her throat. / knew, too, by
the way her brother came to the
front that he was trembling the
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