Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1893-01-13
sHEPHERDsTOWN, W. VA, FRIDAY, JANUARY 49, 1898

/
into his face, then helpless look, and
then he stood staring vacantly, like g
somnambulist, at the waiting audi
ence The moments Of painful sus
pense went by. and still he stood as il
struck dumb. / knew how it was; he
had been seized with stage fright.
Alas little sister She turned her
large dismayed eyes upon me. Hes
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
"'Amid the permutations and COM
binations of the actors and the forces
that make up the great kaleidoscope
OF history, we often find that a turn
Of Destiny's hand y
Everybody about us turned and
looked The breathless silence, the
sweet, childish voice, the childish
face, the long, unchildlike words, pro-
duced a weird effect.
But the help had come too late; the
unhappy brother was already stag
gering in humiliation from the stage
The band quickly struck up and waves
Of lively music were rolled out to COW
er the defeat.
0aua tho ciafar O. e,la nca in NJ hiah
| meant to show the intense sympa-
thy which l felt, but she did not see.
Her eyes, swimming with tears, were
on her brothers face. / put my arm
around her. She was too absorbed to
feel the caress, and before / could ap-
preciate her purpose she was on her
way to the shame-stricken young
man, sitting with face like a 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 and laid her
flowers on his knee and slipped her
hand in his.
could not keep my eyes from her
sweet, pitying face. saw her whis-
per to him, he bending little TO
catch her words. Later, / found out
that she was asking him il he knew
his piece" now, and that he an
swered 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 passed through
the throng of professors and trustees
and distinguished visitors, up to the
college president.
IF you please, sir" she said with
little courtesy, will you and the trus-
tees let my brother try again ? He
knows his piece now"
For a moment the president stared
at her through his gold bowed spec
tacles, and then appreciating the
child's petition he smiled on her and
went down and spoke to the young
man that had failed
So it happened than when the band
had again ceased playing, it was brief
ly announced that MIR. would
now deliver his Historic
Parallels
amid the permutations and com
binations of the actors and the forces
which '"-this the little sister whis-
pered to him as he rose to answer the
summons.
A ripple of heightened and expect
ant interest passed over the audience,
and then all sat stone still, as though
fearing to breathe lest the speaker
might again take fright. No danger.
The hero in the youth was aroused.
He went at his 'piece" with a set
purpose to conquer-to redeem him
self, and to bring back the smile into
the child's tear-stained face. /
watched the face during the speak
ing. The wide eyes, the parted lips,
the whole rapt being said that the
breathless audience was forgotten,
that her spirit was moving with his
And when the address was ended
with the ardent abandon OF one who
catches enthusiasm in the realization
that he is fighting down a wrong
judgment and conquering a sympa-
thy, the effect was really thrilling.
The dignified audience broke into
rapturous applause, bouquets intend
ed for the valedictorian, rained like
tempest. And the child who had
helped to save the day-that one
beaming little face, in its pride and
gladness, is something to be forever
remembered.