The broad ax., 1896-12-12
| ROMANCE N REAL LIFE.

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"Come. Quelton." cried Jack Do
bursting into my ofice one morning
June last, drop those everlasting r.
pers and take an hours rest. 1 w
you TO go to the opera house with meN
And for what, pray" / answered
should 90 to the opera house In day
time-the forenoon at that? Is 1t re-
hearsal?"
Rehearsal? Certainly not; it's the
commencement exercises Of the Girls
High School, and there is one thing,
spec ally, on the program that / am
anxious for you to hear. Get ready,
nan; it's time to go. II will do you
good to see those pretty girls-two
hundred and fifty OF them, and listen
o what some Of them have to say. II
viii brush the cobwebs on that hard
worked old editorial brain Of yours"
Now cannot tell you how il was, bat
'ick's proposition reused In me sud
len but overweening desire to attend
hose exercises. II would be so radical
4 change from the amusements that /
usually INDUCED in. something sd
bright and inspiring and beautiful, that
| became, all in a minute, as enthus-
isstic about it as my bustling friend
was.
tossed aside the exchange" that /
had been scanning, laid a weight on
my copy" paper. seized my hat and &C
tuaily hurried lack out Of the office and
into the street on our way to the opera
house. suppose we are all subject to
those sudden impulses, but mine aston
lshed me, all the same; later in the day
! came to the conclusion that some
bene1cent spirit had moved me.
As We entered the house. where
large audience had already gathered.
the members of the graduating class
were Just coming upon the stage. This
Of itself was a pretty sight, and Jack
and found place where We could see
It to good advantage. The girls. whose
ages ranged from sixteen to nineteen.
years, were all dressed in white, with
just variation enough in material and
trimming to take away the appearance
Of monotony.
Each girl carried a bunch OF flowers
in her hand, and wore upon her left
breast the crimson and gold ribbon Of
the class.
Chairs were arranged in tiers from
the front of the large stage to the rear,
and the girls entered in two lines, one
from each side. Those that entered
he rfnh he
passed to the chairs on the left, and
those that entered from the left passed
% the right This semi-military effect
was very pleasing. and made the scene
orderly without being stiff.
When all were seated the exercises
began, but 1t is not my purpose to de-
scribe them In detail. Jack sooE let
me know why he had asked me to
come there, and that is what am 60
ing to tell you about. He pointed to
the fifth number on the program, and
said:
That is what / want you to hear
Miss Agnes Farrelrs recitation. She is
remarkable girl. want you to see
and hear her to-day, and then / am 60
ing to tell you a story about her She's
a heroine-every inch a heroine, with
as gallant spirit as ever animated the
heart Of soldier. And yet she is one
of the gentlest and most lovable girls
you ever saw. But waitr'
looked at the program and saw this:
5. Recitation-The Charge of the Light
Brigade.
Agnes Constance Farrell.
The first four numbers of the pro-
gram had been given, and then the
principal of the school announced Miss
Farrell. A fair-haired young girl arose
from the front row of seats and adj
vanced gracefully to the front Of the
stage. Her manner was easy and self
but absolutely free from
self-assertiveness; it was the manner
Of one conscious Of her power. but too
modest to make that consciousness ap-
parent.
With a slight but graceful bow to
the audience. she began to speak:
e