The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1896-12-19

lady, always so kind to every body.
Then something came over Cliff, and
he felt more ashamed of himself than
he had ever done in his life before.
While these thoughts were passing
through Cliffs mind, Miss Stanley
had finished dressing the girls; and
l do not doubt but you are thinking
how delighted they all we're with
their pretty costumes-but bless US,
and save us, that is because you don't
know anything about it.
Maybe Blueblossom's little rosebud
Of mouth was sticking away out in
the ugliest pout you ever saw because
Susie Jones had pink tarltan dress
with gold stars, while hers was only
blue tarltan with silver stars, and
Susie Jones was in tears because she
wanted to be an angel, with wings,
like Alice Paxton, instead of an old
fairy that she just hated.
The goddesses said spiteful things
about the angel costumes, and the
angels quarreled with the goddesses
in the most unangelic fashion. Tom
my Smiths big sister said Tommy
shouldn't wear black Brownie suit
when frankie Sawyer was going to
have a red one, and the Ball boys, who
only sang in the choruses and didn't
dress in costumes, we're laughing and
egging everybody on-while Miss
Minerva Saulter, in her efforts to
mend matters, was adding to the con-
fusion by saying and doing all sorts
of wrong things.
Miss Stanley looked as though she
was ready to break down and cry.
But then she had been up working
on the costumes until after twelve
o'clock the night before and was all
tired out, poor thing. Brother Banks
was rubbing his hands and saying:
cts too ad,-too bad. did
hope everybody would be pleased
| this time"
Cliff Armstrong, sitting back there
in his shadowy corner, had good
opportunity to see all that was going
on-not that it was anything new to
him; he had often seen such behavior
before; indeed, had often taken part
in it-but just now he was seeing it
by new light. There was sharp
struggle going on in his boyish
bosom.
1t wasn't easy for him to humble
himself, but as | said before, Cliff
was pretty nice fellow under all his
youthful foolishness, and it was only
a moment or two before he was on
his feet walking bravely down the
aisle.
"Miss Stanley" he said, looking
her frankly in the face, 81 am aw-
fully sorry about keeping you wait
ing; it's just mean shame to give
you so much trouble when you are so
nice, and everything-but tell me
where to find my costume and | will
have it on in minute; | know it's
just what like-and, say, Miss Stan
le3, 1 know every bit of that song
now" He had declared the night
before that he could not learn it,
If you could have seen the way
Miss Stanley and Brother Banks
frightened up, it would have done
your heart good. Mrs. Brown was
right when she said Cliff was the
ringleader, even the big girls who
thought they were nearly young
ladies looked ashamed of themselves,
and when Cliff came on the stage
with his costume he was greeted with
chorus of voices saying:
ooh, don't he look NICE"
"Of course he does Three cheers
for Cliff Armstrong;" shouted
Brother Banks, and they all joined
in giving Cliff such a round of APP
plause that he had to run behind the
curtain to hide his bushes. Then
everybody settled down and went
through with their last rehearsal just
beautifully.
Two nights afterward the cantata
was given to crowded house, and
everybody said it was the most beau
tiful cantata ever given in Smith
field.
forgot to say that old Mrs. Brown
was SO surprised at Cliffs conduct
that night, that she has never got
over it to this day.
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