The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1896-09-19

their classes; but it was very naugh-
ty for me to act as | did. would
laugh and talk, although my teacher
kept speaking to me, until the super
intendent came and raped on the
bench with his tuning fork, and said:
Look here, Miss! You must keep
stillp One Sunday he had to come
twice to tell me to be quiet"
"Why, that's funny" cried round
faced Amy.
II think it was dreadful" said
Gladys, with a complacent sigh. 81
never did such a dreadful thing
neverw
Il don't know why I acted SO very
bad on that Sunday. l always re-
member that day for another reason.
Just before the school was out the
superintendent said that on the next
Saturday afternoon there would be
an anniversary meeting in the school
house, and that minister from Eng
land named Mr.. Lightbody was going
to talk to the children, and everybody
was to have good time. How often
through that week asked father and
mother the question, What is uni
versarYs" but they only said: ooh,
something nice. Wait, and you will
know all about it, l was so full of
wonder and gladness the next Sat
urday that / could not keep still while
mother tied the blue ribbon strings
of my little straw bonnet; and fair
ly ran along the river road, keeping
ahead of the others all the way.
was five years old then. A year had
gone by since the Sunday school be-
gan; that's what it meant, the ami
versary. You are to have one here
because your school is three years
old.
"The old school house had been fit
ted up with benches and pulpit.
When | went in on that wonderful
afternoon, l found that some one had
been at work making the room look
very different from what it did on
Sundays. On each side of the pulpit
rows of seats had been made, one
row above another, so that the chill
dren faced the others who sat on the
benches. DR.. Tompkins and Mr..
Lightbody were in the pulpit; and
| there was Cousin Caroline fuckers
melodeon, and Mr.. Hutchinson was
playing on it. | was put in one Of
the upper seats with other girls; and,
looking down, | saw in the little
tables place large one, on which
were little wicker baskets filled with
patty-pan cakes, round cakes with
scalloped edges, and big red and
yellow apples.
"'That must be the anniversary
thought l, as l looked around and
listened to the music. | don't remem-
bsr all that Mr.. Lightbody said; but
| know that he told us about nice
Bible verse, 4 love them that love
me, and they that seek me early shall
find me-
Il learned that once" cried
Gladys, delighted.
whenever | hear that text now, l
think of that day SO long ago, and
can almost hear Mr.. Lightbody say
ing it over and over. AS he talked,
he asked the older scholars some
questions. | can remember only one,
what is the largest city in the
world9' England Emily johnson
cllled out very loud. The others
laughed because she should have
said, London; and Emily's face was
very red.
"By and by the ladies passed the
cakes and apples for the children to
help themselves, and have a good
time eating together. l was so bash
full, and things were so new and
strange to me at this first anniver-
sary, that l hardly dared reach out
my hand when the baskets came to
me. However, managed to take
nice, large, round, smooth cake, with
deep scallops all around it, and big
red apple; and there L sat, holding
them, while the others were eating
and getting more cakes and apples
each time that the baskets were
passed.
"Once l thought l would try to
take bite of cake; but, just as l put
it to my mouth, Dig boy gave me
queer look, drawing up his eye in
such funny way that felt very un-
comfortable, and kept my cake and
apple on my lap. My mother had
often told me, when l went visiting
with her, that one helping of sauce
or pie or cake was enough for little
girl. So | thought that | must not
Al. L