The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1897-08-07

l s'pose. to think he was left behind"
Mrs. Pitkin glanced out the win
dow, where she could just see the
chimney of Gran'ther Browns cot
tage rising above the swell of the
pasture.
There" she exclaimed, starting
up, sits two o'clock and after, and l
won't have time to get him ready if l
sit here any longerl' Her mind was
made up, without any further debat-
ing or f-commiseration, and she
started down the front stairs with an
air of almost cheerful resolution.
"Joel," she called to her husband,
who, already dressed, was reading
the newspaper in the sitting-room,
when you get harnessed up drive
over to Gran'ther Browns Pm going
to fix him up to go to Georges grad
uation."
"But-Martha," called Joel Pitkin
after his wife's vanishing form,
"aren't you going tooa You won't
have time"
81 know it, l know it, JOEL" cried
Mrs. Pitkin; "and if stop to talk l
won't even have time to get gran'ther
ready. It's been borne in upon me
that he needs to go more than l do.
You just come along for him when
you get hitched up"
Mrs. Pitkin darted out the back
door and was gone, leaving her hus-
band and Flora staring at each other
in amazement.
well, l declared" exclaimed Mr..
Pitkin. "Some women do beat ever
thing" With which generic and
somewhat dubious compliment to
his wife, Mr.. Pitkin returned to his
paper.
Mrs. Pitkin found Gran Their Brown
still sitting expectantly on his door
step. II knowed you'd Gomez he
exclaimed, his thin old face shining
with joy. "Tm awful sorry to trouble
you, Mis- Pitkin, but I'm poor help
less old man. and it didn't seem as if
I could let the day go by and not
see Georgy graduate"
mo more you sha'n't granther,"
cried Mrs. Pitkin, cheerfullY well
have you ready now in short order,
and I've told Joel to be sure and
drive around here after you, so you'll
be one of the first ones at the school
house."
God bless your cried the old man,
the tears starting to his eyes. $50
Pm to see my little Georgy graduated"
His joy was so almost childish in its
intensity that Mrs. Pitkin was deeply
touched. She helped the old man
into his long, stately, threadbare best
coat, buttoned his CATERS, tied his
choker. and brushed his thin gray
hair. Then she got his hat and stick,
and sat chatting with him for the few
minutes that remained before Joel's
arrival with the rafting democrat.
Now get him a good seat, Joel,
where he can see and hear" she ad-
monished her husband. And don't
forget to bring him safe home again
when the exercises are over. Goodby,
gran'ther. Enjoy yourself now"
The old man was so excited and
| jubliant that it was not until he had
almost reached the school house that
itoccured to him to ask if "Mis' Pitkin
wasn't coming tool"
81 guess not, gran'ther" replied
Joel; "she's pretty busy today"
The old man wore troubled look
for time, but it passed off gradually
as the exercises progressed; and when
his idol Georgia came on the stage,
his face shone in the audience like a
new full moon.
81 tell you," said Joel Pitkin to his
wife that evening, after their daughter
had gone, all radiant, to the class re-
ception, 81 was mighty proud of our
Georgy's performance. The audience
stamped and clapped her more than
any of the others too. You ought to
have been there and heard some of
the good things she said. couldn't
help remembering one of 'em, it was
80 good. She said: Nothing in litera-
ture is so imperishable as the charac-
ter that is clothed with humility, I'M
selfshness, and selfsacrifcing devo-
ton to others. 1t speaks we'll for the
world that it will not let such char
acters die, nor the books that embalm
them be forgotten
Mrs. Pitkin drew long breath of
rapturous admiration.
"Oh, JOEL" she cried; "if l could
only rise to such ideal thoughts as
that What grand thing it must
be to have such conceptions"-H
pers Bazaar.