The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1897-10-19

anu, as ne progressed In the regular
students' work, he was able to clothe
those ideas in proper form and give
them attractiveness.
The change in Chesterfield" him
self was not greater than the change
IN the sentiment with which the boys
regarded him. His patient, persistent
efforts at self Improvement had won
their respect, and his success won their
admiration. From being the butt of
ridicule he came to be q general favor
ite before the first spring term closed.
The boys knew no more of his pri
vate life then than they did in the be
ginning. He kept on the even tenor of
his way, sleeping and eating in his
shabby little ROOM which was seldom
entered by any 0ne save himselO faith
fully attending to his duties as bell
ringer, and putting every moment Of
his spare time in the library or read
ing room.
He wore the same clothes, which
looked none the worse for the fact that
the new and CreAseless appearance had
vanished with their months Of STEADY
use; but when he once more turned his
face toward the hills which sheltered
his simple cabin home the medal given
for the greatest improvement in debate
glistened upon the shabby lapel Of his
homespun coat. =
The bell which called the students
together on the first morning of the
new year was rung by Chester
Churchill, and his greeting by his fel-
low.students was very different from
what it had been on that day one year
before. He dropped into the old rou
tine, and 80 the year glided by. It
would take too long to tell Of the
struggles and triumphs of those four
years, when he rang the bell at ST.
George, and toiled on through poverty
and self-denial toward the goal OF his
ambition; but all things must have an
end, and all things Worthily done must
sooner or later have their reward.
The last day of the commencement
had come, and Chester Churchill, with
the rest Of the senior class, occupied
the platform under the great tent which
had been pitched on the college cam
pus to accommodate the crowd which
thronged to hear the speeches and zee
the awarding Of diplomas. The mem
bers Of the senior class were to speak
for the Van Wtrter medal, and for
months the woods around the old col
lege had runR with sounds Of oratory,
al the contestants were ~practicing for
the fnal great battle. Toe society
rivalries were running high, and for
miles around everybody, young and
old, was interested in the result, for
everybody declared allegiance to n
or the other of the literary societies.
Toe old and middle aged men had
made the halls resound with their voices
and the younger boys had already
made their choice, and we're only await
ing the happy day when they should
be old enough to enter the rena. The
girls had brothers or s~Weethe6rts who
we're in INT or the other society, and If
their champions should be successful,
they knew who would get to @ the
medal. So it was an excited crowd
which filed the tent and overfoWed
on the lawn outside. Far back on the
outskirts of the crowd sat a shabby
looking little woman, with q limp,
faded dress and q bonnet which had
done duty nobody but herself knew
how long. Her face was lined and
scanned with time and care, her hair
was almost white, and the hands which
she moved nervously in her lap
hard and toll worn; her eyes were
very bright, and che eve moved
them from the stage where the grad
uating class sat; and her wrinkled
face fairly beamed with pleasure.
If anybody had asked her, she could
have told them where the scanty sup
plies which kept Chester Churchill at
college came from. She could have
told them how she got the new, we'll
fitting suit for his graduating day, in
which he looked every inch the we'll
bred gentleman, and not unworthy the
name given him in ridicule: Chester
field"
The band struck up an inspiring air,
the crowd settled into silent expectancy
and the exercises had begun. One by
one the speakers came before the au
dience; and in each case there we're
delighted, admiring friends who felt
that he of all others deserved that
prize; but when Chester Churchill
stood before them and began his ad-