The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-04-03
1.-THE FIRST MEETING

l.
1t was on village green. There were
children's sports going on; blatant band
stimulated the general joy; the village
maidens gathered in corners bashfully' IA
dies with dreamlike dresses fitted divine
Nv over the grass and looked at the spores
with condescensiou through spectacles at
the end of long sticks-such they seemed
TO the village Imagination. Between inc
children and the visitors ran BACKWARDS
and forwards a girl of 16 or so. she was
busy and important, and knew eAaeUy
what should be DONE She was, IN fact' ire
mistress of the ceremonies. She brought
the village rnaidens to the ladies and pre-
sented them: she marshalled the village
children and brought them to the place
where a table was spread with prizes. Re
mind it were gathered the vicar, the iady
of the village, the lady's daughters me
schoolmaster-it was the annual oay Oh
recognition for his labors-and the GREAT
Man from I,ondon-the greatest man, that
is who could be got-and you must hol
expect exaltedness on village green. inc
Great Man. for his part. stood IN appar-
ent readiness, his eyes thoughtfuly 'urH-
ed upwards. He was, in tact, wrestling
with the first sentence of his address
nrettv scene and, as the Greatest Man
procurable afterwards remarked with me
originality of genius, a scene nowhere 10
be witnessed in England.
The moment arrived. With it, the long
eooked-for first sentence. 1t is remarka Die
about this first sentence that though II
may evade the orator for days and nights
-eepecially for nights-when the moment
arrives the mind sweeps down upon IT,
catches it, and produces it. After All
is not generally much of first sentences
but the practiced orator knows no" "
make it serve, with a smile, an inchhatioh'
sweep of the hand. as an example OF
the finest oratory possible to be obtained.
AS he began young man pressed through
the outer circle. Excuse me-" he san
IN the girl who directed the ceremonies
81 REPRESENT the Dingley Express. Please
let me through
The girl made a lane and gave MIN the
cpstonoarv seat at the table at the SIDE
He sat down, produced his DOCK anu
began to take down his report IN snort
hand.
II was all over. The Great Man had
finished: the prizes were given away; tne
vicar had offered advice and a suppilca-
tion: the meadow was deserted save Tor
the schoolmaster and the girl and the
young reporter
This representative of the press looked
round him, bit the point of his pencil ana
made another note.
pretty old place" he said, pointing to
the church beside the meadow
1--WE think So" the schoolmaster replied
humbly, with sigh, as if the opinion
might be wrong, Never been mere pc
fore. sir? Then let me show you our
school house, which y three hundreo
years Old
He led the way and showed the school
house and the church and the old cross
In the churchyard. Then he offered the
Young man the refreshment called tea.
After tea the reporter rose to go. Il am
afraid" he said, that I do not know how
to get back to the station. Will you kind
ly direct me?"
st will show YOU" said the girl, the
short cut across the fields
They walked along together. 1t was
short mile The way was over the fields
of midsummer, the sun still high, the air
warm and fragrant. The girl was pleas
ing of aspect, with features classical and
a serious expression. They walked in 81
Ience for a while. Then the girl turned
sharply to the young man. What do you
intend to do all your life? Stick in
country newspaper? What is your
name?"
MY name is John Coverley. Ill"
he colored violently. II have ambitions.
l would make a name-as a poet-if l
may"
"Oh. But that's great thing to hope
for, isn't it? Yet what did l read the
other day? II is better to die fighting
than to live rusting."
81 shall fight and live" he replied val
iantly.
She nodded her head with appreciation.
"And you?' he asked Are you going
to stay in a village school all your life?
What is your name?''
my name is Eliza Scholastica Jago.
have an uncle who has succeeded-in bust
ness. He has promised to get me educated.
hope to get on-in higher walks" she
explained with some importance.
"In higher walks?''
I'm education Can there be a higher
walk?"
They were close to the station. The
train was visible, rapidly sliding along the
line. There was no time for more.
Poetry is higher" the young poet re-
Piled, breathlesslY. Then he pulled off his
hat and ran with the swiftness of eighteen
TO catch his train.
1.-THE SECOND MEETING.
Six years later these two young people
met again This time in the underground
railway. The girl of 16 was now a young
woman of o. Thanks TO the goodness Of
the uncle in"business," she had received
all the advantages that Newman can con-
fer upon a girl, including the social lift
out of the village school into the High
School, where she was now an assistant
in the mathematical line. She got into