Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1902-10-11


imagine that he had been. not Sc
very long ago, an outcast and al
alien. He was like the others now
except for being so much larger ant
stronger, but that could not be helped
de was conscious that strangers
fsked about him as II pleased. and his
head was perhaps getting somewhat
turned when he heard the old familiar
litter from a group Of girls. CHANGING
round to learn the cause, he saw that
his grandfather and grandmother had
come.
They had stationed themselves on
the track, the beheld of all beholders
In the poor old family vehicle that
had carried many generations OF
Scots on state occasions, they sat
and fixed their loving eyes on his
face. their faces wreathed In happy
smiles.
jeremiah knew that the girls were
making unkind remarks, and saw that
Lucy was one Of the group. He did
not see that she left them and joined
her father, for with his breath com.
ing quickly he took great strides to
the old eQuipage, where he leaned
against the wheel and talked until
called to duty.
He never could tell how the game
was won. But tho Tigers were beat
en-. The crowd of men and boys came
rushing and closed about him to do
him honor-to carry him on their
shoulders in demonstration of their
own joy at the victory. It was great
moment. There were cries of "Coun.
try! Country! What's the matter
with Country" and answering shouts
of Hes all right"
But to the right Of the crowd, voices
said, Here you are. Make way for
the lady," and through a narrow pass.
ageway came the little grandmother.
wait a minute!" she quavered,
shrilly, as her boy was about to be
lifted from his feet. jeremiah heard
and turned toward her. She ran to
him and opened a great bundle she
was carrying.
"You must put this on" she said,
because you are so warm that you
might take cold"
She took off the newspaper wrap
ping, and shook out new, gaily col.
ored patchwork quilt. 1t was the one
she had been making all the fall. Per-
haps all along she had been planning
1t for this, her feeble little hands un.
consciously patching his complete and
overwhelming downfall. Hereafter
he would be in the minds of all these
people-just a thing in q bedquilt,
something to laugh at till their sides
ached. The groveling horror in his
heart was like nausea.
Lucy stood beside her father, the
judge. They were looking at him
with intent, stern scrutiny. He caught
the judges eye. There was an intent.
ness in it that reminded him of one
pupil trying to tell another something
in the schoolroom, and not daring to
speak except with his eyes.
1t was an eternity Of misery, yet all
in flash grandmother was lifting
the awful thing up and around him.
1t was not yet too late to refuse 1t
quietly-to thrust it back into her
eager, loving hands that had toiled
on it. Could he-must he--be carried
around the track with that thing
streaming out behind him? Impossi.
hlot ton hun, IN thirlr
She was lifting it in he- feeble
hands. Grandmother knows what
her boy wants." her old voice ca
ressed him.
A man laughed-a coarse, brutal
laugh. The outside crowd pushed
and shouted, unseeing. "Scott! Scott"
1t was that laugh that did it. 1t
made him grandmother champion
against the world. The struggle was
over.
jeremiah loved his little grand
mother, and as he stopped to let her
fasten the quilt about him with a
great horse.blanket pin, he planted
a swift kiss on the soft, wrinkled fore.
head, and the crowd lifted and bore
him away while shrieks and howls
rent the November air. But tina con.
queror's chin was high.
When he found himself free once
more, he picked up the mass of bed.
quilt that trailed behind him, and
hung 1t over his arm.
To his surprise portly gentleman
hand and the voice of the Judge, deep,
earnest and cheerful, said: Il con-
graduate you, my boy! You have won
a great victory. Here, Lucy, come and
shake hands with the hero"
Lucy's small, eager hand was quite
lost in his, and Lucy's cheeks were
pink.-Youth's Companion.