The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1904-08-13
mT BELIEVE you are right. The

college graduates ana dtuMHat
are in evidence with the roses and
brides. June has come to be the month
of the flowing robe and the tasSeled
mortar-board."
"Yes, and the best place to see the
scholastic gowns, in their many-hued
velvet facings and brilliant hood lin
ings. is the college campus. The
faculty and official guests will soon
pass in procession to the chapel"
What high scholastic attainment
they bespeak; Whfs dignity and beauty
they lend to an occasion like this
The gray-haired speaker moved on,
while man who had caught snatehes
of this talk shook his broad shoulders
to make sure he was wide awake. He
removed his straw hat to fan himself,
noting curiously the scene before him.
He saw broad expanse of turf, green
and velyety, intersected by many wind
ing paths under oVer-arching trees OF
primeVal mold, dotted BY score or
more Of large, red brick buildings.
Out of these poured crowds of young
women, singly and in groups. He
looked at them closely. He was not
used to women of this type, hardly OF
any type. All dressed in white, bare
gowns and a square cap with a tasseI
hanging in front. This must be the
flowing robe and tasseled mortar
board What did IT signify? All
seemed In a great hurry; all happy and
eager, on rush for something, brush
ing SO close to him that he inhaled the
scent of their roses, yet paying no
more heed to him than If he had been
invisible
"This then is college campus" he
thought, t'and this is Mount Pisgah,
but where in it all, is she2"
He took from his pocket a faded bit
Of paper, which he had CHANGED upon
attic, and reread it for the Tooth time.
Commencement at Mount Pisgah,"
and in the list of graduates" her
name, Dorothy Knox.
1t took one day to get himself to-
gether, four days in special car to
cross the continent, and he was here,
but where was she? Would he know
her? The woman Of Scholastic at
tainments'' could have no remembrance
OF the barefooted boy OF Is years ago.
He-eould never make her believe that
he had worshiped her all his life, since
he had not kept in touch with her.
And why had he not? Fool! what
xfyrcs ho how foy OF 41oS
way? Meantime the campus was filling
from every quarter by the constant ar
rivals
And always the talk. and he, crowd
ing on with the rest, hearing it in sec
tons. The bell IN the chapel struck
the hour.
That's the signal for the procession
to start. See the marshals! They have
enough to do, to keep this crowd
quiet"
So viii the chapel hold It ali?'
Not half; not even tip-toe room-''
There they come. graduates first,
suppose.
mo. choir girls lead. Stand back
and give them room, It's the largest
vested choir in the, world, It's said
Now the grave and reverend seniors
come, next the graduates"
The man took a long step forward
Would he know her?
You'll see them change their tas-
sells to the other side as soon as they
receive their degrees. =
Their degrees r.
Eyes: the degree Of bachelor or arts.
with their diplomas"
Shoulder to shoulder, step to step.
they come along the line like trained
soldiers. their white gowns just show
ing under their black robes, these
young women. They looked neither to
the right nor left, but straight ahead.
The goal was straight ahead
He who had almost annihilated time
and space to meet this hour, trembled
with the weight Of it, now that 1t had
struck. Was there telegraphy OF
spirit?" he asked himself. He was
used to impressing men. Gould he
impress herr Send q signal from his
heart to hers" Make her turn her
head, as she passed? Force her eyes
to meet his?" Had she grown" He
hoped not muchI
He remembered her trick of throw
Ing her head back a little. tilted over
her left shoulder: he remembered her
dfmples; and the fufiness Of her hair
the colorof spun gold. and her great
brown eyes! He'd defy flowing robes,
fasseled mortar-h boards and changing
years, to do their worst, with such
hair and eyes, to say nothing of dim
pies.
All! one is coming now, down the
line, on his side too, head held high
and tilted in the old way; hair fluffy,
color OF spun gold; two steps nearer
and he sees the dinples in her cheek
and chin.
Now. heart. Out with your Crap
ping iron, for tits sh Ell
Suddenly when directly opposite to
him and so near tat he smelt the Eng
fish yiolets in her bslt-so near that
ne could touch her, the face turned,
and q pair Of brown eyes looked full
into bis with questioning wonder. He
sew one flusE 20 up from he. lips To