Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1904-07-21
By Sarah DeWolf Gamwell.


III BELIEVE you are right. The
1 college graduates and alumnae
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
1ngs, is the college campus. The
faculty and official guests will soon
pass in procession to the chapel"
What high scholastic attainment
they bespeak; what dignity and beauty
they lend to an occasion like this"
The gray-haired speaker moved on,
while a man who had caught snatches
OF this talk shook his broad shoulders,
to make sure he was wide awake. He
removed his straw hat to fan himself,
noting c%uriously the scene before him.
He saw a broad expanse of turf, green
and velvety, intersected by many wind
ing paths under over-arching trees of
primeval mold, dotted by a 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
headed, except those who wore black
gowns and a square cap with a tassel
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 a 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 a college campus" he
thought, "and this is Mount Pisgah,
but where in it all, is she?"
He took from his pocket a faded bit
OF paper, which he had CHANGED upon
five days ago in a coffee-house in Sc
attic, and reread it for the Tooth time.
Commencement at Mount Pisgah,"
and in the list Of graduates" her
name, Dorothy Knox.
1t took n day to get himself to-
gether, four days in a special car to
cross the continent, and he was here,
but where was she? Would he know
her? The woman of ''sch elastic at
tainments" could have no remembrance
of the barefooted boy of Is years ago.
He could 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
was he here for at this 18th Hour, any
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
lions. 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"
evil the chapel hold It ALI"
Not half; not even tip-toe room"
"There they come! graduates first, l
suppose"
mo, choir girls lead. Stand back
and give them room, tits the largest
vested choir in the world, tits 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
their degrees"
Their degrees"
Eyes; the degree Of bachelor of 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
the weight Of 1t, now that it had
Was there t%elegraphy Of
he asked himself. He was
used to impressing men. Gould he
Impress her?" Send a sigma. 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 much!
He remembered her trick of throw
ing her head back a little, tilted over
her left shoulder; he remembered her
1imples; and the fIfsness of her hair
The color Of spun gold; and her great
brown eyes! He'd defy flowing robes,
tasseled mortar-boards and changing
years, to do their worst, with such
'air and eyes, to say nothing Of dim
pies.
All! one is coming now, DE- wn 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 dimples in her cheek
and chin.
Now. heart! Out with you~ Crap
ping iron, for 1t Is she!"
Suddenly when directly opposite to
him and SO neal that he smelt the Eng
lish violets in her belt--so near that
he could touch her, the face turned,
Ind a pair Of brown eyes looked full
INTO his with questioning wonder. He
Jaw one flush go up from her lips to