Morris tribune., 1911-06-30

with me, but considered such a sub
iect between professor and student in
terdicted, and, since she had refused to
tell me before, had no hope of her
telling me now.
So passed the time till within a
month of commencement. One day
when l dismissed my class called
Miss Warren up to my desk and asked
her how she was getting on with her
Grafton. She smiled and said she was
still hunting for a subject. l stroVe
to impress upon her the necessity OF
a decision, whereupon she said she
was thinking Of taking for theme
girl of Pompeii who loved a man and
was pondering on a modest way to let
him know it when the dreaded vol
cano of Vesuvius opened, buried the
city under ashes, and the man with it.
l looked so lugubrious at this in
direct reference to my own case that
Miss Warren smiled. That smile up
set me- didn't know whether l
was a professor coaching student or
a man with an unsolvable love prob
lem to deal with. Was it sympathy
for this unknown girl who loved me
or was l in love with the unknown
girl? Nonsense! How could / be in
love with an unknown person?
l was conscious Of appearing
fool while Miss Warren stood looking
at the floor in that respectful attitude
which a student is supposed to main
tain in the presence of professor.
At the same time there remained
tiny curve at the corners OF her
mouth and a soft look in her eye that
puzzled and at the same time made
me feel very queer.
Select my topic for me, professor
she said. Il will use any you name,
and | am sure that with the feeling
ever present that it is your choice
shall write a good oratiOn."
I wondered what she meant by that.
'In that case l will choose the one
you first named, Augustus Caesar
From this time Miss Warren took
hold of the matter seriously. She con-
suited me constantly, and as | saw
her grafton grow up under my en-
couragement and Influenced here and
there by my suggestions my interest
in the young oratress constantly IN
creased. | forgot about the girl who
had honored me with her love and be-
gan to wish that Miss Warren might
stand in her place.
On commencement day, when the
salutatoriaD stood up in the attire of
girl graduate-spotless white-and in
melOdious voice spoke in a language
that died many centuries ago. l lis
tened in rapt attention. | was IA
miliar with it all. but as l listened to
the words come forth, every one enun-
ciated musically. it seemed to me that
no language has ever been so beaut1-
full, so impressive, as that of Cicero
and Of Horace.
Once only the speaker cast her eyes
down upon me, sitting with other
members of the faculty just beneath
her. when uttering a sentence IN
which she had made an error and
which l had corrected for her. Instead
of the Latin word "amare," Ito love"
she had used the word "amavi,' Il
have loved" Her beautiful orbs sank
to mine only for moment, then were
raised to the throng.
I could not but be aStonished that an
grafton so beautifully delivered and SO
we'll composed should have produced
so little effect. But when | remem-
bered that | and possibly one or two
others alone understood what the
speaker was talking about my sur
prise faded into regret that the au-
dience could not have enjoyed it as ]
did
did not see Miss Warren after the
delivery of her speech but called upon
her that evening-befOre her intended
departure-tO congratulate her upon
and so enthusiastic was l over her eff
fort Of the day that, taking her hand
to express my enthusiasm. | found 1t
difficult to release it. When | did so
she led me to seats where we could
sit side by side. and went over her
OLdlIOI' repeating SChlC al M 0~h
tence in rapture.
l was surprised that she did not
show evidence of being especially
pleased at my encomiums. She listen
ed somewhat impatiently to them and
when rested for breath said:
do you wish me to tell you before
| go the name of that girl who has
given you her heart?'
mo; DON'T
We were sitting close together, she
bending forward, toying with some or
namental work on the skirt of her
dress. SO that my eyes fell upon the
curves of her waist. Something-l
know not what-got into my arm. and
without my consent it dropped upon
the waist For moment was fright
ened; but. seeing that she paid no at
tention to what | had done. I took
Vb,+ o1eo noo1rro1 duripo haf