Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1922-07-20


Hattie. / intend to take her.
And then she asked Grendfather
again when Father was going to speak.
I'm so excited! Only think Of see
ing my father up on big platform
with lot of big men, and hearing him
speak And he'll be the very smartest
and handsomest one there, too. You
see if he isn't
TWO WEEKS AND ONE DAY LATER
Fathers here-right here In Boston.
don't know when he came. But the
first day of the meeting was day be-
fore yesterday, and he was here then.
The paper said he was, and his picture
was there, too. There were lot of
pictures, but his was away ahead of
the others. 1t was the very best one
on the page. Il told you it would be
that way.)
Mother saw it first. That is, think
she did She had the paper In her
hand, looking at it, when l came into
the room; but as soon as she saw me
she laid it right down quick on the
table. If she hadn't been quite so
quick about it, and if she hadn't looked
quite so queer when she did it,
wouldn't have thought anything at all.
But when went over to the table after
she had gone, and saw the paper Aith
Fathers picture right on the first
page-and the biggest picture there
l knew then, of course, what she'd
been looking at.
looked at it then, and read what
it said, too. 1t was lovely. Why,
hadn't any idea Father was so big.
was prouder than ever of him. 1t told
all abou. the stars and comets he'd
discovered. and the books he'd written
on astronomy, and how he was presi-
dent of the college at Andersonville,
and that he was going to give an adj
dress the next day. And l read 1t
all-every word And ] made up my
mind right there and then that I'd
cut out that piece and save it.
But that night, when / went to the
library cupboard to get the paper,
couldn't do it, after all. Oh, the paper
was lucIc, UuI tHut puSC Was SOhS.
There wasn't bit Of it left. Some
body had taken it right out. l never
thought then of Mother. But believe
now that it was Mother, for
But l mustn't tell you that part now.
Stories are just like meals. You have
to eat them-I mean tell them-in reg
ular order, and not put the ice cream
in where the soup ought to be. So
I'm not going to tell yet why / suspect
it was Mother that cut out that page
Of the paper with Fathers picture in
it.
Well, the next morning was Fathers
lecture, and ! went with Mother. Of
course Grandfather was there, too,
but he was with the other astronomers,
guess. Anyhow, he didn't sit with US.
And Aunt Hattie didn't go at all. So
Mother and l were alone.
We sat back-a long ways back.
wanted to go up front, real far front
the front seat, if could get it; and
/ told Mother so. But she said.
mercy, nor and shuddered, and went
back two more rows from where she
was, and got behind big post.
/ guess she was afraid Father would
see us, but that's what / wanted.
wanted him to see us. / wanted him
| to be right in the middle of his lecture
and look down and see right there be-
| fore him his little girl Mary, and she
| that had been the wife of his bosom.
Now that would have been what
called thrilling, real thrilling, especial
ly if he jumped or grew red, or white.
| or stammered, or stopped short, or
anything to show that he'd seen us,
and cared. i:s.assssss RIA il 49,
I'd have loved that.
But we sat back where Mother
wanted to, behind the post. And, OF
course, Father never saw US at all.
1t was a lovely lecture. Oh, OF
course, l don't mean to say that
understood it. I didn't. But his voice
was fine, and he looked just too grand
for anything, with the light on his no
BILE brow, and he used the loveliest
big words that I ever heard. Ant
folks clapped, and looked at eacf
| OLuSI, anu AOu0O0f anu VAANS Va SVA~>
they laughed. And when he was al
through they clapped again, harde
than ever.
Another man spoke then, iittl
(not near so good as Father), and thel
!. it was all over, and everybody got up t.
! GO and l saw that lot of folks wer
crowding down the aisle, and looke'
and there was Father right in from
of the platform shaking hands wit
folks.
l looked at Mother then. Her fac
was all pinky-white, and her eyes wer
shining guess she thought spoke
for all Of sudden she shook he
| head and said:
mo, no, couldn't, couldn't! Bu
! you may, dear Run along and spea
Z to him; but don't stay. Remembe
= Mother is waiting, and come rigf
hackn