MteMMMOkHtMiCi
102
IlKCll'IlOCATi:!) Ma'M9.
i
missing this cuUulninmcnl on account of
a little headache."
"But Nellie you arc. p:lu," again veii.
lured Mr. llaymond, yet lutlf doublingly,
us if unvr nil it might not be the Audi of
his poor eye -sight.
"Pshaw, lather! it is the light from Unit
old (u feminine mljcctivu synonymous
with the more masculine mean) reflector
Unit probably makes it appear so." The
college was lighted by means of kerosene,
gas pipes not yet having been laid to it;
and the rays from one of the reflectors
were falling directly upon Miss Nellie's
face, the little focus of light in the centre
of the bright concave plate dnz.ling her
eyes like the sun in summer. So Miss
Nellie, might with little equivocation ac
count for her paleness in this way.
"You asked," slu' continued, as if to
draw her father's attention from the disn
greeuble subject, "the meaning of the
woid ' I'l'opogitum.' Purpose would rcn.
der it very well in thai motto 1 think."
"Tiiun," said Mr. Raymond, "the sen.
tence, freely translated, means that a per
sislence purpose overcomes all obstacles."
" You remember some of your Latin
jet, in spile of bills and ledger accounts,"
baid Miss Nellie, with the slightest laugh
imaginable. But heie the conversation
was inteiruplcd, tor the speakers, seven
in number, euleied the room in tile and
walked up the centre aisle towaid the
stage. Howard MelCee headed the com
puny, and, as he mounted the steps of the
rostrum and took his seat in the centre,
with easy, oil-hand grace, I doubt if there
was a person in that assembled audience
who would not have singled him out
from his companions as the one who
would take the palm of the entertain,
inent. The exercises were for the most
part short, pithy and entertaining; and
when Melvee arose to deliver the closing
oration the audience was in the best of
good humors, and waiting in a little fever
of expectancy for him to begin. One
moment he cast his eye over hisaudience
and then began in an off-hand facetious I
way to speak upon the subject of " i'opu
larity and Character." lie handled his
subject in masterly style. Now grave,
now gay; now modest, now bold; now
whimsical or sarcastic; he pleased hi"
hearers ami held their closest intention
until he had done.
Among so many people,did he see Miss
Nellie, back under Iho gallery, with many
a broad shoulder intervening to hide her
from his view? Possibly not. JJul Mibs
Nellie could see him, and hear his every
word, and watch his every motion, while
she strove in vain to still her heart's wild
beating and appear calm and uncon
cerned. No argument will avail 11113 -thing
with joursclt now, Nellie! You
cannot forget, nor be unconcerned in the
matter; for when a person attempts to pel -stiade
himself thai he is unconcerned
about a matter he is sine to be mosl con
cerned; when he must use uigumeiil to
convince himself that he is not in love,
he tn.iy as well make up his in bid at
once that he is most desperately in love;
he cares most when he imagines that he
cares not al all ; he lcmcmhcrs what he
tr s most to forget.
Melvee cloaial with a shoii and touch
ing valedictory, and took his seat amid
the cheers of the audience. Friends
chccicd his success. Young ladle
cheeied his delicate llippaucies, and
closed their eyes or winked haul at his
gi cater boldnesses. .Matronly ladies
cheered the little praise that he had
chanced to drop in favor of good inotlieis.
Old sagc chccicd him impiiUively for bis
smartness, but shook their wise old
hauls the next instant, as if in ominous
forebodings of bis future weal. The or
chestra now struck up 11 lively air; friends
greeted friends with many congialula
lions; students shook hands, or nodded
their goodbyes; the audience rdiied
fiom the room, and soon all were wend
ing their way homeward.
llowaid McICce was accompanied to
his bourding place by his father and
mother, who had come into town 011 the
'JsgMvmm
J