Show THE SWEET GIRL GRADUATE That Blooms With the Flowers of Spring Just at this time of the year a girl whom I know very well is about to begin her voyage of life as she terms it in her valedictory She is the sweet girl graduate She has sent off to all the John Thomasses of her acquaintance acquaint-ance scented little notes of invitation to attend the commencement exercises at the institution She is very pretty ifs somewhat crude and wears banged hair and many white ribbons Her gown is white with a sweeping trail It is to her like a foretaste of bridal finery She is in a flutter and supposes sup-poses that this is the great trying ordeal of her life She carries her diploma asa as-a young queen might carry her wand of office Her valedictory tied with blue ribbons and there is a good deal of sentiment and poetry in it She talks about the stormy sea of life about hope the light that was never on land or sea and she is smothered In flowers when she makes her pretty bow of retirement re-tirement she has already gone through the Inevitable ceremonial of vow taking with her school chum They are to write to each other every other day They are to keep each a diary and exchange them at the end of the year They are to have no secrets from each other They swear never to marry but after a time when they have been out in society long enough they will meet somewhere rent a house or a flat together and live inseperable for the rest of their mortal lives the one devoting herself to china painting the I other to Kensington embroidery or I woodcarving We have all heard her I rave over her bosom fried Alice Maud the animated repository of all her secrets Six monthsgo by We meet I Agnes or Ethel as the case may be and inquireafter the bosom friend She draws up her slender body and her I eyes look daggers that John Thomas wishes were buried in his heart so sweet if yet so sharp arc they If you mean Miss Smith says she I know nothing of her I decline to know anything I about her She came to my with house and flirted so shamefully Mr Brown that he has never been there since I shall cut her the nest I time I see her the hateful old thing I J |