lost
in the beauty of "The blessed damozel," when he had appeared so
unexpectedly. And finally she realized suddenly how much she loved the
little worn volume and how she should always keep it to comfort and
inspire her.

"'_Come--back--to me, Sweetheart_,'" sang Judy teasingly, and Molly came
back with a start, only just realizing that she had been day-dreaming.

"What is this spiky thing that pricks through the folds of my aged
sweater?" asked Katherine, who had recognized an old blue sweater that
Judy wore draped from her waist like a pannier.

"This," replied Judy, "is a bud that grew on a twig that grew on a bush
that grew from the ground that marks the resting place of the ashes of
Queen's, and to you, Katherine, as true historian of our noble class, do
I present it."

"In the name of futurity, I accept it," replied Katherine, not to be
outdone in formality.

"And now to appease the cravings of the inner man, permit me to share
with you the contents of this hamper," continued Judy, opening a small
basket that she carried on her arm. "Although not the original,
lost-but-not-forgotten snakey-noodles, these are the best imitations
that Madeleine Petit could make. And Molly the cook has contributed once
more some of her justly famed cloud bursts, an indispensable exhibit in
this unequaled historical collection!"

Warm and breathless, Judy sat down and began to remove her borrowed
plumes, while the girls, each holding aloft a snakey-noodle and a cloud
burst, chanted appreciatively, "What's the matter with Julia Kean?
_She's all right!_"

* * * * *

Graduation at Wellington was old-fashioned and conventional. The girl
graduates in white dresses filed onto the platform and took their seats
in a semi-circle. Those who were so fortunate as to have relatives and
friends in the large audience searched for their intimate features in
the sea of upturned, interested faces. As glances met, smiles were
fleetingly exchanged but quickly subdued on the part of the girls as the
dignity of the day was borne in upon them anew.

President Walker, never more sweet and womanly than in the formal attire
demanded by her position, unconsciously inspired them all to imitate her
fine simplicity and grace of manner. Tears sprang to the eyes of many
girls as they looked at her and realized as never before that she had
been the real center of all that had been best and most lasting in their
college life.