It was a lovely lecture. Oh, of course, I don't mean to say that I understood it. I didn't. But his voice was fine, and he looked just too grand for anything, with the light on his noble brow, and he used the loveliest big words that I ever heard. And folks clapped, and looked at each other, and nodded, and once or twice they laughed. And when he was all through they clapped again, harder than ever. And I was so proud of him I wanted to stand right up and holler, "He's my father! He's my father!" just as loud as I could. But, of course, I didn't. I just clapped like the rest; only I wished my hands were big like the man's next to me, so I could have made more noise. Another man spoke then, a little (not near so good as Father), and then it was all over, and everybody got up to go; and I saw that a lot of folks were crowding down the aisle, and I looked and there was Father right in front of the platform shaking hands with folks. I looked at Mother then. Her face was all pinky-white, and her eyes were shining. I guess she thought I spoke, for all of a sudden she shook her head and said: "No, no, I couldn't, I couldn't! But _you_ may, dear. Run along and speak to him; but don't stay. Remember, Mother is waiting, and come right back." I knew then that it must have been just my eyes that spoke, for I _did_ want to go down there and speak to Father. Oh, I did want to go! And I went then, of course. He didn't see me at first. There was a long line of us, and a big fat man was doing a lot of talking to him so we couldn't move at all, for a time. Then it came to when I was just three people away from him. And I was looking straight at him. He saw me then. And, oh, how I did love the look that came to his face; it was so surprised and glad, and said, "Oh! _You_!" in such a perfectly lovely way that I choked all up and wanted to _cry_. (The idea!--cry when I was so _glad_ to see him!) I guess the two folks ahead of me didn't think they got much attention, and the next minute he had drawn me out of the line, and we were both talking at once, and telling each other how glad we were to see each other. But he was looking for Mother--I know he was; for the next minute after he saw me, he looked right over my head at the woman back of me. And all the while he was talking with me, his eyes would look at me and then leap as swift as lightning first here, and then there, all over the hall. But he didn't see her. I knew he didn't see her, by the look on his face. And pretty quick I said I'd have to go. And then he said: "Your mother--perhaps she didn't--_did_ she come?" And his face grew all red and rosy as he asked the question. And I said yes, and she was waiting, and that was why I had to go back right away.