St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1908-09-16
A FatherIy interest.

dlNO d uidlllCu uldll Win u WIZ anu
three children. He was also ifty-five
years old and man of dignity. He
was also president of three or four
boards. had a character for probity and
was looking longingly forward to the
time when he should make his appear
ance In the house of commons. Mr..
saunders had business in London.
Wien that business had been conclud-
ed he had business at Dover. He was
waiting for his train in the London
depot when he was approached by two
females. One was a motherly woman
of forty and the other a girl of about
twenty. The former looked anxious,
and the latter was weeping.
Mr.. Saunders asked what was the
matter.
It's this way, sir" began the elder
ly woman in a businesslike way. Il
am Mrs Baxter Of the birmingham
School For Girls. This is Miss Ladue
of Paris. She has been attending my
school to secure an English education.
She has news that her mother is very
i'll. Some one should have come for
her, but has not. She goes to Dover
and takes the boat. If she could go
under your charge, sir
OF course Mr.. Saunders was only too
happy, and so forth, On several occa-
sions his mother had been very ill., and
he knew how it was. After the train
had moved away and after Miss La
due had wept for a quarter Of an
hour he got a surprise The girl
lifted her veil and exhibited a laugh
ing face and called him Uncle jim"
1t was an English face, and her
words were English The honorable
stared at her for a long minute and
then said.
You are up to some sort of game
and have rung me into it."
Yes, you are my Uncle Jim until
you have seen me safe aboard the boat
at Dover Now. don't be impulsive and
declare that you won't and all that
We selected you because of your age
and dignity, my dear uncle. You have
fatherly look. You also have an ex-
preston of innocence lurking about
you. AS your niece | shall pass I'M
questioned"
His honor leaned back In his seat
and refused to answer. He was in
sweat He had been forced into q
situation that might end in his down
fall. and he realized that 1t must be
handled with care.
Il will get off at Gravesend," he
said after awhile.
Il beg your pardon, uncle, but Dover
is your destination" she pleasantly
replied. Il hope you are not becoming
abscntmiuded as you grow old You
are to see me on the boat, you know"
mo; | will not do it"'
you'll do it like a little lamb, sir
and shall be very proud of my old
uncle. What funny stories can you
think of? know you must have a
keen sense of humor. SO have l."
Woman, do you know who ann"
Numbered the honorable, springing up.
"My Uncle jim, Of course" she smil-
ingly replied, Il can so arrange it
that the papers will say that you kind
ly escorted me ON this trip. Have
aunty and my cousins asked about me
latelyY
His honor realized his helplessness
and leaned back and groaned in de-
spair. He had Numbered into a ia
therly trap and knew that the girl had
all the advantage and would keep it.
What is the-the crimeY he asked
after awhile,
"Why, Uncle Jim! How dare you
charge your niece with a crime? I
wouldn't have believed it of youv"
But you are fleeing out of England
and fear arrest"
ooh. but can't one flee without being
a criminal? Suppose am in love with
a Frenchman and owing to my IA
theirs surveillance | must go to Paris
like a fugitive to marry the man of
my choice"
"Humph!' grunted the honorable.
The girl removed her hat and laid
her head back and seemed to sleep.
At Rochester couple Of men whom
he suspected to be officers of the law
looked in. At Canterbury two more
repeated the performance. Between
Canterbury and Ashford the young
lady woke up and said
Good Uncle Jim, the sober second
thought is the best. You will see me
and my luggage on the boat and then
go where you will"
Hanged if dor' he said to himself.
but up rose a vision of his family, of
his mayoralty, of his political ambi
tons. and he groaned like a man in
pain. When the train ran into Dover
the girl took Uncle Jim's arm and |
went with him to see about the lug |
gage. She 'uncled" him in the hear.
ing of fifty persons. He gave orders, |
bought her ticket and sat with her on
the boat until the all ashore bell rang. |
She waved her handkerchief to him |
rs he stood on the wharf, and as he |
saw two men watching him he waved I
back
Excuse me, sir" said one of the
men as he was followed off the wharf,
shut that young LADY,
MY niece, sir"
"Ah. ah, a thousand pardonsw
And three days later when Joseph |
Saunders read in his paper that one of