Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1908-11-06
A Fatherly Interest.

a certain town In England. He was
also a married man with a wife and
three children. He was also fifty-ffve
years old and a 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
nee In the house of commons. Mr..
Saunders had business In London.
When 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.
Its this way, sir" began the elder
ly woman in q businesslike way. IT
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
Ill. 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-
slons his mother had been very i'll, and
he knew how it was. After the train
had moved away and after Miss La
dttn haA won't For a r,.a,.krr oP n :,
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
n dignity. my dear uncle. You have
a fatherly look. You also have an ex-
preston of innocence lurking about
you. As your niece I shall pass I'M
questioned"
His honor leaned back in his seat
n refused to answer. He was in a
sweat. He had been forced into a
situation that might end in his down
fall, and he realized that it must be
handled with care.
81 VIII get off at Gravesend," he
said after awhile.
Il beg your pardon, uncle, but Dover
is your destination" she pleasantly
replied. 81 hope you are not becoming
absentminded as you grow old. You
are to see me on the boat, you know"
"No; l will not do itv'
"You'l do 1t hne a little lamb, sir.
and Ishall4e very proud of my OLD
uncle. What funny stories can you
think Of? | know you must have a
keen seITsof humor. So have l."
woman, do you know Who I ana"
Numbered the honorable, s~pringing up.
MY Uncle Jim, of course she smil-
ingly replied. 81 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
latelyT'
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 crime?" he asked
after awhile.
"Why, Uncle Jim! How dare you
charge your niece with a crime?e /
wouldn't have believed it of your
but you are fleeing out Of England
and fear arrest"
ooh, but can't one flee without being
a criminal? Suppose l am in love will
a Frenchman and owing to my fa.
theirs surveillance I 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 a 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 l dor he said to himself,
but up rose a vision of his family, of
his mayoralty, of his political ambi-
lions. and he groaned like a man IN
pain. When the train ran into Dover
the girl took Uncle Jim's arm ana
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
as he stood on the wharf, and as be
saw two men watching him he waved
back.