The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1909-08-19
b.
R. K. THOMPSON

R. K. THOMPSON
busy worrying about yourself to think
OF those two children IN charge of that
that"
That what?' I asked as she CROPPED
Tor a description of Lizzie What is
she-you don't know any more than l
Yes. I dol" she wept. ''I Just know
Jhat she's some sort Of q person don't
want my-our-chi-9Ee5. associated with
every day of their lives She is an
anarchist I'm eertainP'
anarchists don't come from Ger
many, ] reminded her. If she hailed
from Russia, now, or Itsly, I might be-
lieve your black CharGss" 1 turned away,
crumpling the cabiefTam in my nervous
myers I'd believe pretty nearly eV-
erything Of her-untried and unheard
though she IS"
Well if she's not an anarchist-anG
I stu think she is-she's something else
as bad. And she must be sent away"
All right" I invited. You tell me
how m to dodge my responsibility for
her without getting caught at it. and
III personally superintend her leaving
Ny wife was silent
Now, let's look at the thing like two
sensible people,, 7 advised latter a prof
i l!I pause for my wife to think.
j
led her through the doorway.
In the parlor of our pretty little home
sat down beside the center table OppO-
site TO my wife, who dropped at half
length In the Morris chair.
Now Wen consider the matter cool
ly, and from a reasonable, sane, and
quiet standpoint"
There was a noise of running feet up
stairs IN the nursery and Ronald's voice
rang out in g laugh that was immedi-
Oh Of 4E1o
welcome Lizzie. Ny wife sat up; then
slowly sank back as the sound was un-
repeated.
I'm the first place. I began our con
sideration of the situation. we have
got hold Of a nurse girl through an un-
fortunate case Of mistaken identity,
about whom we know absolutely moth
ing at all"
MY wife stirred restlessIy. Go on"
she ordered. I'm in a hurry TO go up
stairs and look at the children"
This mistake has occurred / con-
tinued. sitting forward IN my chair,
through the fact that at least two Ger
man girls bear the name OF Lizzie
"Under the mistaken belief that ] had
the Lizzie we wanted. I went before
the immigration officials at Ellis island
and swore to be responsible for the
girl until she was sixteen"
But wait a minute" she asked.
why didn't you know at once, when
the girl gave her name, that she wasn't
Lizzie SCHNEIDER? They asked for her
name of cOurse?'
"They did" I nodded, "but while the
officer was taking down her answers
to his questions of Identity I was talk
ing with another man, who stood a few
feet away about the disposal Of her
trunk I only entered into the exam
nation to answer the questions asked
was Lizzie SCHNEIDER I was agreeing TO
be responsible for. so I did not ask
any questions myself"
Ny wife beckoned me to go on
Even you. yourself. were certain OF
her identity when YOU first saw her.
You thought nothing of her changed
appearance, beCa use she was five yeaTs
older than when we knew her in Ger
many. And when she greeted Ronald.
out there on the porch the day she
child. and that made her identification
complete TO both Of US. But her pleas
uTe at seeing the child was quite i'm
personal She is probably fond Of chill
dren-she has proved that in the care
OF them both this past Week-and she
was only too glad to see such a charm
ing boy as our son.
"And now" I continued rapidly, ''in
the light Of this discovery that she is
not the Lizzie we thought her-expect-
ed her-tO be. we can understand the
things that puzzled US about her manner
since she came.
WHY mas she answered your QueS-
tons about her brothers AMI the death
Of her father IN a way to puzzle you
Because she did not understand what
you meant-yOu were talking about 9th
er brothers thaGs those she has.
I'VE could not understand why she
ran away from home. We don't, If
course understand that now But we
were needlessly confused about that
point because we could not understand
how the Lizzie we knew could DO such
q thing: and this is a different Lizzie,
whose home life may be entirely differ
ent to that Of the girl we knew"
stopped and cleared nv throat
"All right" said my wife. Every
thing leading Up to the big question OF
what we are to do now has been salts
factorily settled And now let's take up
that
las you see, have explained every
thing you thought queer and strange
in the girls manner" I replied. And
now that you 40 longer are mystified
by those Jl1inEs-dOnt you think it
might be well 10 let the matter rest
Just where iI is?
what do you mean. Henry7'' she de-
manded-
why" I answered slowly. Lizzie
all right-the one We have-so why not
let her stay2
Let her stay? What do you mean
II don't understand"
Isn't shs making a good nurse for
the children
WHY, yes. But
Then tnat ought to be enough. That's