The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1913-08-21

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Dear Mrs. Gregory" said Fran
kindly, I'm sorry to have to do this,
but It isn't as If you were adopting
a pcnniess orphan. I'm adopting n
home. want to belong to somebody,
and want people to feel that they
have something when they have me-"
i reckon they'll know they've got
| something" remarked Simon Jofier-
| son, shooting Il dissatisfied glance at
Fran from under bushy brows.
Fran laughed outright I'm going
to like you. all right" she declared.
You arc 80 human"
1t is exceedingly difficult to main.
tain satisfaction In silent martyrdom.
Grace was Obliged to speak, lest any
one think that she acquiesced In evil,
Is 1t customary for little girls to roam
the streets at night, wandering about
the world alone, adopting homes ac.
cording to their whlms?"
Il really don't think It is custom.
ary" Fran replied politely. but I'm
not a customary girl" At that mo-
mcnt she caught the old lady's eye. It
was sparkling with eloquent satsfac-
ton: Mrs. jefferson supposed terms
Of service were under discussion Fran
laughed, grabbed tho ear.trumpet and
called, Hello. How are you?"
When an unknown voice entered the
large end OF the tube, half It's mean.
ing was usually strained away before
the rest reached the yearning car
Mrs. Jefferson responded eagerly,
And Will YOU wheel me around the
garden at least twice a day."
Fran patted the thin old arm with
her thin young hand, as she shouted,
I'm wheel you twenty times day.
If you say SOL"
But do not see saw" rctorted the
old lady with spirit
Gregory. finding Graces eyes fixed
on him searchingfy. felt himself
pushed to the wall "Of course" he
said coldly, 1T is understood that the
daughter of-er-my friend, comes
here as a-as an equal" As he
found himself forced into definite op-
position TO his secretary, his manner
grew more assured. Suddenly It oc.
CURED to him that he was, in way,
atonIng for the past.
AS an equal. vest" exclaimed his
wife, again embracing Fran. How
else could It be-"
This ia going to be u good thing
for you, II you only knew IT," Fran
said. looking into her face with loving
eyes.
Hamilton Gregory was almost able
to persuade himself that he had re-
ceved the orphan OF his own free
choice. thus to make reparatlon. 1T
Is my duty" he said; "and / always
try to do my duty, as zee IT,"
Would you like to know more about
me?" Fran asked confidentially OF Mrs.
Gregory.
Gregory turned pale. 81 don't &ilnk
It is neces-"
DO tell mel" exclaimed his wife.
Father and mother married secret.
ly." Fran said. solely addressing Mrs.
Gregory. but occasionally sending a
furtive glance at her husband. "He
was q college.studont, boarding with
his cousin, who was one OF the prcfes-
sors. Mother was an orphan and lived
with her half.uncle-a mighty crusty
old man. Uncle Ephraim was, who
didn't have one bit OF use fer peoples
getting married In secret. Father and
mother agreed not to mention their
marriage till after his graduation;
then he'd go to his father and mako
everything easy, and come for mother.
So he went and told him-father's ia
Their was millionaire on Wall street.
Mothers uncle was pretty we'll fixed.
too, but he didn't enjoy anything ex.
cept religion. When he wasn't at
church--he went most all the time
no was reading about H. Mother said
he was most religious In Hebrew, but
he enjoyed his Greek verbs awfully."
Grace Noir asked remotely, Did
you say that your parents eloped?"
They didn't run far" Fran ex-
planned; they we're married in the
county, not far from Springfield"
Il thought you said" Grace inter.
rupted. that they we're in New York"
did your" said Fran politely. so
father graduated. and went away to
tell his father all about being mar.
ried to Josephine Derry. ! don't know
what happened then, as he didn't come
back to tell. My mother waited and
waited-and ] was born-and then
Uncle Ephraim drove mother out OF
his house with her tiny baby-that's
me-and grew to be--as old as you
see me how. We were always hunt
ing father. We went all over the
United States. first and last--it looked
like the son of a millionaire ought to
be easy to find. But he kept himself
close. and there was never a clew.
Then mother died. Sometimes she
used to tell me that she believed MIN
dead, that II he'd been alive he'd have
come for her. because she loved him