Omaha daily bee., 1915-07-10
LOYELORN Oracle
LEA YES HER HOME
Twelve-Year.0ld Bluffs Miss,
Scolded by Parents for Puppy
Love-" Runs Away.
RETURNS WITH NEW IDEAL

Puppy love!
Remember those days, Grownup
Person?
Oh. the hesrtaches! The joys! The
miseries! The ecstacies!
Who hasn't a memory Of the days
beyond recall, tucked away In some
forgotten hearts nook?
Even policemen have.
When 12-year-old Grace Mcclure. 500
Eighth avenue. Council Bluffs, sobbed
her heart out early Friday morning at
headquarters station as she nestled in
the comforting arms of an attache, many
we're the signs Of time hardened coppers
whose recoilections harked them back TO
that tragic period Of human develop
rnent that permits such maladies.
Little Grace. with her freckled nose.
checkered gingham frock and pigtails
tied up with bit of wrinkled ribbon,
looked Just as though she had stepped
out of some magazine cover designed by
The inimitable Leyendecker-looked Just
like the little girl who in tho long ago
we menfolk used to let chew our gum
or give our apples to at recess. Such
little characters as Oracle Mcclure made
famous Mark Twain, Booth Harrington.
Edwin Sabin and other winters of child
romance-for-grownnps
Found mt Midnight.
1t was midnight when she pounded on
the front door of the home of Mrs. Mary
Kerrgan. 251O Sherman avenue, and
whimpered that someone was following
her and she was afraid. After vainly
trying to elicit information. the Kerri-
gans telephoned the police.
On the way to headquarters in the tom
neau of the emergency auto a reporter
stole his arm around her.
Don't cry, Grace. Tell me what's the
matter What made you run away from
home? Was your mother scolding your"
he said, softly.
Like a little. chick that finds comfort
in the dark coziness of the old clucks
protecting wing, she buried her face.
WAS she, Oracle? Tell meas though
I were your big brother"
"'Ye-e-eh-eh-es."
f''Why, Gracieg'
"She-e-he-he-she didn't want me to go
with a b-b-boy!" More sobs.
And SO you ran away from homer
"Ye-e-eh-eh.esr'
Talks Like an Uncle.
t''Why, Oracle! You're too young to
have beau-don't you know that2 You
don't want to get married do your You'd
have to wash and wine the dishes, and
cook, and sew, and wash and iron, and
sweep-and do-oh. ever so many things"
I'LL have to do all tlrat-tFiat, now!"
F'Yes, but you don't want to get married
50 soon. You'd make all the other little
girls Jealous You see, most little boys
don't want to get married until they've
grown up. Why, even I'm not married
There wouldn't be enough manageable
little boys to go around and that would
make the other little girls mad when
you got married so they'd say mean
things behind your back They'd talk
about your beau, too. That's what your
mamma wanted to protect you from, so
she scolded you"
Eddie Loves Oracle Only.
f"They wouldn't talk about Eddie. All
the girls like him, but he only likes me-
she soberIy confided. choking back a
STRAY Sob
Eyes, they'd talk about him, and you.
too You go back home, like a good little
girl. and maybe mamma will forgive you,
and after that, you must mind her and
not play with the boys too much. You
will won't your
5"Ye-eh-es."
That's a good girl"
SAY you're just like my uncle. He
always talks so nice TO me-"
About this time the station was
reached. Inside, Oracle, no longer a love-
lori little larvae, but now entering upon
the next epoch of human development,
erinced lively interest in the policemen,
the fire bell, and Sergeant Marshalrs
typewriter.
Off Old Love, On New.
when you grow up, Oracle, you can
learn to use a typewriter and then you'll
be a stenographer and have all the chew
ing gum and moving pictures you want"
the friend confided to her, guiding her
dimpled hands over the keyboard as she
slowly punched out her name.
f'Write Eddie's last name, Oracle" the
reporter suggested.
S'Naw-aw! L d'wanna! don't like him
any more. lie always picks his nose"
Then shyly, 81 like you. What's your
name?"
IL was 2;S0 o'clock in the morning that
Gracie's father. Patrick Mcclure, switch
man for the Chicago Great Western, ar
rived at the station. For nearly eighteen
hours he and his friends had been dis
traotedly looking for the little runaway.
who had left her home early In the
morning.
Come on Grace. We're going home"
he breezily announced. MIR. Mcclure all
along has understood, with much amuse-
nnent. hls little girls puppy lore"
IAN right papa" Then to the reporter
who had spoken so softly and SO nicely
TO her. she shyiy held out her hand
''Goodby you're awfuIly nice. Goodby."
'Goo1by, Oracle"
'Goodby. Oracle" the rest of the sta.
ton crew ehorused.
Then they sighed, for little Gracie's ad-
venture had made them ali young again