The daily Alaskan., 1916-07-24
A Family
 Secret It Came Out Gradually and Satisfactorily
By ESTHER vANDEvEER

little girl for me to play withT"
 She kissed me and told me that had a little brother whom had never seen, but he was coming home soon and I would have a companion. was too young to seek for 6 reason why this brother, whom she called Georgte, had never been. at home since l had been born. simply accepted the fact and reJoiced that I would have a play mate.
 Georgie arrived q couple of days later. He was several years older than I. asked him where he had been living an the whiie, and he said that he supposed he had been with bis mother, but a few days before he came to us she had told him that she was not his mother and then was sent to us.
 Whatever explanation of all these matters was made to us was called forth by our childish questions, and they were answered vaguely. We looked upon each other as brother and sister. We lived In place In the country where We saw no other chil, dren and when We began to be edu- cated were placed in charge of young woman who taught US the rudiments and as We grew older had tutors. 40.
 When I was ten years old something occurred that troubled me A lady visitor called on my mother. was n an adjoining room reading a story book and as quiet as mouse.
 .Is Clara stin ignorant of the fact that she is not a ClaytOnT" asked the visitor. My mothers name was Clay ton. .-s . r..
 "Yes, but she is getting to an age when we shall find 1t hard to keep the secret"
 How about GeorgeT
 "He being older than Clara. we may expect still more difficulty In his case
 "I question 1t Boys are not 80 GU rlous about seeming trlhes as girls. A bov's mind reaches out to discover what is going on withOut-how things are made and all that A girl Is GU rIous about those things which imme diately concern her"
 I was thunderstruck. could scarce E rsfFaiRR FsR fg32E 6gn@RigSm @ SmRmR Rf2m fR"t to 0eS plain what I had heard. But Che pres ence of the visitor restrained me. l would wait till she had gone. l stole away and upstairs to my room, where I shut myself in and gave myself up to all kinds of (tO mel terrible fore bodings.
 By this time George had grown old enough to crave the society Of boys of his own age and was out playing ball with some of his friends. There fore I did not see him before l had had a conference with mamma. This was perhaps fortunate. AS soon as the visitor had gone l went to her and almost with tears in my eyes asked her what the lady had meant by saying that l was not a Clayton.
 Mother was evidently quite put out at first. but presently she took me up on to her lap and said:
 '.I will explain this If you will prom. Ise to ask me nothing more till you become eighteen years of age"
 gave a reluctant promise. and she continued:
 Papa is not your real father. Your real father died when you were baby. and l married papa when you were too young to know anything about it."
 This was great shock to me. Re membering how 1t affected me, l have ever since condemned the bringing up of children in ignorance of their true percentage. After what my mother told me I was curious to know about George. Forgetting my promise to ask no more questions, begged mother to tell me about him. She considered for awhile. then said:
 George must soon know about his case, but not now. will tell you about him if you will promise to keep what say secret from him for the present"
 ! gave the promise, and she con tinued:
 George is not your brother"
 This was not the shock to me that the secret about my papa was. Possi, bly, this was because of Georges in trOduction Into the family at a time when 1 was old enough to take cog, nizance of his coming. Mother con tinued:
 "GeOrge's mother and I were very dear friends. She died when he was two years old. and George was given in charge of a woman who took care of him till he came here. IwOuld have taken him at the time of his mothers death. but It was then impossible There had been an arrangement be. tween me and her to that effect, and I carried 1t out as soon as I was able to do so.''
 Mother paused here for awhile in or. der. presume. to give me time to get somewhat used to what she had toll me. then concluded what she was say ing.
 And now. my dear little girl, wish vO, +n ha brova and strpnu op6 Sov