The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-12-29


This, for a child, great responsibility
that was thrown upon me added sew
eral years To the few l had lived and
made a woman of me earlier than
would have been without it. 1 pre-
sumo my papa, as / continued to call
him, was told that had stumbled on
the family secrets, but he never men
toned the matter to me nor to him.
There was no change in our treatment
of each other except that, having learn
ed that he had treated me as his daugh-
ter who was not his daughter, my af-
lection for him increased rather than
diminished.
have since been quite proud of my
self for giving mother free rein as to
what course she should take with re-
gard to giving George his part of the
family secret. From the day gave
her the promise to keep it never men,
toned it to her or asked her when she
! would tell him. This l think was more
than was to be expected of child.
Month after month, year after year
passed, and the matter was never men,
toned.
But a time came when the relation
ship between George and me became
matter of Importance. When he was
In his eighteenth year and l fifteen he
,, was treating me as sister, while I
knew he was not my brother. The
statement of the lady through whom I
had learned the facts that boy looks
without rather than within the home
circle was verified in this case. George
seemed to me to be very stupid about
it. Nevertheless there were times
when / wondered If he had not fallen
upon the secret and was keeping his
knowledge of it from me as was keep
ing mine from him.
! On his return from an absence when
/ was sixteen he took me in his arms
and kissed me. Then, holding me off
and looking at me, he saw blush on
my face.
"Look at the redr' he exclaimed, and
drawing me to him again, he gave me
another kiss. Naturally this served to
deepen the blush. l playfully boxed
his ears, which, instead Of making the
matter appear more brotherly and sis.
terly, had the reverse effect.
"The last ear box l got for a kiss
was for another fellows sister," he
said and, giving me second kiss, re-
leased me. l stood for a moment pant
ing, not knowing what to do or say,
then walked away in dignified man.
ner, followed by laugh from George,
which made me feel that l had come
very near giveaway.
But worse one followed. A friend
of mine, Bessy Lawrence, made me a
visit, and George seemed to me to be
very much struck with her. This was
the first revelation to me Of the fact
that l did not relish any other girl
stepping in between George and me.
l tried not to show jealousy, but did
not succeed. Bess ended her visit in
a huff, and George asked me what in
the world was the matter with me.
Since l could not explain, walked out
Of the room. leaving him to put his
own Interpretation on my action.
There seemed to be plenty Of funds
in our family, and, since George was
not in hurry to settle down to bust
ness, he concluded to spend year in
travel. He asked me to go with him;
but. knowing what l did, Of course
declined. He urged me for some time,
insisting on my giving him a reason
fo- my refusal. / gave him number
of them--al trumped up-and he laugh
ed at me. When he started on his
Journey he called out:
isis, don't you pick up a fellow while
I'm gomez
II won't promiser' l shouted. And
he drove away, waving his handker.
chief till could see him no more.
He returned in six months, and after
the first welcome, when he and l were
alone together he came to me and
said:
isis, do you know the reason why
came home sooner than I intended ?"
mo. Whyg'
Because l couldn't stay any longer
away from my dear sister"
you'll be saying that to some other
reIloW'S sister pretty SOON"
"Have you a brotherT'
"What question:"
'If you have I'm saying 1t to some
other fellows sister now"
i / wondered If he could have got the
secret.
"Sft down here" he added, drawing
me to an easy chair big enough for us
both. Then he continues:
"You and I were betrothed the day
/, you were born. l have not known
these things as long as you have, but
, have known more than you. 1 have
long known that papa and mamma are
not my real parents. My real parents
never saw. My real mother arranged
with my second mother that should
come into this family and be brought
up with you, hoping that we would
make a match. When it came time
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