The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-10-26
A Family
Secret
1t Came Out Gradually
and Satisfactorily
By ESTHER vANDEvEER

mother:
Mamma, why haven't you another
little girl for me to play with?"
She kissed me and told me that had
a little brother whom l had never
seen, but he was coming home soon |
and would have a companion. was !,
too young to seek for reason why |
this brother, whom she called George,
had never been at home since 1 had
been born. simply accepted the fact
and rejoiced that would have a play
mate.
George arrived a couple of days
later. He was several years older
than l. l asked him where he had
been living all the while. and he said
that he supposed he had been with his
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 We're answered vaguely. We
looked upon each other as brother and
sister. We lived in a place in the
dren and when we began to be edu-
Gated We're placed in charge of young
woman who taught us the rudiments
and as we grew older had tutors.
When l was ten years old something
occurred that troubled nae. A lady
visitor called on my mother. l was in
an adjoining room reading story
book and as quiet as mouse.
is Clara still ignorant Of the fact
that she is not Clayton?" asked the
| visitor. My mothers name was Clay
ton.
Eyes, but she is getting to an age
when we shall find it hard to keep the
secret"
"How about George"
"He being older than Clara, We may
expect still more difficulty in his case.
Il question it. Boys are not so Gu
rious about seeming trifles as girls. a
bows 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."
II Twas thunderstruck. l could scarce
II " refrain from running into the othe
room and begging my mamma to eX
II plain what / had heard. But the pres
ence of the visitor restrained me.
would wait till she had gone. | stol
away and upstairs to my room, Wher
| shut myself in and gave myself u
to all kinds of Ito mel terrible fore
| bOdings.
HI By this time George had grown oil
| enough to crave the society OF boy
| of his own age and was out playln
ball with some of his friends. There
fore I did not see him before | ha
: had a conference with mamma. Thl
: was perhaps fortunate. AS soon a
the visitor had gone l went to her an
almost with tears in my eyes asked nc
\ what the lady had meant by say1n
\ that l was not Clayton.
Mother was evidently quite put OF
at first. but presently she took me u
on to her lap and said:
81 will explain this If you will prom
Use to ask me nothing more till yo
become eighteen years of age"
l gave a reluctant promise. and 81
continued:
papa is not your real father. Yo'
real father died when you were
baby. and married papa when yt
were too young to know anythir
about it."
This was a great shock to me. X
Numbering how it affected me, | ha'
ever since condemned the bringing |
of children in ignorance of their trl
parentage. After what my mother to
me was curious to know abo
George. Forgetting my promise to a.
no more questions, / begged mother
tell me about him She considered f
awhile. then said:
George must soon know about b
case. but not now. | will tell "
about him if you will promise to ke'
what | say secret from him for {
present
III gave the promise, and she co
tinued:
George is not your brother"
III This was not the shock to me Tn
Ii the secret about my papa was. Pos
Ill bly this was because of Georges ]
PRODUCTION into the family at TIL
iii when was old enough to take CO
iii nizance of his coming. Mother co
tinued:
Georges mother and I were We
dear friends. She died when he W
two years old, and George was Civ
In charge of woman who took ca
of him till he came here. | would ha
taken him at the time of his mothe
death. but it was then impossib
III There had been an arrangement
tween me and her to that effect, al
| carried it out as soon as | was at
to do so.
iii Mother paused here for awhile In
der. | presume, to give me time to
somewhat used to what she had t.
me, then concluded what she was 81
| i inc