Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1917-10-04
h:sf ~ OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES sa
= ADOPTING FRIEDAs
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- BY JANE OSBORNE. -
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one that has lost a little girl, have
you?
| With these words Peter Hobson
broke the news Of his discovery late
that memorable night in midsummer.
He had been on his weekly trip to the
nearest settlement, 20 miles down the
valley. Usually on such nights in sum-
mer Miranda doZed in her chair with
'the screen on the front door unlocked;
for Miranda had lived alone with her
stalwart brother too many years to
fear tramps or thieves on their DESC
late side Of the mountain.
"Where in the land of the living did
you find herr" was Mirandas not too
hospitable comment. But, as Peter car
ried the sleeping child to the light of
the solitary lamp that smoked and
fickered in the draft on the living
room table, the sisters weather-beaten,
hard-set features softened and a smile
broke over her face. Hadn't you bet
ter set her DOWN." she asked. She
was pulling at the ruff1ed white petit
coats which had become crushed in
the strong mans arms. eve must wake
her up. and ask her who she is. Her
mother must be worried almost sick.
Peter, isn't she pretty?'
Peter made no comment, but from
the tenderness with which he brushed
with his big clumsy hands a golden
curl that had fallen across Frieda's
face Miranda needed not to be told
that the big brother of hers had lost
his heart to the child he had found.
He had heard cry in the thicket Of
the woods as he was coming home
about Is miles down the road. It
was just turning dark at the time. He
stopped his horses and followed
through the painless woods for few
rods and then came upon the little
girl. She was crouching under the
side of a large bowlder, and at first
seemed too startled to speak.
"She started to tell me about her
SELF" Peter explained to his sister.
. did tell me her name was Frieda,
and then she tainted away in my
arms. How old should you judge her
to be?"
"From the way she is dressed she is
a stable child of nine or ten-can't be
/. any more"
Just then the little girl walked up,
and Peter and Miranda hurried to at
, tention. With a little milk and some
of Miranda's good bread Frieda re-
gained strength and before many min
utes had passed she was laughing mer-
rily and perfectly at ease with her
generous hostess.
''You are so good to me-" she said
sleepily. "No one was ever SO good
to me in the world before"
"Now, do you want to try and tell
us whose little girl you are?" Peter
asked patiently, kneeling down be-
fore her.
''No, no, no. she shook her head.
Maybe tomorrow. But this is so
nice.'
A few minutes later Miranda had
shown the little girl to the "spare
i ROOM"
The morning brought no news of the
, lost childs identity. Miranda and her
brother had thought she would be able
to explain - or give some clew as to
who she was. But to all their queries
she had but one reply-"I don't know
I am so happy. Let me STAY" By
the end Of ten days it seemed so ap-
parent that her identity would never
be discovered that brother and sister
were making plans for legally adopting
her.
It was two weeks after Frieda had
first crept into Peters arms and his
heart down there on the mountainside
when he opened a New York paper to
read this heading: "Movie actress still
missing. Film company now planning
to make search of mountainside." And
then Peter read the article that told
that two weeks before a cinema COM
big feature play along the mountain
side. A company Of 25 juvenile act
resses was included in the scenes.
Somewhere one of these girls, who on
the day of her disappearance was
dressed to impersonate girl Of ten or
twelve, had been lost. A glance at the
newspaper account was enough to as
sure Frieda that her secret was
known. She looked at Peter very
wistfully.
81 didn't tell you BEFORE because it
was like heaven here with you and
Miranda. I got lost that day with the
, company, before you found me. There
was thunder storm and everyone ran
to shelter and when it was over was
alone. I walked through the woods
for an age and then you found me. I
was going to tell you but I must have
tainted, and after that / liked you so
much I didn't want to leave you. I
tried to make myself believe that I
was just the little girl you thought
was. I'm seventeen, really. But I
never had a chance to be little girl,
so wanted to stay here. Don't make
me go away, please. There is no one