Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1917-08-30
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
ADOPTING FR'EoA T:
0y JANE OSBORNE.

arms. You haven't heard OF any.
One that has lost q little girl. have
youy"
With these words Peter HobsO0
broke the news Of his discovery late
that memorable night In midsummer.
He had been on his weekly trip TO the
nearest settlement, 70 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 OF thieves on their DESC
late side Of the mountain. And usu-
ally Miranda would not wake till her
brother had put up his wagon and
horses and had let himself in at the
screen door. But this night his arms
we're too full of Frieda-Frieda fast
asleep, with her golden curls close and
warm against his face. small warm
hand clutching even in sleep TO his
shoulder and two graceful little legs
in white stockings and the daintiest OF
rOund-toed pumps dangling in his
arms.
where in the land of the living did
you find her?' was Miranda's not too
hospitable comment. But, as Peter ear
ried the sleeping child to the light OF
the solitary lamp that smoked anu
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 rutiled white petit
coats which had become crushed in
the strong mans arms. "We must AXE
her M and ask her who she Is. Her
mother must be worried almost sick.
Peter, isn't She prettyT
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
fnce Miranda needed not TO be told
that the big brother Of hers had lost
his heart 10 the child he had found.
He had heard a cry in the thicket OF
the woods as he was coming home--
about u miles down the road. II
was Just turning dark at the time. he
stopped his horses and followed
through the painless woods for a fc"
rods and then came upon the liftlt
girl. She was crouclling 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 Frleda
and then she tainted away In my
arms. How old should you Judge hel
to he?'
Miranda east a calculating glance
towards the dropping figure of thu
child in the sleepy hollow chair.
"From the way she Is dressed she Il
q stable child of nine or ten--can't b
any more"
Just then the little girl walked ur
and Peter and Miranda hurried to at
tentlon. With n little milk and SOM
of Miranda's good bread Frieda re
gained strength and before many min
utcs had passed she was laughing mel
rily and perfectly at ease with he
generous hostess.
"You are so good to me-" she sal
sleepily. "No one was ever SO goo,
TO me in the world before"
snow. do you want to try and tel
us whose little girl you areT Pete
asked patiently. kneeling down be
fore her.
mo, no., no." she shook her head
Maybe tomorrow. But this Is s
NICE"
A few minutes later Miranda ha'
shown the little girl to the "spnr
ROOM"
The morning brought no news of tn
lost chlld's identity, Miranda and he
brother had thought she would be nbl
to explain or give some clew as I
y,ho she was. But to all their querle
she had but one r%eply--"I don't kno,
i am 20 happy. Let me stay" b
the end Of ten days 1t seemed SO AZ
parent that her identity would neve
be discovered that brother and siste
were making plans for legally adoptln
her.
1t was two weeks after Frieda ha
first crept into Peters arms and HI
heart down there on the mountainsld
when he opened Il New York paper I
read this heading: "Movie actress sti
missing. Film company now plannin
10 make search Of m0untninside." An
then Peter read the article That tol
that two weeks before a cinema con
pany had been taking pictures Of
big feature play along the mountain
side. A company of % juvenile nc
resses was included in the scene
t Somewhere one Of these girls, who O
the day Of her disappearance wa
g dressed to impersonate Il girl OF ten
twelve, had been lost. A glance Mt II
newspaper account was enough TO a
sure Frieda that her secret WI
!. known. She looked at Peter vel
wistfully.
III didn't tell you before. because
:. wns like heaven here with you mr.
Miranda. I got lost that day with II
company, before you found me. The
was n thunder storm and everyone "a
TO shelter and when 1t was over ",
n alone. walked through the Woo
for an age and then you found inc.
was going to tell you, hut I must ha'
& tainted. and after TINT ] liked you
~ much I didn't want to leave you.