The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1921-10-26
14-Year-Old Girl Keeps
Bunch of Grownups
Guessing Some
AT SALV NON ARMY
Tells Various Stories
Which Will Come in for
Investigation

I
possessing in appearance unusually
sturdy health. She has big black,
1ong.lashed eyes which seem to
sparkle mischicyously. Her hair
is dark brown and thick and curly
| and she says she is partly OF Ital-
ian birth. She is IA years Of age
Frances kept halt dozen puz-
zled men and women guessing all
day yesterday and today and had a
wonderful time! She has just, as
much romance In her young heart
as the average girl, was finally con-
iectured, with q good pound OF Inn
ishness added. Yesterday she ap-
peared at the Salvation Army Nur-
sorry and asked for shelter saying
her parents had moved out OF town
and left her stranded in an empty
house!
Indeed yes, she declared she had
been brtngipgin the ctQt q t31e
Eitne and when the IasL pltlised
Tin the basketS she saw II put on
the wagon which carrie on the last
batinlS and Tagy belong Ing 20 par:
ents '''I went to sgat and
| coat,D She announcads eyes wide
and entire person seemingly over
wrought, when my father he says
no I am not going with them but
II must stay ;i1eress's She coulant
remember Just where the house
was but It was on the East side.
Frances has worked like mad the
past day and half at the army
and has proven atfine. cleaner. Was
the task large or small she COM
! planned not in the least but seemed
glad to occupy herself somehow.
Both the Salvation Army officials
and Miss Nola Mckinney question
ed the girl carefully and she stuck
to her first story all day yesterday;
Last evening the story changed.
Frances told one Of the matrons at
the nursery that she belonged to a
camp OF gypsies presumably quar-
tered at White Rock. "Oh, my
mother can tell the grandest for
tunes,". she confided.
She sure had tho older people
guessing again. Maybe she was.
stolen child and the gypsies hao
truly left her behind. This morn
ing, however, Frances looked down
at her worn shoes somewhat bash
fully, her eyes secreting more glee
within their depths. Then she
confessed the gypsy story was
made up for fun.
Following this she was told EN-
phatically she must tell the oxact
truth and her parents must be To-
! Gated or Frances would get into
serious trouble.
About noon today the runaway
girl announced that this time shs
was ready to tell the whole truth
and nothing but the truth and she
launched forcefully into tale OF q
pair Of pillow slips which she made
"with flowers on" and sold to
neIghbor for SO. When the pillow
cases were delivered Frances Gavc
hut forty cents at home. Her moth.
er became angry and Frances was
told IL she didn't turn over the rest
OF the 50 she couldn't come back
home. Frances said she made tho
pillow slips to earn money to buy
herself fair Of shoes. She de
clnred her mother whipped her
some time later and put her out OF
the house. The girl climbed In q
! window late that night and the
next morning was busy getting
breakfast when her parents came
,, downstairs. She was whipped
again and put out and not know
ing what, else to do came over and
ioined the force at the nursery.
At two this afternoon Miss Nola
Mckinney and Frances Muntzy yis-
tied the home of Frances on the
East side by the railroad track and
learned that the girl had run away
| from home yesterday because she
was punished for not turning over
| the Sc the girl earned by herself to
buy herself shoes. A family OF five
and a boarder live ina small cot
tage the mother in poor health.
The mother In broken English and
tonrs said she wanted Frances at
home to do the work and care for
the little children. She was not
willing for her to go to school. The
father has no work. a great part OF
the time. Frances rebelled and .
Misunderstanding OF come time
mast resulted IN the chtld's being
taken back to Salvation Army head.
quarters whore she viii remain un'
I'll the court hears her case.
tI no have shoes why Frances
need shoesf'' Wept the mother