The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1922-05-18

f5n5Iu,ch sISngs hnts
sghe came To- d sid den stop A
tsyoungish mid d1e5agedg man ~
rather nSeIpression. had come
! tout of the house, AS shegc amesdOWn
| the steps the child htspered .::ssssFs
That's Uncle Fred. He doesn't
know. Don't tell, please. want
TO wait until it's ali arranged VEG
rs there som ething I can do
| for you asked Uncle Fred, look
ling as appraisingly at Laura as
had the little girl when she first
arrived }5 E
~ was only only trying to ind
my way, said Laura. little
inonp1used. Yon see wanted to
take the trolley and--and I5won-
dered how often they went by,
going to town"
| The man looked at his wa tch5.
They go only every hour. You've
just missed it. The siding is
right near here and the up and
down cars have just passed each
other there.
II was not surprising thing
and quite in accord With the spirit
Of the country when Uncle Fred
suggested that Laura take a seat
in his car to go back to town. I'm
going in in five or ten minutes.
You would save time that way.
Won't you come in and warm,
yourself?" 3.5$
Laura remem bered the ma trons
injunction not to go in the house.
But nothing had been said about
motoring with a stranger. That,
thought Laura, would be good
opportunity to find something
more about the case she had to In
vestigate. She was very cold, but
she said: Thank you. would
rather wait out here.
AS you wish" said the stran-
ger and, to Laura S disappointment
he led the little girl by the hand
as he went indoors. In less than
five minutes he appeared in a
large touring car coming around
the driveway. He alighted to. help
Laura in.
You will need this he said,
holding UP an enormous ulster
for Laura. "Will you sit in the
back seat or in front?' Laura
chose the. front scat. It would
give her an opportunity to carry
on her investi cation.
Before they had gone a mile
Uncle Fred introduced himself as
F. d. Graves, and Laura recalled
the name as that Sof one of the
liberal su bscribers to the home. He
told her, of his errand to town.
Olive the nurse for the two or
phan nieces had given notice. He
was going to town to try and get
some one to take her place.
But they are getting too old
for a nurse, he said. What I
want is an educated young woman
who can act as governeSS. i don't
know exactly how to go about it."
do you ever see the Home
News'?" suggested Laura You
might find an advertisement there
o.. you might insert one in the
help wanted column
Butt Fred Graves politely scot
fed at this idea. He never read
that paper. he said. It was full OF
foolish local gossip that didn't in
terest him At least. thought
Laura. there was no danger that
he had seen his little niece's adj
vertisement. 1t would have griev-
ed him to know that she was SO
lonely Laura did not want to
explain her own identity, but
when Mr.. Graves asked her where
he should leave her she had to
say the Children,s Home. and this
meant an explanation Of her con-.
nectlOn with 1t.
would you permit me to stop
at the home to see you?" asked
Mr.. Graves as they neared the
home. III I am unsuccessful in
finding governess may come to
you for advice"
Back again in the routine Of the
work at the home. Laura thought
of nothing but her adventure. She
explained the situation to the ma
tron> begging her not to let the
lady managers" know thatit had
been the niece of Mr.lF. D. Graves
who had inserted the advertise
ment. That afternoon Laura went
to the office of the Home News"
and requested them to discon-
tinue the advertiser ent. This they
did, although dollar bill had
been sent with the childish scrawl
and this would have paid for the
advertisement for few days
more.
When Laura returned. Mr..
Graves was waiting for her in the
bare reception room of the chill
dren's home. Before he had left
he had asked her if she would
come as governess to his nieces
and she had accepted.
Within a month she had made
her adieus at the home and was