Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1923-07-04
THE OPEN GATE
BY JANE GORDON
Observation-Disclosures
70, 1923. Western Newspaper UnianO

Yes he said sorrowfully, ut Is
true. The little Frederick will sing no
more. The sickness which claimed
her has choked the song in her throat"
II heard her sing at your presenta-
ton recital" the visitor said. Her
voice was marvellous. l could not be
lieve when | learned Of the misfortune
that Frederick .Vaughn's career must
be blighted at Its beginning. l am
sorry for her."
The music master smiled; his eyes
white hair.
"Yon need not be sorry" he said.
MANY stories hear from my pupils
their own. That of the little Fred
erica is, think, unusual. You appear
to be interested, sir; you have come
far to question. Would you like to
know the story. as she has. in part,
told it to me?"
The man bowed. you may know,
master" he said, that l had learned
TO love your little singer"
at was years ago." the old man be-
gan, that the girl lived with her
grandfather in the estate on the Hud-
son, which had been her mothers
home. And because the mother had in
her youth dared to defy her father,
and go away to marry the man she
loved, he guarded the child left to his
care, jealousy against an outside
world. The granddaughter was kept
yN,iSn y,ciIo t1,N hot in,
closed the estate. His happiness and
hope had gone out through those
gates, he told the lawyer who was his
only cOnfidante. Frederick, the girl
had been called, as nearly as might
be, his namesake And as she roamed
about the gardens among the bios
SONS she, a little white blossom her
self, the lawyer who spent much time
with her grandfather, bestowed upon
her the name. Blossom she became
to the servants who loved her; she
was allowed no friends. And one
morning, the woman who was still her
adviser, remarked petulantly:
He that keeps his gates barred
against needy world may also keep
good from coming in Thinking over
these words, the girl turned the key
and threw wide the gates. Then
breathless from her daring she sat
down to wait AS she sat boy came
running through the gateway - a
wild-eyed boy in a velveteen jacket
His words gasped out at her He is
following me. And if he finds me he
will take me back to be beaten-to
risk my life over and over. | saw the
open gates and rushed inside. Soon
they will come and ask you did you
see me and you will say
"'Oh, l cannot say lie,' cried
blossom distressed
"'No.' the boy returned, you can
not say lie. So you must watch me
run on past the gates, then you may
tell them that you saw boy running
down the road. shall not be
harmed he assured her anxiety,
Lock your gates behind me-
"PerpleXed dominated, she obeyed.
Almost Immediately the men came,
Gathering on horseback along the high
S''OP PdthS'
HE would not be here she heard
one say-'these gates are always
locked
abruptly one man questioned the
frightened girl. Obediently she re-
peated her story. She had seen a boy
in velveteen jacket. He had run
on down the road.
"The men rode on.
blossom turned toward the house.
There, up in tree beside the garden
wall, the boy called to her.
81 climbed up the outside he said,
and swung down to the ground
1.-The WALL the girl cried lis too
high for any one to climb
"The boy laughed his relief That
is my trick he explained.
"'For the first time l am grateful
for my training. am an acrobat.
The man who was searching for me is
my trainer-manager. l bring him
money. Every day risk my life in
death-leap. He made himself my
guardian. He got me, you see, yea!
ago from an orphan asylum. | know
only the name Francois which he
gave me-
You shall not go back! Blossom
said Here you will never be found
| will take you to Barney, who cares
for our gardens. Barney will be your
frend--if you are worth it,
"The dark eyes of Francois were
misty with gratitude. From the pockci
of his jacket he brought forth golden
trinket. For YOU he said; my
medal for the highest leap. Keep it,
love YOU"
And" added the Old musician, TO
he day she left here FREDERICK, the
singer, wore on a chain beneath her
laces, the golden medal
"Frederica had a small legacy Of
ner own she used it in her instruc-