Evening star., 1935-10-13

to some one.
gay about. Or when she couldn't
think up an answer to almost any
thing that might be said to her. 1t
would get her in trouble sometimes
but it would also save her face and
come in mighty handy.
Bedtime was the happiest hour of
the day for Sugar. She loved help
ing the little ones out of their
clothes and into their sleepers. There
were 20 of her little charges. between
2 and 4, and the rowdier they were
the more she loved them. But the
incest part of bedtime was the story
telling.
Sugar helped them into their little
white iron beds, all in two rows down
the long, white walled. bare-floored
room, then brought chair from the
table in the corner and set it in the
very center. This was the signal for
the youngsters to pull the sheets up
to their chins and lie quiet as mice.
Little Felicity Crocker, who was
and freckled as trout, always had
an idea about the story she wanted
told. 1t was her turn to choose. Sc
Sugar settled herself with her legs
crossed under her and asked cheer
fully, "Whatll it be tonight, Felicity
darling?"
That one about the gypsy princess
Sugar. That's the one l like bessest.
1t was Sugars favorite story. too
But she would never tell that it was
supposed to be the story of her own
life-a tale she had built up in her
imagination when she was a small
girl, and told so often she almost be-
lieved it herself.
"Once upon a time" she began
dreamily, there was very, very BEAU
tiful little baby girl. She was born
one lovely June day in a big, big
castle. Her mother was a sall, red
headed princess and her father a
handsome, tall, dark prince. They
were very, very rich"
Did they have a hundred dollars?''
Felicity could not help interrupting
We'll" Sugar pretended deep
thought, maybe not that much. But
they had oodles and oodles of money. n
For several minutes Sugar went into
detail about the beautiful castle in
which the little baby lived with her
father, the prince, and her mother
the princess. Little eyes grew rounder
and rounder as Sugar described all
their lovely clothes. how they had ice
cream every day for lunch. and the
little rich girl had 10 silk dresses. All
trimmed with real lace!
When Sugar decided her audience
must be getting very sleepy she de-
cided to come to the climax.
And so one day." her voice took on
a delicious note of sadness. "a wicked
gypsy came along. He was the king
OF all the gypsies in the world and a
bad. bad man. What do you thing he
did? He kidnapped the beautiful little
baby, and ran away with her in his
covered wagon"
There was dead silence in the room
as Sugar went on dramatically:
"The big gypsy king was so afraid
Of the police he Travelled miles and
miles and miles. and all the time the
little girl was being taken farther and
farther away from her father and
mother. Finally one day the bad
gypsy got very, very scared. Every
where he turned eyes seemed to be
watching for him.
so. one morning, what do you
think he did? He took the little baby
and put her in basket and left her
on the doorstep of an orphanage. A
lovely lady there found her and took
her in and gave her home. She
lived at the orphanage until she was
II years DID,"
Il know!" Felicity burst out ex-
citedly, II know what happened them"
"All right" Sugar laughed, "You
finish it, honey"
Felicity sat up, and her eyes were
like stars.
"One day the prince and the
princess came to the orphanage and
found their little girl. They brang a
locket that was just like the one the
baby had wared on her neck when the
had gypsy tooken she. And they took
she home, and her got marriaged to a
tall, dark. handsome king and they
lived happy ever after, they did!"
That's right" Sugar jumped up.
Now every one give me a nice, big
hug, and then go right to Sleep"
Sugar passed down the two lines of
little beds and tried very hard not to
love one little orphan even a second
longer than another. Although it
was difficult not to add an extra little
kiss to the homely little freckled cheek
OF Felicity Crocker. She was so ugly
no one would ever pick her out for
adoption, Sugar decided privately.
Wheli Sugar had closed the door
softly she remembered Mother Frid-
die had asked her to come to see her,
First she went to the bath room and
washed her face and hands and ran
comb through her red curls. No one
was in sight, so she slid down the BAN
isters into the hall that led to mothers
Office.
Sophia was standing by the window
There you are" The older woman
forced cheerfulness into her voice.
Lets 60 around to my sitting room
porch. It's such a lovely evening""
The orphanage looked like a lovely
old country estate in the early June
evening. Scores of trees lined the
walks that wound through the lovely
kept acres. Flowers ploomed every
where. Mothers porch was rich with
and June roses, and the
pungent odor Of . dozen Southern