Evening star., 1935-10-13

of directors ever since, at 35, she had
taken charge of one of the largest
orphanages in the State of Virginia.
caused her to chuckle aloud. Such a
name to hand a poor, innocent de-
fenseless baby! Suddenly she sobered
and read further, in her own file
marked private:
Sugar Friddle. Age II. Name
and parents unknown) Found on our
doorstep by DR.. Harvey Slemp, June
"a. 1917. Believed about a week old.
Red curly hair. Brown eyes. Height
feet inches. Weight ITO. Obe-
dient, hard working. exceptionally
bright and lovable. Would make ex-
cellent nursemaid. Loves children
and they love her"
For years now no one had called
spinsterish Sophia Friddle anything
but Mother Friddle" At least no one
at the orphanage. Sophia had never
objected because it seemed to make
the little ones feel closer to her, and
more as though they belonged to some
one.
Love had never come to tall. angular,
plain Miss Friddle. So in her great
heart she had made special place
for every one of the children that had
passed in and out of the door of the
old red brick Lorien Orphanage since
she had become matron.
She remembered, as though it had
: been yesterday, how the little red
headed, roly-poly baby with the great
solemn brown eyes happened to be
called Sugar Friddle. How, when DR..
Slemp came running to her with the
, little mite in the market basket, she
had picked it up and said, with her
heart aching with pity, Hello. Sugar"
That's a good name for her." DR..
Slemp had laughed in his quiet way
'Sugar It'll do very we'll till some
one comes along to claim her and give
her back her own name"
But no one had ever come. And
. when Sugar was or 5 and began
to wonder Why other boys and girls
had two names and she had only one,
Mother Friddle had to think fast one
day when she asked her about it.
Your last name?" Mother had
picked her up and kissed the solemn
little plump face. why you're my
little baby, aren't you? My name is
Friddle, so yours must be. too. You're
Sugar Friddle. And don't let any one
tell you differently"
1t had seemed to satisfy the child,
and from then on she had boasted
proudly, MY names Sugar Friddle."
Mother Friddle looked out the win
dow and over to the playground where
dozens of little blue uniformed chill
dren laughed and played, with Sugar
in charge. A bell rang. Sugar lined
them up in two long lines and marched
toward the orphanage at their head
1t was the only way to keep the little
ones off the flower beds.
When, little later, knock came
on the door, Sophia Friddle fought to
keep the anxiety out of her face when
Sugar came in. She had something
to tell her, and it was going to be
no easy job
Sugar burst in, striding in great long
strides, and stood at salute before
mothers desk.
-, Col Friddle begs to give the eve
ming report, ma'am."
A little of the sorrow left Sophia's
young blue eyes and she bowed her
snow-white head gravely.
Col. Friddle may proceed" she said
with mock gravity.
Sugar stroked her chin solemnly, but
her brown eyes shot little sparks of
gayety.
Il counted noses-clean and not so
clean, ma'am-and all are accounted
for. One hundred and seventy-eight
of them. All seem in good health
and spirits. There were only a few
riots and they were settled without
calling in the Marines
"Pinkie White tore his pants again.
I'll sew them after he goes to bed
tonight. You know how Willie Beas-
ley shutters. Well I caught Pinkie
over in a corner trying to teach him
to stutter perfectly horrid word.
When chased Pinkie he caught his
pants on nail in the fence. On the
top-going over toward town"
Mother chuckled.
so what would you suggest we do
to Pinkie, Col Friddle?"
Sugar wrinkled her nose in deep
thought. and stroked her chin again.
Well" she drawled finally, lit
might be feasible to leave the raisins
out Of the young mans rice pudding
tonight and substitute large spoon
full of castor oil. But maybe we ought
to go into consolation on that"
Don't you mean," Sophia made
face. wed better go into convulsions
on that?'
Sugar laughed happily and gave up
: her official pose to sit on mothers
desk
-, Consolation" she Rugged her knees
comfortably, ''is Pinkie's own word.
He went into consolation last week
over whether he and Duke Jones were
to take the appendix out of the black
cat or the yellow one. Due to my
having sharp ears, both cats are able
to be up and about, and take nour-
ishment."
It was relief to laugh and Sophia
gave way to her laughter until the
tears ran down her cheeks. She felt
q little hysterical. 1t wasn't so much
what Sugar said as the way she said
1t. She was a born comedian, with
that little gurgle of laughter always
ut the bottom Of her voice, and her
habit of saying everything in one
breath.
Mother Friddle decided she could
not tell Sugar what was on her mind
Just then, when she seemed so gay.
Besides it would spoil her supper. So
in little while she got up and gave
her favorite orphan a quick kiss on
the cheek.
You run along and eat" Mother
turned to her files again. "And after
you put the little ones to bed come
in and visit with me-"
I'D love that" Sugar swung down
from the desk. We'll dish dirt. I