The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1913-09-02
Daily Short Story
Jessie's Way.

The small parlor OF the cheap fat
was gaudily oyerfurnished Mrs. Ger
hardt. with vision OF her own four
story mansion by the lake. suppressed
a smile as she took in the cheap gloss
OF the mahogany chairs. the tawdry
pictures. the atrocious gay vases that
crowded the mantel, the too green
and brown rug that Jared horribly
win the faded wall paper and the
bright blue satin OF an upholstered
settee. evidently the star piece OF the
room.
Mrs. Ksrle. who owned the parlor.
chatted on contentedly. ignorant OF the
suppressed smile. In fact. her own
eyes went about the room with frank
| pride in It's glory. She WAS glad OF
the chance 20 show It's grandeur TO an
Old schoolmate. IL had been a long
tlme since they attended high school
] together back In the small Indiana
town. Amy Gerhardt's face showed
faint lines In spite OF careful massage
! ana her mouth dropped in telltale mid
ale-aged style Jessie karle's shape
less form and gray ing hair testified
plainly To more than 40 years
Mrs. Gerhardt had happened casu-
ally TO read an account OF a street car
| colislon. The name of one motorman
| struck her as familiar Ezra Karle
Was an uncommon name. too. She
! puzzled for an hour before she remem-
! bered that was the name OF the man
whom Jessie Riley. the plump. pretty
girl who shared her seat during Junior
! year at high school. had married
/ FROM 4 uhim-time had atrOhpied her
affection for Jessie-she iotied down
! the address. From another within. one
, Idle morning she ordered her limou-
! sine around and went TO SEQ her. Amy
/ had gone 70 an eastern boarding schoo!
after that year. and married before
[ coming home. Jessie had set out for
I Chicago and n career that didn't In
/ clnte school teaching. which was The
/ best the small town offered
SO they had not seen each other fo-
twenty years.
Jessie had come To the door I'm 4
rumpled kimono tied down by a far
/ from clean apron. Her hair vas
I tucked up frowzily. Both cheeks ami
hands were red from the suds az tho
wash'ub that AMY could SOC plainly
through the open door of the kitchen
a. the end OF the tiny hall Amy had
/ drawn back IN disgust She WAS not
fond of washtub atmosphcres. hut
----- Amy Jessie had cried i'm CLAD
surprise. Goodness me- Where
You drop from? Como right in. I'm
washing hut you won't mind. I
guess
The Sladness IN Jessie's face was
Ep"i - 500. II took Amy back 20 m"
lazy. sleepy life in the small town
when lesson in rhetoric had been
/ lif"'s greatest trouble. and .Ie. sic had
slavishly copied her shirtWaists. hog
hats and WAY Cf doing her blond hair
/ For a while they talked 81 tho
measer news each possessed uf tie
old town. al parents dead. and friend !,
/ scattered. Then Happy asked ANY
lightly. Il remember You planned 10
marry n musician who'd fiddle yuu
uut az the occasional blues YOU u~.I
To have" Sh" didn't -Xr.It an an
s"cr. Amy always asked light quo
lions. and ramhl"d or without waiting
for reply
y am answered Jessie The con
tented note in her voice rang too true
to b" doubted. And YOU are. af
course. with The sam" Oil adririnc
iooS az Amy pretty. dainty TACO.
For tho first tim" in twenty Years.
erhapS. the truth slipped from
Amys lips 80" lightly. Far from
g. Perhaps with "a cynical lau.h
J I'm paying for th" -.ns o. a previous
Incarnation"
Jessie iaugAt"d ar the idea ANY
was always saying foolish thlre-.
Then she went ont 10 turn down me
gas burning under ia" wash boiler.
ami came back. ready 10 POSTPONE
washing. which could HAPPEN ANY day