The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1914-12-27

because the noise of several boisterous bill
lard players bothered them in the other
rooms.
Mr.. Beagle waddled because he was fat.
He was not merely feshy, but fat, and fat
enough to make one believe that he was the
very incarnation of joviality. Mr.. Beagle
knew this and resented it, resented it fierce
~, sullenly and constantly. 1t seemed to him
that, because he was fat everybody expected
him to smile and smoker and act funny for
everyone's benefit; and he never had any in
cination to smoker and cut up. If he did,
no one ever had any recollection of it. No, con-
trary to all tradition, Mr.. Beagle was, super
ficially at least, an insufferably disagreeable
person.
All one had to do in order to make Mr..
Beagle scowl or snarl, was to rush up to him
with beaming countenance and slap him
familiarly on the back, call him "old sport"
or try to give him an overly vigorous hand
shake. Mr.. Beagle always took this as a pal
pable, vulgar invitation for him to act funny
and he invariably refused to perform There
was one redeeming feature, however, about
Mr.. Beagle. He was otfish. Because of his
peculiar and paradoxical disposition, Mr..
Beagle was not accorded any noticeable de-
gree of popularity among the younger bus
mess men. Yet, paradoxically again, he had
a number Of staunch friends, some young
and some old, but the most of them were
among the older generation. "He is pecul-
lar" these friends would say, land whole
lot better sort when once you know him. But
you have to know him"
Mr.. Bigelow beamed at the card players
with a CHEEKY Good evening, gentlemen"
Mr.. Beagle scowled and vouchsafed mere
grunt of recognition. "No, thank you," he
replied, dryly, when asked to have hand in
the game. Il haven't the time to fritter away
in any such manner"
Wow, old Grandpa Gloom" growled
Shontz in soto voice while quiet smoker
went around the table and Peterson began
softly humrning Scatter Little Sunshine
Jordan and Fielding were still arguing about
the automatic telephone.
WELL you ought to be well qualified to
discuss that subject" sarcastically remarked
the sebaceous Mr.. Beagle to Fielding as he
departed from the room with his compan-
ion
This sally unlashed the disabilities of the
card players and a hearty guffaw went up.
One wants to laugh all the more when sour
faced person is around and in this instance
the want was aided by the knowledge, COM
mon among members Of the Merchants and
Manufacturers Club, of the neat manner in
which the astute Mr.. Beagle had recently
trlcked Fielding in a deal in telephone stock
Fieldings face grew red with an angry flush
in the INVITING and laughter that followed.
Long after Mr.. Beagle had left the room
his words ranked in Fielding's mind He
had had a rough day in his business affairs
and several obstacles to well laid plans had
languished in his thoughts. He was in such
mental state that it took but slight prod
to fire him to the pitch that in his school
Gays made him shut his eyes, double his fists
and swing outward in a sudden, frenzied eff
tort to pass the limit of liberation and have
it over with.
With Beagle's sarcasm and the laughter of
his companions ringing in his ears, Field
ing's thoughts turned to the quondom SUBJ
ject of spite fences and he had built four of
them around Mr.. Beagle when Alexander A.
Jordan, late his partner at cards, engaged
his attention in the subject of obtaining
satisfactory site for the contemplated new
building for the Jordan-F itch Company, flu
neral directors, of which concern Jordan
was general manager.
Then it was that Fielding, in flash, con-
celved the idea of revenging himself upon
the splenetic Henry d. Beagle.
Jordan" said Fielding, "Ive got the site
OF lifetime for you. Come around here at
8 o'clock tomorrow evening and I'll tell you
all about it."
Tell it to me now" urged Jordan.
Il am under pledge of secrecy and can't
say anything about it YETI
If it is that Gabberton property" said
Jordan, stuff is off,
But it isn't" said Fielding. l can't say
anything more about it now, but I'll see some
one and can probably give you all the de-
tails tomorrow night"
% @ ID
How Fielding managed to do it was deep
mystery at the time among Ashland business
men. but the reason was simnle he inst hara