The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1914-03-03
Daily Short Story
MESSAGE FROM MARCIA

lie could not ask her 10 marry him
even thouxh he loved her because OF
ner resemblance TO his FIRST wife: the
specter OF disloyalty held him back.
Marcia had looked upon re-
marriage as an act of faithlessnessr
IL was strange that in their ave
years OF married life they had never
ohce touched upon this subject OF
marriage. Not n word of M~arcia's
could he recall that would give him
y cue as 10 what her feelings upon
the taxing Of sue a step would be.
SO the thing that remained for him
70 DO now was to break with Amy.
~ was not fair TO the girl to keep on
paying her attentions when he knew
IN MS heart that he could never. con
s~clshtlously, ask her 10 marry him.
True to his resolve, he started To
store. '"S
Good morning" he said briefly. and
Win purposeful aloofness. as he pass
ed the ribbon counter behind which
ribbons. "N
As he stopped. a few feet away. IN
give MS orders TO his assistant floor
walker. he could feel her great brown
eyes nxed on him in surprise; It was
the hrst time In weeks that he had
morning. e"Ou
His heart sank when. as he turned
swiftly he saw her eyes switch fur
lively away. He wondered how Ions
II would be before she formed the
nSolt OF averting her face altogether
friendly. ~
What's the matter?" sick b
solicitously when. 10 allow n
customer TO pass. he was forced to
mart at her counter a moment.
No ~
sick all overt"
binding tears sprang TO his eyes
as ne strobe forward. She was enough
IKE Marcia TO give him that babyish
FEELING he had always lad when d
worried over him-that childish ham
kering to be mothered.
And then he began TO feel really
The pinkish glare OF the artificial
hght stung his eyes. He tried closing
them a moment TO rest them. II was
IN this moment that he felt someone
clutch his arm and speak his name.
He opened them quickly.
-Loring?' he exclaimed.
The tall, middle-aged man before
We'll. well. John" h said heartily.
didn't know ] was this side of the
Rio Grande. did your"
John took his hand dazedly. The
sudden appearance of this man. so
closely allied in his mind with Mar
cha, brought a thousand sad memo
rles rushing back over him. IL was
this man who had been father. mo-
tner, everything. TO Marcia in her
childhood. He hung onto the rough
miners hand silently.
Then. wincing at the glare of the
light, he nodded his head toward the
back of the store.
Let's step out into the vestibuIe-
cts get some air" he suggested.
we can't talk here, anyway"
AnXiously the older mar looked at
him as they made their way through
the crowd. When they reached the
daylight his hand fell heavily on
Johns shoulder.
You're looking sick: what's the
natter" he asked.
John smiled wanly.
ITS a disease I've had for five
years-and two weeks"
Marcia's guardian fell silent. Then
ne cast the younger man a sidelong
glance and his lips moved half as
not.
John saw the hesitation. Go on"
he said.
II don't know whether 10 or not
IT'S not a thing young widows and
wldowers Xix to hear. but it's what
they ought TO heart" He stopped
gave John a h~alf-dehant look. and
plunged on: Its just this. You fel.
lows that marry and lose out. ought