The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1916-04-10
THE DAILY
SHORT STORY
Me 4 Thatch And the Artist.
BY ETHEL vANE
Downright. 1916. by Mcclure News
paper Syndtcate)

paper Syndicate)
Anne Morrell sighed hc7elessly
and md dashed up from her typewriter
The neighbours dog barked ut the
front of the house and then at the
back. In the kitchen below. Bridget
Sang happily, but excrutiattngly' and
I outside, motors in unbrokcn success
8siSn whized past, co.
III Anne was yisibly distracted. She
had tried every room in tho mouse III
her effort to find seclusion and quiet:
5SKnnarently such conditions did not
Z oxist. Her stories were beginning 10
show the strain under winch sne
was dragging them from her NOISE.
stF1scIsed brain. Soon at this rate.
SRalI have no checks coming In, she
fold herself as she banged out OF lhe
Z noisy house and OF through the mead
MN There at least, was freedom
sam Irritation. She could have an
or two OF concentrated thought
iSong the greens and yellows OF ma
anne had to walk through the VII
Iage in order to reach the haven OF
quiet. During that walk, she caught
sight of what seemed to her the very
thing she most needed in life.
AZ ID rustic shop there was display
sd a small matched summerhouse.
Anne's heart beat ecstattcally. The
gunmerhouse, II the price were not
foo great, would make a perfectly
darling den. 1t could be placed at
tile extreme foot Of the garden away
from barking dogs and Brtdgets sing
ing. ,,.,,
Anne tripped over to the Threshold
of the shop in her anxiety to secure
the treasure. 1t occurred to her sud-
denly that she was all sorts of small
idiot never before to have thought OF
such a simple means of seclusion.
RThe following day, she carried her
typewriter and low table down to the
tthatched and rustic summerhouse.
she smiled aftectionately upon Bird
'get as she left the house with the
last load OF writer's odds and ends.
After all. the Irish maid was a treas
ure, even If her songs were distract
ing.
THAT rustic summerhouse proved to
bel one OF the best investments OF
Anne's literary career. The fifteen
dollars which she had paid for 1t had
seemed large enough at the time put
when few weeks OF seclusion within
Itss shelter sent her stories into better
magazines she rejoiced over her pur-
chase. From time to time, small I'M
nroyements found their way into the
little den. Flowered cretonnes cover
ed Anne's desk and chair and pic:
ture or two crept into the honey at
inosphere. A tiny bit Of lace draped
the single window, and toward mid"
summer vines held the rough exterior
inSloving embrace. She kept her tiny
percolator on an improvised shelf
within easy reach, and altogether the
summerhouse became a most salts
factory workshop. Anne realized that
She could never again so back to a
house peopled by other personalities
and continue to do good work.
1t was not until the cool autumn
4 days came on that she realized that
means of protection against chilly
days must be considered. :,
SO She purchased tar paper with
which to seal up small apertures
against chilly days and the entrance
7 81 unfriendly draughts.
Itswas while engaged in this laudl-
Bile business of making herself proof
tgainst wind and chill that Anne dis
covered iseveral old canvasses. They
were stored away between the dusty
and weather stained layers OF the
wheat straw which formed the roof
covering
lac sIglit@of them the creative ele.
ment ID Anne was seized with sudden