The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1916-06-26
THE
SHORT STORY
Frailty or Fidelity?
BY ELSIE SEE.
Copyright, 1916, by the McClu,
Newspapery Syndicate1

amy VI fluSllIy!
BY ELSIE SEE.
Copyright, 1916, by the Mcclure
Newspaper Syndicate.)
Abigail Thomas seated in the Wis
itors' gallery of the state enate one
morning, and In her smartly tailored
black elk suit and a Powered hat her
fall beauty was even more pronounced
than usual. The senate was discuss
ing a bill for the control Of public
utilities by city governments, and Alb.
igail's father had Just concluded a
speech in Its favor. Representatives
OF corporation, public-spirited citizens
and lovers Of oratory filled the visit.
ors' section. The discussion became
more heated with each speakers con.
tribution.
While the interest was at its height
the heavy swinging doors Of the sen.
ate chamber opened slowly and there
entered a pale, sad.faced young wom-
an who looked at the strange scene
about her in a confused way. In her
plain, dark blue suit and hat she would
had attracted little attention had 1t
not been, for the searching look In her
half.frightened, Undetermined eyes.
AS the woman slowly approacneo
the brass rail which formed a semi
circle dividing the senatorial desks
from the seat section for visitors, Alb
igail Thomas recognized her as Ma.
mile Morton, who. as Mamie Ellis, hao
been her classmate In a grammar
school, but who vas now the tired and
patient little dressmaker Of Thomas.
Vile. Only a day or two before, Sen.
ator Thomas had spoken OF the efforts
Mamie was making to have her hus.
band pardoned from state prison, AMI
when Abigail saw her standing there
looking SO timid. yet SO determined,
she felt q desire to help ner.
Perhaps the desire was made strong
er because Abigail was beginning q
feel remorseful about a quarrel she
had had with Stanley Worth the night
before. Stanley Worth was governor
OF the sttae and a sutton for Abigails
hand. After proposing to her foui
times in three months and being given
a different reason each time for her
refusal, he had told her that although
he honestly loved her he would not
longer furnish her opportunities for Ia
dulging her capriciousness.
Abigail's estimation OF him went up
many points upon this show Of spirit,
but a moment later 1t was consumed
, in the heat of her wrath. as he gave
a semitragic quotation of "Fraility, thy
name is woman" So the quarrel con
tinued until Abigail said to herself that
she would make him suffer for that
contemptuous SANDER Of her sex and
until Stanley Worth said to himself
that II he ever married any woman II
would be because she did the propos.
ing and inveigled him into acceptance
before he knew what he was doing.
From her seat In the visitors gal.
lery, Abigail went over toward the wo.
man standing beside the brass rail. A
roll call having been demanded, the
secretary was calling the names OF
the senator's, whose ayes and noes were
being given In voices ranging from
high.pitched nasal wheezes to guttur.
al growth. Mamie Morton approached
the sergeant-at.arms and told him she
must speak to Senator Thomas. The
big officer shook his head doubtfulty
and reluctantly approached the sena.
tor, who left his seat and went at once
to the woman.
81 cannot promise that the governor
has taken any action" said Senator
Thomas In answer to her eager ques.
ton. MANY matters Of state claim
his attention at this time, and he may
not have had time to look into this
But, sir, protested the woman, be.
coming holder in her suspense, 1t has
been a whole week since the petitions
from Jul citizens and the Judge ant,
jury who tried poor Henry were sent
to his office. Henry is innocent, sir.
and has already served a year in pri.
son.
1 believe he is innocent, said the s m.
ator, in spite OF the circumstantial evi.
dence indicating that he took the mo.