The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1916-10-26
THE All
SHORT STORY
In Rainy Weather.
{Ry ELIZABETH sHlELps.)
Copyright. 1915. by the Mcclure

TT had been raining for three days
without letup. Every one at the
= hotel was bored stif, actual,
sEtif. One could scarcely move about
bt tho end Of the third day. The rain
Till poured down persistently.
Great guns!" inelegantly piped
Eulalie. Here's that creature
again!' The creature referred to was
b foriorn little woman in cheap black
who slipped into the hotel lobby and,
sitting on the edge Of the most uncom.
Portable chair In the place, timidly sur.
veyed the bored assemblage. She's
simply weird!" Eulalie hated timidity
and cheap black. go she crossed over
to chair and turned her back square.
u on tho woman.
Then mother nuttered over. Moth.
e always reminds people Of terri.
bly, serious minded and busy hen.
plump and white and excited, you
know. Jane, run over to father and
interrupt him. she begged Of me.
Its perfectly disgraceful the way he
Aeglects his daughters"
Poor father had been having do.
Nghtful time during the whole three
blessed days Of rain. He smoked and
smoked and smoked and talked war
and finance TO the---well, really. the
stunningest man l ever saw Every
woman at the hotel was furious with
Rather. But the handsome stranger
was deeply interested in him. He
seemed perfectly comfortable and sat.
lated. did you ever see any one so
distinguished?" gushed mother.
Just then the stranger looked about
and. after giving me mere passing
glance, his eyes rested on the face Of
the woman In black. Tho kindest ex.
preston came into his eyes-the way
one looks at helpless. pretty babies.
His eyes wandered on to Eulalie. Tho
little woman had flushed aid her eye.
lids modestly covered her big brown
eyes.
Not so Eulalie. She had been wait.
ing three full days to roll her eyes in
his direction. And leave 1t to our
mother to follow up the slightest
chance where her daughters are con-
cerned. She actually bounced on the
man Father was startled and rot
tussed. Eulalie trailed languidly into
the same armchair father had occu-
pied and soon father disappeared.
made up the fourth in the party.
Ill confess that although Eulalie
and did our very prettiest to say
nothing of mothers amiability, every
one watching knew the man simply
could not keep his eyes OFF that shrink.
Ing figure in rusty black.
l always want to be fair, so | look.
ed the little person over carefully. Her
appearance Indicated middle age, h>.
er profile was IS. ! mute!y signalel
Eulalte just to take 4 peep at the cera.
lures eyes ! don't know much about
poetry, but even could see the beau.
ttful sou! peeping out of her glorious
eyes When one got a really good look
at her face the beauty OF our family
and all the other families at the hotel
Just faded. She had been there three
days and no one had noticed her
beauty, Til fathers distinguished
friend looked her way.
His name, We found, was Donald
I Slater and his stay al the mountain
resort was uncertain His desire to
keep his eyes on the perfectly lovely
profile Of the little creature in black
dampened even Eulalie's irrepressi
BILE vivscity.
I'd been trained to be the tactful one
of our family. being tho nl";.o.' ." 80
girls. So, remembering about it in
time, gracefully approached the wo.
man, taking Il chair directly in front
OF her. She had forgotten to clean
her pink.tipped finger nails for sew.
eral days and her worry. very pretty
rounded neck was thickly coated with
powder. beginning with the layer
from the week before last. Inward.
~ | gloated. That's the way with
man--,mperfect'ous must bs p0.n,ed
out to him. lquickly decided to make
her one OF the party Immediately.
"Beastly weather." | began, smil.
Ing at her kindly.
Would YOU believe it-she opencd
her lips to answer and they stayed
that way. Tears filled her eyes and
dripped over. running down her
cheeks. moved instantly. LIES
unpleasant enough without wasting a
minute Of 1t on people like that. l
heartily wished / hadn't been moved
by sympathy to 60 to her. For 1t
spoiled everything! He saw the tears.
the girl looked about, in a patheti.
cally confused way, then rushed to the
vedanda door. She tried to open 1t
but couldn't. The wind hold it. The
rain splashed the glass of the door
and the terrific wind ratified and
banged the shutters. But the girl per.
sisted in trying to wrench it open and,
with the assistance OF a tremendous
gust, It opened, laying her flat on the
floor. She acted like wild thing try.
ing to escape. either from the women
or the frank attention Of the man,
From his seat on the big divan, sur.
rounded by pillows and Sister Eula-
lie. the Slater man leaped to the mid.
IDLE Of the lobby, stopped over the lit.
tle figure and picked her up in his
arms. decided then and there would
cease activities in the way Of tact.
OF course, he never noticed her finger
nails and neck.
y want to 60 away from here the
little thing moaned. He Gained her
and in the most adorably tender way
he pushed back wisps Of her black
hair. Eulalie was furious, but she pre.
tended to be chatting gayly with Mrs.
Hopper.
What did you say to the poor little
thing" demanded mother, accusingly.
In my astonished ear. was too
indignant to reply. Mother always