The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1916-09-04
THE DAILY
SHORT STORY
.EvELYN's HOLIDAY
tBy 1zoLA FoRREsTER.)

Copyright. 1916. by the Mcclure
Newspaper Syndicate.)
Sgyv yHERE are you going over La,
NV Dor Day, Miss Bennett?"
The little fluffy haired
near the window was always asking
sfmpromptu questions more or less en-
bbarrassing.s
Evelyn colored over so slightly as
ste bent to sign the last batch Of let.
tiers.
Il hardly think I shall get away. I
am taking home some new estimates
70 80 over"
you're an awful goose to work so
hard. You don't get any thanks for It.
u can tell you that right now. I heard
Mr. Torrance tell Jimmie you were
working yourself to death and you'd
die In harness in the forties. You bet
] won't" She ran hcr fingers through
her pretty curls daintily. I'm going
to Lake Lorraine on an excursion"
Excursions are very dangerous"
said Evelyn, bit coldly. II don't like
crowds"
Don't you? love them. And love
J It when the band plays and the boat
starts away from the dock. It just
thrills you. can ride on a ferry boat
and almost make believe I'm going to
Europe"
After the others had left the office,
Evelyn sat at her desk as usual, going
over the last duties Of the day when
the office was quiet. And somehow
the words Of the little stenographer
s Kept recurring to her. Was she wrong
to let life slip by without any real
fun? She was 81. private secretary to
Gates Waring. the civil engineer. He
was out of town q great deal Of the
time, and left the detail Of the office
to her absolutely. Long.distance tele-
sphoning, night letters-these had been
the sources Of communication between
them. Now and then he came into the
office for few days. ran over what
she had prepared, gave orders, and
was gone again. Some of his own fe-
verish energy seemed transmitted to
those who worked for him. Evelyn
liked to think she was essential to
him. Yet his words were always few
and impersonal. It was moro hiz man
ner
when I get here" he had told her
once, II always feel rested UP blt.'
You take 80 much off my shoulders,
Miss Bennett"
He was on his way north now. she
knew. A wire that morning stated he
would leave Washington Monday morn.
Ing. The office would be closed Labor
Day She had plenty Of opportunity to
go away for the day. And. before she
knew 1t, she had begun to plan. There
we're 30 many places she might 60 to.
relatives who lived out Of town and
friends, too. But some way she want.
ed to find that zest and thrill the stem.
spgrapher had told her Of. She want
led to be in a crowd.
She left the office and rode uptown.
stopping in at tempting little shop
open evenings on upper Broadway. It
WAS the last breath Of summer, and
they were closing out their suits and
coats. She chose dark blue silk suit
made on loose sport lines and hat to
match, a nobby sailor shape In hand.
ssewed silk, with CULTS wing sweep.
ing up In a line OF defiance from one
side, q beautiful, pointed silver.gray
.pne.
The next morning early. she found
herself on 1ammed platform in Jer.
sey, waiting for the excursion cars to
be opened up. She had ride Of an
hour, then a wonderful trip on like,
and hours to spare on the veranda Of
%. big hotel. And already she had found
the thrill Of happiness, starting away
IN the holiday throng. Only the lone.
liness bothered her. Every one else
had .aomehodv with her
She had brought some magazines to
read on the train. It must have been
three-quarters of an hour before there