The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1916-08-15
THEDAILY
SHORT STORY
/ The Strawberry Festival.
BY EARL REED sILvERs.
ICcpyright, 1915, by the Mcclure
Neyguaper Svodtca+R
REED STLEERS,


6Rs. SARAH MccoSAUGHTy
M kept a boarding house in the
4s4 heart Of the Catskills. She was
assisted in the various duties OF her
: position by her daughter. Margaret,
who had eyes the color OF rtpenet
chestnut and lips as red as the GRIM
son roses which grew in proSus!ou
4 over the rambling front porch. Mar
garet was as pretty an Irish girl "a
could be found In q days journey.
and whenever her eyes net those OF
Walter Blake she became even pref
tier.
Walter had come to Terndaie In
the early summer. aad there he had
met another Margaret, Miss E!sch-
er, whose home was IN New York.
She wore her carefully prepared va.
cation clothes With marx OF Gtst:cc-
ton. She powdered Der ccse with a
pun which abe carried = her hand
I kerch!ef and :eddeced te= lips By the
aid OF a magic stick which the cour-
Z try girl had once seen on the top OF
the dresser in her room. Her coz
versation was savored with q touch
Of careless slang. she had admirers
BY the score. aad Walter Blake was
one OF them. During the first part OF
his visit, he had followed her around
much in the manner Of faithful COL
!, lie who will not be driven back when
, his master wants to go somewhere
without him.
But one night he had dlscorsolate-
ly watched her drive over the hills
with Edgar Nolan, and, turning, had
found Margaret McColaughty look
ing at him with the htar OF twinkle
in her eyes. Seized by sudden i'm
pulse, he had asked her 10 drive with
him. and they had gone together to
the movies in Liberty. On the way,
they had passed Margaret Fischer
and her companion. The city girl
had looked with amazement at her
country rival. but when the other had
passed out Of sight she had drawn
forth her powder pun to tap her nose
gently, for she had noted the healthy
color Of Miss McConaughty's cheeks.
The boy had frankly enjoyed himself
that night, while as for Margaret it
became the event by which all other
incidents Of the summer were measur.
ed.
After that, they saw eaca other fire.
quently, but one night when Walter
had asked her to go with him TO
barn dance in one OF the neighboring
hotels she had been forced TO refuse
because OF the stern necessity OF
helping her mother with tie supper
dishes. And he had been inclined to
argue.
Il don't believe you want to co."
! he had said.
"But I do" Margarets eyes had
begged for confidence, but Walter
had turned away.
IAN right" he had announced,
'1'1l ask Miss Fischer
Three days had passed si2ce then,
and Blake had paid little attention to
his country friend. He was cortinu-
ally in the company Of her rival. how
ever, and seemed perfectly sat.
isfed to listen TO trivial talk Of
Broadway. Mary Pickford a1d MUIR
rays. All of which. with the excep-
ton Of Mary Pickford, was a mystery
TO Margaret.
On Saturday evening. however. an
hour before the strawberry festival
was scheduled to be held in the vii
. lage church. Walter found Margaret
McConaughtT sitting on the back
porch hulling berries.
Are you going to the festival to-
night" he asked.
Margaret smiled Thimsically.
'I'm going to have little festival
of my own" she answered. There
are fifteen boxes to be hulled before
I go to bed tonight"
"oh, you don't have to do that. do
you?"