The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1916-08-18
THE DAILY
SHORT STORY
MR.. SUDDs SPEAKS.
BY KEITH

lngfs shopping. OUTSIDE the Dig stone
house a doye-gray car, with two men
In idoye-gray livery, waited before the
steps.
Then something occurred to the
mistress of all this magnifcence and
she pressed a bell. "send Mr.. Sudds
to me, Hutchinson"
When the private SECRETARY ap-
peared she sat down. I've just
thought OF something, sudds, and /
guess I'll get 1t off my mind before |
go out. Take that chair there!"
He obeyed. "Yes, Mrs. Van Kreep-
err" He had lever forgotten his en-
ployer's dictum when he was cutting
his eye teeth Of se~cretaryship. Il
don't want people to talk much
around me. 1 do enough myself"
"It's about Miss Joanna. She is
coming today, Sudds."
Eyes, Mrs. Van Keeper Mrs.
Van X. had eve said to keep q note
Of interest out OF ones voice, so he
didn't. The whole household sat up
when Joanna was mentioned and the
whole household sat back when Jo-
anna was there.
""It's a little difficult for me to x
RlUpp CAdtll5 Htht / NhhL sou ~ W.
but 1t amounts to this: Her grand
father and myself want her to get
married. It's u lookout TO see that
she is properly settled. Her parents,
you know, are both dead, and the
earlier she marries the better, for we
are not going to live forever and
there are settlements to be made and
SO. on. You understand.
Now, I've tried to talk marriage
to her and SO has my husband, but
y she just laughs at us. So have been
thinking that IL you would put the
SgraYity Of the situation up to her,
show her the business side of 1t and
her duty to us, 1t might bring the de-
sired result. And Incidentally there
are two young men you might men
ton. One is Reginald Crecy, the 9TH
er Houghton Vanc. Either n would
be acceptable to us. They have family
and money and all that. You under
stand"
eyes, Mrs. Van Krecper. Am l to
understand that l am TO approach
Miss Joanna this morning IN the sub
ject?"
Not necessarily. but l thought I
might not have another opportunity
to speak about 1t. But soon, Sudds.
She is young and impressionable and
! want to get her interested in these
young men before others make their
appearance. You understand, i hope,
Sudds."
Eyes, Mrs. Van Kreeper. We do 1t
in England. A very good plan, Mrs.
Van Kreeper."
"If you say Mrs. Van Krcepcr
again, Sudds. I'll fire you. That's a
good American word-fire. l hope
you understand, Sudds."
eyes, Mrs. Van X, perfectly"
submitted Sudds.
Joanna came. The house was alive
and astir with new life before she
entered the door. Youth, beauty, vi
tally and a certain quality of incor-
Eligibility that was irresistible came
with her.
She changed her clothes, and trill-
ing a tune as she came down stairs,
she stuck her head into the small Of
fee off the library.
Hello, Suddsy!"
How do you do, Miss Joanna"
"oh, just call me Joanna"
"But Mrs. Van Kreeper would"
"0h, can Mrs. Van Kreeper. Yes,
] know she would, Sudds. So don't
do 1t when she's around. When
there's just you and me, though you
do as l say. I'm going to call you
Billy"
""oh, Miss-I mean Joanna! What
would Mrs. Van"
t"'Never mind, Sudds. I mean Billy.
Come on out and show me the new
%shrubbery and the last batch Of pup
pies and everything. Let those let
tiers 60"
"Gladly, Miss-Gladly, Joanna!"
"Oh, never mind calling me that II
it's going to give you st. Vitus' dance.
You can make it 10 IL you like. That's
right. Lock up the desk. Say, Billy,
you've got q beautiful head. We did
Apollo in clay at school and the mod
elilooked more like the bad man than
the standard OF manly beauty. l was
thinking what a peach you'd make
and how crazy all the girls would be
, about you. Don't look so shocked,
Billy. You need to go through board
ing school and get sophisticated. Too
bad you're English! You'd have made
a perfectly bully American. Come on
now n tell me what grandma's got
up her sleeve about Reginald Crecy
and Houghton what's his %nanle!"
Sudds found his tongue after
awhile. "She wants you to marry
them, Miss Joanna, l mean Joanna
Jo."
Mercy! I couldn't do that. I'd
get cross.eyed trying to keep All eye
on each of them at the same time"
well she wants you to marry one
of them. l guess she doesn't a
which"
"oh, just one!"
Eyes. that's 1t! You get me now,
Miss-I mean Jo."
.Well?"
"And I'm to tell you that it's your
duty to her and Mr.. Van Kreeper to
make a proper alliance, and these
men have money and family"
"And red hair-that is, Reggie has
and an awful temper, and he's self
ish as a pig. And Houghton hasn't
enough brains to go in out OF the rain
and he's sick in bed most of the time.
Besides, they both drink like fisher
men. You don't want me to marry
&f.aHH do ,,A, nIit,p -