The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1916-11-01
THE DAILY
SHORT STORY
Amazing Grace at Midnight
10y ELSIE sEE.)


Copyright, 1916. by the Mcclure
Newspaper Syndicate.)
~ RACE TRIGG was the only girl at
the Luncheon Club who profess.
~ ed Indifference for the Hallow.
cen frollc proposed by Mabel Craig.
"Oh. Grace. what has got into you?
You used to be more fun than any.
hody!" Ada Green became impatient
when all their pleadings for Grace's
support proved in vain.
"I,m sorry II 1t peeves anybody"
said Grace, "but / seem to have lost
enthusiasm for spook feasts and for.
time telling. It's SO childish"
"Oh, hear the mighty highbrow
speak" said Ada Green. In pretended
awe Of Grace.
After the other girls left Mabel and
Ada discussed Grace's indifference
and concluded that 1t was born OF
bitterness caused by recent quarre.
with Stanley Price, to whom Grace
had been almost engaged since their
childhood when they had scaled the
board fence separating their back
yards and had made mud pies and
played bean bag together. Neither OF
the girls had even faint suspicion
that Grace's seeming indifference was
merely ruse to throw them of their
guard SO that she might carry out her
plan to surprise them in tho midst OF
their Halloween frolic.
AS for her quarrel with Stanley
Price, Grace shrugged her shapely
shoulders and said to herself that un.
I'll he admitted the reasonableness OF
her determination to do one woman's
share In the restaurant inspection be-
ing planned by the pure food commit
tees OF the various women's clubs, he
could 60 In the direction Of the bow.
Vows. There were plenty Of good
times to be had without him, and she
meant to make Halloween the occa.
sion Of an unusually good time.
For the first week after their quar-.
rel Stanley Price had been highly
amused at Grace's air OF naughty cold.
ness as she would give him barely
recognizable greeting when they hap.
pened to be on their neighboring front
porches at the same time. The sec.
ond week even these chance greetings
were lacking, as Grace was busy on
the committee work and was too much
occupied to tarry on the porch. She
was born housekeeper and inspect.
ing those restaurant kitchens and
making out her reports really absorb.
ed her mind so much that she had lit.
tie time left to plan her part in the
Halloween party being arranged by
the girls OF the Luncheon Club. When
q whole week passed without Stanley
getting so much as glimpse of Grace
the situation began to lose its humor
for him.
ooh, bother those clubwomen for
catching Grace in their net" mutter.
ed Stanley. as he paced his room and
pulled cigarette on the night Of Hal.
lowe'en. But even If they get her
to dressing as they do in serge skirts
and denim waists, I'll love her any.
how. I'm going over tonight, when
Fate Is supposed to be on the job. and
offer to bury the Ratchet"
He har not turned on the light in
his room and when he closed the hall
door preparatory to dressing for his in.
tended call his room was in darkness
except for the faint light coming into
his window from the porch light at
the Trigg house next door. Just as
Sankey's hand was on the switch by
his chiffonier light flashed from
John Trigg's directly opposite, and
Stanley saw Grace and her younger
brother laughing gleefully as she
donned the coat Of his dress suit and
held up the trousers and found their
length Just right for her tall figure.
Stanley's eyes were held by what he
saw and his hand remained station.
nry without turning on the light. Grace