The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1917-02-27


had found this spot and she had also
found that through some long lease ON
the remainder of the estate to which
plot could not be disposed OF for ten
years more. In the meantime the lit
| tie house was leasable, Norma sup
posed, for a comparatively small
amount. She went to the agent and
after some difficulty in persuading him
of her sincerity. got him TO quote a
price for the ten years lease. The
terms seemed to her perfectly satisfac.
tory. Then came the task of finding
some one who would lend the girls
club the amount necessary for the
first three months rent, and the 9TH
err necessary = much larger-needed
to put in the necessary improvements.
One OF these improvements was the
! erection of trellis over the cemented
court yard. where Norma planned to
grow vines. Then there were to be
boxes where she planned to grow
/ flowers so that the house would have
I a garden in spite of the bare cement
! courtyard. But she finally did find
| some one to trust her-she called in
person on the richest woman she had
ever heard about and would not leave
| her house till the rich woman had con.
scented to see her personally. AS Nor
ma explained she simply wanted to
borrow the money. The gift was not
one OF money but of confidence. The
( girls in the club were self.supporting
and the house would soon pay for It.
/ self
Mr.. Majors, meanwhile, grew more
/ and more distraught over the rasping
/ male voice OF the switchboard. He re-
| fused to have him replaced by another
! girl. because he had made up his mind
to tempt Norma back with ten or
twelve dollars week. Then at d.
rectors' meeting of charity in which
! his family had long been interested he
met the woman of wealth who had
trusted Norma. She asked him about
her and told him of her arbitration for
the girl. The next day Majors set out
to find her
He did not exactly hope then to get
her hack as his switchboard operator.
He was more annoyed than ever that
day With the discomforts Of coming
downtown in the subway. He was
jealous Of the club girls who could in
duce Norma to make little vine en-
powered home for her within a few
minutes walk Of their work.
He found her finally in the house be-
hind the brown stone fronts. smuggling
down behind high office buildings and
as lonely and peaceful at nights when
the office buildings were closed as a
cottage in the suburbs. The trellises
were already put up and growing vines
gave promise of what the little bower
would look like later on. Norma was
directing the work of plasterers and
paper hangers when Mr.. Majors found
her.
4 don't know just what have come
to ask you," he said as he studied the
youthful figure sheathed in a coarse,
all-enveloping Bingham apron. 81
thought at first thabI could tempt you
back. But now have another idea.
This is rafting idea OF yours-this
making little garden cottage in 'the
midst OF the city. wonder whether
there aren't other places that could
be Transformed"
Norma told him there were. Just
that morning, she said real estate
dealer. hearing OF Norma's assistance
from the well.known woman of wealth,
had tried to induce her to take lease
on similar piece of property block
away. But the work had been begun
on the first place and the lease was
signed.
"You could perhaps get that place
for me. / am sick to death OF sub.
ways. A place like this could be made
ideal"
Norma thought for moment. "If
you would pay for the time I've spent
and the club bonus, and assume all
the indebtedness for this place you
could have it. I'll start the other place
for the girls with the bonus from you
to help clear their initial debt"
So they struck a bargain.
In two weeks the work Of finishing
Mr. Majors house, which had been
sandwiched in evenly with the work
on the new club house, had been com
pleted. Sometimes with Mr.. Majors
to help her and sometimes alone Nor
ma had bought, now at quaint little
secondhand stores, now at antique
shops of greater pretensions, here at
an auction and there at department
5UOTes luEulIuEe ludI Lltleu III Will
lines of the old house. For Norma had
the innate eye of decorator and q
home maker. She had been too full OF
the joy OF the undertaking to realize
that Mr.. Majors was really more inter.
ested in the girl who furnished the
house than he was in the house.
Then when the task was completed
and Norma led him through the rooms,
each one fitted out under his direc.
lions but according to Norma's taste
and Judgment they stood speechless.
Norma in sheer happiness over her
task completed. You see, I've had
lots of troubles" Majors was telling
her. zone was the voice at the end of
the telephone. couldn't get you back
SO came to you. There was Me prob
lem of the subway and you solved that
for me. And there's still Sam Yong.