The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1917-03-10
THE DAILY
SHORT STORY
Victim 745.
Copyright. 1917, by the Mcclure
Newspaper SyndicateI

Newspaper SyndicateI
w of a city Of one hundred thou
sand, went TO spend week in
the nearest city Of one million. one OF
the first places he visited was the Col
lege of Household Economics, where
had been taking place a series OF ey.
periments in food costs. For William
McCord was a man to whom all
achievements OF economy were vastly
more interesting than those Of great
expenditure. He had become mayor
of the city OF one hundred thousand
when younger than any Of the preyi.
Gus mayors because he had shown the
people that he could run the city more
economically than any OF those former
mayors. Yet not even his worse pO.
littcal enemy ever dubbed him stingy.
His contributions to public charities
wore a suit that cost more than SIS
and his shoes were of the sort that
sold for 81.
So when he heard of the diet squad
experiments in the big city he was in.
terested. If enough food to feed
working man for day could be bought
for 20 cents he wanted to know how
1t could be done. He wanted the wo.
men who cooked and kept house for
the men in HIS city to have a chance
to learn how. So the first day of his
visit in the big city he made his way
TO the College Of Household Economics
Fortunately 1t was the day that the
new squad had been picked and new
experiment and one more interesting
than the previous ones was to be be.
gun. Mayor McCord became a part
OF the crowd that surged In and out
and through the building. He asked
no questions but by the help OF signs
made his way to the dieteties depart.
ment.
At the desk sat Helen Crew Just
graduated from the college and now
proudly holding the post Of first assist.
ant to the one in charge of the whole
experiment. She was rosy.skinned,
clear-eypd and specialized. McCord
liked the picture all but the spectacles.
They seemed out of place on eyes like
Helen's. She was clad in crisp CLEAN.
Ing white linen and she was intent on
the work in hand. About her there
were gathering the victims-as they
were jestingly called. In previous ex.
periments they had been drawn from
the student body or one of the city de.
partments but this time they were
chosen from the rank and file Of appli.
cants for work at the municipal EN-.
ployment bureau. At the bureau they
had been measured and bathed and
shaved and clothed. In return for
their services on the squad they were
each given a suit of clothes. They
were to be lodged at the municipal
bureau and fed three times a day at
the laboratory of the college. Mean.
time they were to be employed sod.
ding the big city park at the expense
of the city. That at least was hard,
outdoor work calculated to consume
as many calories of energy as any
other.
The mayor turned from studying
the girls face and wishing that he
could remove the spectacles to study
ing the faces of the men. Their baths
and shaves and clothes had worked
wonders. He was wondering how much
It had cost per man to clothe them.
Then he looked back at the girl In
spectacles whom he had determined
to quiz about the plans for the expert.
ment. He watched the eyes through
the spectacles. He was wondering