The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1917-01-15
THE DAILY
SHORT STORY
The Rose.
By lzoLA EoRREsTER.
Copyright. 1916, by tEe Mcclure

Eh
Copyright. 1916, by tie Mcclure
Newspaper Syndicate.J
II 7 fell at Bartram's feet as he was
hufrying to the elevated station and
lay in the trodden snow, pink La
France rose. He was late, yet he
stopped and picked 1t up, trying to see
where 1t had come from.
The neighborhood was far from
fashionable. Rows OF second.rate
apartment houses lined both sides Of
the street, with stores on the ground
floors and the elevated tracks between
them. But as he looked up he caught
a glimpse Of face at se3ond story
window, face that matched tic rose.
Young and very girlish It was. with
eyes full of mischief and dismay, too,
, seeing him with the rose In his hand.
Just moment and 1t was out Of sight
in the room back OF fhe window.
Bartram went up the long stairs TO
the elevated railway sta ion with a
curious tingling at his heartstrings
Romance did not usually stalk his foot.
steps. He led a monotonous sort Of
life. day in and day out. There was
the three.and-a.half-a-week room on q
side street near the park, his meals
caught at hazard here and there wher.
ever he happened to be lIrIsg the day,
and the business routine at the office
where he filled niche as eastern gales
manager.
All the way downtown and during
the days work he was wildly con.
scious of the rose in his waistcoat
pocket. Several times he surrepti-
tiously took 1t out and looked at 1t when
he was alone in the office. Its fra
GRANGE brought forth memories of 9TH
err roses. Back home in Georgia his
mother had had beautiful old.time
rose gafnen He could remember its
tagged walks, with grass and myrtle
growing up between the rock crevices,
and Towering almond bushes on each
side. Her dresses made soft, swish
ing sound as she passed along and he
walked behind her, a lad of nine or
ten, just after shutdown. He had not
been home since her death.
Then came another rose memory.
The girl he had banked all his hopes
on-oh, but that was years ago. He
had been twenty, just fresh up from
& the South In New York life. She had
seemed like rose to him, tall and
brilliant and full of grace. He knew
that money lay between them, but
when she had led him on, he had i'm.
agined the miracle might happen. that
she might love him. She had loved
roses, not the pink ones. but Ameri-
can beauties and the dark red
Jacglieminots. He had used his last
dollar many time buying them for
her., And then when he had finally
mustered up the courage to tell her,
she had laughed at him, and told him
not to be a foolish boy.
y The next morning when he came to
the news stand at the foot of the ele-
waited stairs he glanced up at the win
dow. There was no sign OF the face he
wanted to see and ne rode downtown,
feeling the JOY of the day gone.
Bartram puzzled for several days,
seeking to meet her. Once he caught
a glimpse of her from the station plat
form. but she recognized him and
slipped back into the room out OF sight.
Then toward the end OF the week there
came sudden, blessed relief. A small,
discreet sign hung in the upper left
hand corner of one window.
Room To Let"
Bartram took his noon hour. and
went up to engage the room. The door
In the second hallway was opened by
a middle.ageG woman. pleasant faced
and hopeful Yes, she had room to