The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1917-11-22
THE DAILY
BSHCRT STORY
Something to her Advantage
BY HlLpA MORRIS.

BY HlLpA MORRIS.
fCouyrisht, 1917. by the Mcclure
Newspaper Syndicate.)
~ AcK in Stanton old Ellis Stew.
X ems bookshop was famous
II place, for friendly gatherings
and gossip. It's hospitable table full
Of magazines, its big base.burner with
are glimmering red through the mi.
CT windows. its well.lined shelves, and
case full Of fascinating displays OF
paper. pens and other literary appli-
ances made 1t a popular place for ev.
ening gatherings. Young Ellis had
been brought up IN that bookshop; he
loved the very sight and touch Of a
book. So when ambition drove Km
to the city with little capital It was
natural that he should start book
ship of his own. That was modest
place at first, but It grew rapidly, IS
some shops have, a way of doing.
There was no base-burner In young
Ellis. store, hut there was warmth
Of courtesy and the sort Of hospital
4 ityg which leaves one free to browse
among the shelves undisturbed. PEG
pie loved to drop In and scan the
contents Of the latest magazines. II
they had pencils or writing paper to
purchase Stevens store was the very
( pleasantest place to go for them, be-
cause one could spend half.hour or
so among the latest books for the
price of a very small purchase-or ev-
en- for nothing at all, II one chose.
There was one young girl who came
( into the shop rather often. Ellis had
noticed her once or twice-she SEEM
ed to be always reading magazines,
though she seldom bought more than
{, pen or an eraser. She was a pref
ty young thing, with bright color and
simple clothes which lacked the city
instinct for Style" She looked like
girl from the country. Ellis Stew.
ems, watching her on particular
morning when there were few other
customers, felt a growing conviction
that he had seen that girl before,
somewhere. There was something
about the turn OF her head and the
springy way she walked-he was sure
he had seen her before. Why. even
her smile was familiar, and her voice
when she thanked him for the change
from her small purchase. He stared
after her as she left the shop. Where
had he known that girl? In Stanton?
It was possible.
All through the busy days that fcl.
lowed Ellis kept wondering. He
could not forget the girl-her rosy
face kept reappearing to his minds
eye, laughing tantalizing, as II teas.
ing him to Guess who!"
The girl did not reappear that day
however, and Ellis made discovery.
She had forgotten something. On the
counter near where she had stood
lay q book. well,.aumbed copy OF
Pendennis. And On its fy-leat was
written Rose Maxwell, Stanton, New
York"
Rose Maxwell! He remembered
now. She was one of the innumerahle
Maxwell family who lived in the old
gray farmhouse out on the Greenville
.oad. He had seen her In school, per.
haps, or at the church affairs. Or It
was possible that he had seen her
sisters, there were so many Of the
pretty Maxwell girls, and It was the
family resemblance which had puz.
zled him. At any rate he wanted to
see her again-not the sisters, but
this particular Rose with the merry,
country-tinted face. She would come
back for the book, of course.
But the weeks went by and Rose
Maxwell did not return to the shop.
It was strange-she had been in the
habit Of dropping in every day or so,
before. Ellis wondered whether she
were III, or whether she had left the
city. He searched the directory, but
there was no Rose Maxwell. He even
made tentative inquiries among the
other habitues, but none Of them had
ever noticed the girl. The city had
swallowed up Rose Maxwell.
A month or so later Ellis made a
flying visit to Stanton, and there he
learned that Rose Maxwell had not re.
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