The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1917-08-16
! THE DAILY
SHORT STORY
Via Terry.
AZ ISABEL FROST.

-
\ taafe EaT one thing more than an
other that Virginia prided herseli
on Il was her aloofness, which TINS
ability 10 live months at time IN
New York apartment house without
becoming acquainted with any OF her
n spite Of the fact that she had 70
eAfn her own living now, she never
f6reot for one moment that she was
Mac Carrfngton, Of Darlington Hall.
GEORGIA she might make dozens Of
sllken lamp shades and hammered
brass and copper novelties; she mign1
i've IN two rooms and kltchenette, 30
calied, and get her meals over two
burner gas stove, but she would not
associata with the hoi polloi or gratity
even her laudlady's curiosity on intm'
ate details O. her past present or lu'
She occupied the back suite on the
Sacond floor. In the front there was
4 young sculptor whom she did not
even know by sight. The rooms ABOVE
her own were occupied by Wells Lewis
an incipient dramatist; the floor be-
law. nv an interior decorator and MS
Vie. on the very topmost floor were
little skylight rooms where several
bIfds of passage lived, students toF
The most part. .oo,,,oa
The only personal mail she received
vas from Terry. He usually wrote
once a week, a brief, jerly boy1sh ep,
istie, full of complaints, football. eats
and ratings at Latin, English ana
everything else under the sun except
matSematics and herself. He never
ma a word against her, though he
would say It was pretty tough on q
fellow eyerlastingly trying to live up
"a his sisters measure Of 8 man.
This did not bother Virginia at all
She felt herself responsible for Terry
and his proper upbringing as a Car
rington. If she could work and sup
bort herself, their slender income
would suffice to send Terry through
school and turn him out a civil en-
Rineer. as her father had wished.
She had not realized until these days
al early summer how tagged out she
vas getting. She found herself FUN
bling over little things and dropping
Them. nervously alert at unexpected
noises and thoroughly indignant al
every street piano and little brass
band that dared to play out IN tne
street.
miss Darlington, you'll break down
Il YOU don't stop working so hard,
Peggy said at the office, as Virginia
waited to see the buyer for the art
goods department. Don't you ever
get tired?" soo,,ua
rather puzzled, Was that what was
the matter with herr" She studied her
face In the mirror carefully and then
thoughtfuly opened letter she had
picked up from the table In the lower
hall, It was an invitation from the
Chapins, for her to visit them on their
houseboat over the weekend.
She left that Friday night for the
shore with a feeling of elation, as
though she had escaped from the mild
sort of prison. On the front steps
she PASSED Wells Lewis. He was per
sonally conducting several paper bags
of superstitiouS groceries that Vlr'
GINA knew represented Light house
keeping. She bowed to him absently
as she always did to her neighbors,
and went on across the square draw
ing on her long gloves.
Terry arrived on the 7:46. Convoy
ing suitcase and several mysterious
parcels along sportsman lines; he ar.
rived at Mrs. Finnegan's at nearlNS9
o'clock. Lewis heard the alteration
In the lower hall while Terry tried to
explain his relationship to Miss Car
rington and his rights and privileges
IN her absence. But Finnegan was OBJ
Sdurate. 1t might be so and then again
1t mightn't. She would take no