The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1918-11-27
ATHE DAILY
Short STORY
Dorothea's Guest.
81 JANE oeeOEN.
(copyright, 1913, by the Mcclure
HSevTsnaper Syndicate0

81 JANE Oo6OENINs
(copyrignt, 1918, by the Mcclure
Newspaper Syndicate.)
ST Wis Peregrine Fosters t1me-non
oned habit Of telephone TO Miss
Dorothea. Foster from the store
{ about the time every day that she
~ eating her solitary breakfast IN
Ie old Foster homestead There was
Usually nothing imperative to say:
eereRlne usually asked DoTothea II
= would be convenient for him to
drop in after supper. If it was We'd
aesday night she would tell him that
was not, because that was the night
he always took supper with her sis
ter.9nIaw. Then Peregfne would ask
e he might see her home afterward,
and with Just a shade OF hesitation
Dorothe8 would say that he might. II
L ~ lot "Wednesday night she, al
Va; : with the same sort OF hesitation.
told him that he might come to see
That IS the way things had been go
IN efor the last eight years ever since.
after an eight years courtship. Doro-
thea had promised Peregrine that
after her affairs were settled" she
might marry him. Apparently things
hadn't been settled yet. One year the
excuse was that the house needed
painting and another that one of the
tenant houses on her farm had not
been rented
But 70 these excuses Peregrine was
used And he was used to the hesita-
tIon she showed when he teIephoued
in$he mornfng-it was only since an
|op9n stretch OF land five miles away
|haA been suddenly converted into an
army encampment and young men in
khaki swarmed the few lanes and VII
10 streets OF the place where Pere-
he owned and kept the only store
lat there had been real change IN
her manner.
OF course Peregrine wasn't Jealous.
Surely Dorothea had too much sense
to take a really sentimental interest
in any Of the boys In camp; Dorothea
evho was forty. Still the boys took up
time that Peregrine felt ought to be
devoted to him.
Il was about one month before
II pksgiving day when PereSrine re-
cefVed his first real shock. however.
Ell suppose it'll be convenient to
come over tonight?" he asked. And
Dorothea fatty told him it would not.
You see, some OF the boys in camp
have been quarantined aud I'm fixing
up some OF my plum butter for them.
It's In two.quart jars and I have to
heat It up and pour it into Jelly glass.
eS- That's the way they like it. There
has been an appeal for things for the
boys in the infirmar- and they want
'SiqAS that can be sent right to them,
u Sou know nay plum butter isn't so
;" Peregrine smacked his lips and
ssurcd her that it certainly was
orth eating.
so you see I cant very well take
the time"
That night Dorothea did more than
re-can plum butter. When she had
finished that task she went to her
writing desk and wrote letter. which
bread over several times with ap-
mt satisfaction. Then she wrap,
up the two dozen Jars OF plum
er she had got ready. and tied each
1tly with a bit of red ribbon. In
me she inserted the little sealed en-
TeIope. Each wrapped jar was then
wrapped again IN a bit OF stout paper,
tied neatly with a cord and the contri'
Itfon was ready.
The next day early she hitched up
r old mare to the older buggy and
ked the two dozen Jars out to the
5Stess house at camp. where she
srnili1 by left her contribution. There
Is something special in this package
she told the young woman who re
5efved them. "Tou might keep It sep
Lrate. and If there IS one OF the young
chaps that needs special cheering you
could give It to him"
The month that followed was a hard
one for Peregrine and. II youth must
be told, It was hard for Dorothea
There was the usual daily telephone
call, but there was something In the
tor Of Dorothea that betokened pre-
3eetpation, and IN the tone OF Pere
crime there was an insuTmounta5le
note OF pique.
On the Wednesday before Thanks.
Perhaps that was because there was
30 much Thanksgiving buying going
On at the grocery store. But there
was another Gala call that Doro
thea had been expecting for weeks.
Say, I'm the chap that got the
plum butter" came a cheerful voice
TT sure was some butter and got
he note asking me to come to Thanks.
giving dinner IL I didn't have any
pl1ee else to go. Well. haven't
md any way Il you make plum butter
3 that wouldn't miss your Thanks,
inS dinner for anything"
orothea was all a-treubIe with ex,
Element She asked the soldier boy
he Woldn't bring a friend. but he as
ured her that he wouldn't because
most fthe boys Who were able TO get
~ and didn't go home were being en-.
srtained by the mems local club. She
ave very full directions as TO how to
let TO her house. assured the boy that
he was Just good-natured old maid
"a told him to come for I o'clock