The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1918-12-06
THE DAILY
SHORT STORY
st.1lnps and-Stumps.
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pgFIShf, 1918, by the Mcclure
Newspaper Syndicate-)
WARD, dragging two tired
ID Hstless legs up the narrow
N staircase, passed down the
dressing rooms. hot as jail
sultrY August air. and, with a
burst OF energy, flung herself
8 last room in the tier and
"a the door. AS she kicked two
lppers from her slender, tired
noisy chorus greeted her rom
dining room
inks, fr tn breeze, kid sErilled
-sotee, whom Jean recognized as
5aTrett, OF the Dancing Darretts,
low act on the Olympia bill.
E1's we hogged tn only room with
sfndoW guess y don't mind leaving
y door open, do w" Flo's head APP
ared in the doorway between the
two rooms, and with it a cloud OF
cigarette smoke. Jean shuddered
slightly, and shook her head. No use
being 6ngry. she thought. After all,
perhaps It was hot in those inside
rooms. It was none too cool in her
own, opening as It did on the narrow
hack alley, with a ffty-foot wall be-
youd-
"oh, no, I don't mind" she answer
"a ltstlessIy, then drew q deep breath
OF tho thick, tobaccoLaden air. only
-p9ease-don't smoke. It's hot
enough already"
..Di mil" came the mocking re-
Spouse, as Jean turned to draw on her
moist costume, and to escape the cloud
~ offensive smoke that came with it
ao drew her chair near the window
Ind 1eIl into a disconnected REVERE.
what was the matter with Bart Fen
dan, her dancing partner. she unused
why did he insist on her doing this
fhree.a-day GUNNER season? She re-
membered his promise, before they
left Salisbury, to start on their road
70 fame-he had promised a vacation
IN July. It would be hot then, he had
told her, and they would need a rest;
back among the shady wtlIows-away
from the white Hghts-with fresh
country vegetables, pure cool milk,
and-here they tarried, in hot stuffy
Cheatre. with every woodsy back-droD
J every Inc Of Down Home" the rural
sketch that preceded them on the bill.
fai-iy silriekIEE to them the cali OF
the Wild. And Bart had been growing
90 different OF 1ate-so silent, SO un-
responsive, so different from the good
! old friend he had been down home.
Maybe, thought she, he merely reflect
ed her own mood. She was feeling
faded, she was looking sallow, in fact,
. different from Mabel Woods, the
SW comedIenne on the bill. Bart had
In fawning around her a lot latoly,
W. the next disseminating thought.
Ho 3, wondered Jean, could she keep
than fresh appearance. that creamy
Write complexion? Maybe that was
Why Bart was hanging on-and keep
ing her working, too, she angrtly add
Cd to herself.
She raised herself to her feet and
stared in the mirror. Her face was
Sed from the heat. her eyes a tribe
bIeary-something fell on the dressing
table before her, and she picked 1t up
gIngerly and stared at it wrathfully,
then flung It out the window.
Please" she called to the Darretts,
IN the next room, don't throw those
lighted stumps in here. Something
might catch fire..
ain that case" came the answer,
With Flo's caclltng laugh, ''here's
something to put it out with. And
close to jeans head. with catfish ven
on back Of 1t, hurtled small bottle,
! u ding on her pink hat, and spilling a
Iitfie Of It's amber fluid on the pink
Derfumed brim. Jean took the bottle
Of liquor and hurled It resentfuIIy out
o. the window, then turned and
slammed shut the connecting door
and pushed her trunk against It She
hurried into her stage costume and
went downstairs, her face red with
\ anger
Meanwhile. In the back alley. Andy
Scobel, the olympia's property man,
H ahN
And lung lighted cigarette stump
from his trousers.
what tn -" he yelled upward
e the window above, aud counted It's
relative position so as to place It's
occupant. why. it's J."
WHAT'S tn row. Andy?'' chimed in
. bass voice and Andy turned and
raced Bart Fendall.
shes smolzin'." gurgled Andy, hot
u. gesticulating madly at the upper
window. ''Y'H partner, and it's against
tn TH-"
a bottle fell between them, and
Bart STOPPING. picked 1t up and sniff
( Cd IN horror at the contents.
It's whiskey," he muttered. dazed-
" and then turned Mortified glance
above him. "Jean:" no called, but no
head appeared at the window.
shes haTtn' party" groWled
Andy Fine III country Kid ySe
Forkin' with"
But Bart entering the stage door in
. sort OF stupor, missed Scobelrs
11ocktng leer. Was this Jean? The
llttle, happy-hearted. pretty creature
6O had promised TO look out for. He
walled toward the wings and came
uDon her BY surprise.
Why: Jean. thousht-" he be-
G8a sGad then as his hand bent oysr
her hat he SmolIed whiskey.
You thopght-what?' she glanced
% ct him alphabetically. and caught
his puzzled froWn. for he expected 10
uea tobacco In her breath. but met /
the oooE Of Niolets. Worse and worse.
Shought he, she was tying % hide
her fnfamy from him.