The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1918-08-17

THE DAILY
SHORT STORY
THAT GENIUS
By VINCENT @, PERRY.
Copyright. 1918, by the Mcclure


told her she was, her feather had
whispered 1t loud enough for her &.
Hear. halt q dozen times, 50 It was ~
wonder Constance came 10 believe e
koT9eN. There was only one pc. on
WbO didn't ueem convinced OF the fact,
aod that wss Jack Armstrong Con
stance I'D not mind that at first-.t
WOuld be very easy - show Jack h0U
gIest exc vas. she had thought, bu. az
tuOiF friendship ripOnsd and Jack Hepl
"a making love 10 her as II she was an
eUlla2Yy niseteenyear-old girl, the
ca mad Il. II was nice to have a boz
fg.snd like Jack. who shoWered many
Rtteat'enS on her, and she didn't Ike
TIE idea OF giving him up but just the
ta1ae she decided that Jack would have
10 rehAnWe.dSo her superiority b,ior'
Shs became his wife.
'fkea iis verse contest came 10 con
stances notice. There was her oppor
tunity 10 show Jack and the vhO.r
gDTld aud make them proclaim leI
TIC Gsa.us that she had been lead ~
beilovO she was. Why she had writ.
ten VeTeS since she was six years Old.
Tue, al OF them didn't rhyme, and
aoDO Of them didn't reaG smoothly
90 they might have. but some o.
ShaaespeaFe's lines didn't rhine. and
most writer's OF poetry run away from
their meter now ana then. TIE ye-sC
contest was easy. A leading magazine
published an untitled picture AID the
contestants we're requested to send 90
. title for the picture in verse Cou
stance studied the picture in what she
tboueht was q true genius mood and
set 10 work Oh the verse title. THC
praise the verse she turned out won
from her friends and relatives assured
her that she was the only one who had
. chance 10 win the $500 that was Of
ierod. She had 1t spent two hours
after the verse was written.
Jack was TO call on her as usual 'ha,
evening and she waited in anticipation.
Wien he read the verse he would
pHaise Il as the rest had done, she
fsit sure. Her cheeks glowed and her
h1us tFembled as she handed it to
JACK 10 read.
"ALGr!" was the first sound that
DatSSd Jacks lips.
"What do you think OF IT," she
asked eagerly.
"YOu hardly spent enough time on Il.
"a you, dear?" he yentured.
"Qulte enough for such a triilins
u5jsst,' she answered Indignantly
10 lave her work criticized was a
O.; Ly9erience TO Constance
"..a,rc is q Lreak in the meter in the
,-2Dd cad the last line" he criticized
,aln.
There Is nothing Of the kind" she
atscl. "What DO you know about
-e:e.? THIS IL not the first poetry
ave written, ! will have you to under.
sd
Il lnGw it isn't and you do very
ell brit we al make mistakes, you
rcN," 10 hall ipologized.
"YeS: some Of Us make very grave
.iSt'Ees too Mr.. Armstrong It is
J;'i~3 late"
UN!erstand." Jack said. as he rose
h"Pe you gill feel better in the
1Orsiag. II IS not quite nine o'clock
)ut I think you need a rest" His tone
vas ~ ley as hers, but he could not
:sep Il up. Il would Ike to see you
Sia tho prize, Constance" he added,
\ { kindly way, "and feel confident
SGT you can win II you will only exer.
title more effort"
Bit Il was too late TO fix It up. Con
.tanee he'd teen led to believe that
he? poetry was perfect and her pride
had been terribly injured Jack knew
SOe hod beon spoiled, so didn't say any
more. Constance was a pretty girl,
ana Whea she grew a little older in
years end experience he could see that
she would forget many OF her silly
Tho more Constance thought over
5Otibns OF her own selfimportance.
Jacks criticism, the more injured sne
thought she was. II would mean the
cad % everything between them. on
that score her mind was firmly fixed.
u would be better for her to marry
someone with more intelligence ami
smoT feelings than Jack had Her giT!
friends Ogreed with her. Jack was a
nieo boy. and all that, bat he wasn't
good enough for their Constance-nc
Indeed! She would be able to travel
on the $500 and Il would be likely she
WeGld meet some distinguished man
: who would be more than likely to fall
"a love with her. She sat awake al
nights and dreamed Of Il.
The contest closed. The winner
would receive the check a few days be.
'ote The next issue Of the magazine.
Whleh Would have the official an.
nodaeemeat In would appear. As the
dny for the magazine TO be released
drew near. Constance found herself
WNA-y Of waiting. She could not see
10 bed OF the wait and Il was crue'
% bee2 Der In Suspense so long. How
sae Si;ied :Ae ctEer contestants when
teey learned they we're not the win.
'eeF. Mr. ne giTSt time Il daVned Up.
% ilSr that perhaps she wodld he one
% ne unlueky OaOs. The though:
Fh.Esd her. Whs: " Jack had been
-lgGt, after all. He hadn't any reason
- nGS tanlt with her verse if there
heolt ben something wrong with It.
Ne lad alVayS been generous with his
NfAltO % her dresses and things like
t1AL Bet Il was pTaposterous 10 think
% bin h10Wing anything about poetry
. vas altOgOtheF out OF his line. He
YES . good OltOnobilO salesman. drew
, gao1 salary, aSd vas q very fine
yobOg maa. She had been trlile
hAstg = becoming angry At him ano
,St allowing HIN 10 call 3us. because
hai criticised her work. Il was
'el:s :liaO- - be a. engaged girl than
~ ~ ~. That NaS not fai- 20 lack
u 81 - Nann ~ ln.nA. -. - -.