The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1918-12-04
TIE DAILY
SHORT STORY
Preparedness
CO.,. 1sls. by.tAe 1leelaFe

tflR GWe9Ko SI1EEG9 ptlceu Oh bae SOuH
ter BEFORE him, and then produced a
ron ce bEls. IN take the whole do1
en- he announced TO the WezTy-lcok
ing clerk There won't be another
bargain IKE this for years" The clerk
vas too surprised 70 answer, but as
lack wa starting away he Yentured
10 suggest the purchase OF something
no. thanks" Jack smiled, 1--WE got
everything else. have socks enough
20 last me for SIX years and under.
clothes Cor just as Iong-tO say moth.
Ing Of ties and suits Of clothes. There
S;not an article Of wearing apparel
Tat VII need for years to come that
Iavent got stored away I believe
IN preparedness.
This var Is going to knock prices
sky high, and I have figured have
saved hundreds Of dollars on what l
have purchased and packed away In
Two. years time We poor beggars who
have to stay home won't be able TO
buy shirts Ike these have Just
bought Tor so apiece
The dress goods counter was on the
way ont. As Jack was. hurryine past
= Hight hand was placed on his
shoulder. He looked up to meet the
smiling gaze OF Jessie Eridge, the Jew
eler's daughter.
Jessie had been an old school days
! friend, and had just returned from col
1ege. She had not changed much,
Jack thought, as he took the grace
folly profeTed hand.
= was going to askyour assistance
with my parcels Jessie laughed. be-
oIFf4Rffn1SfV d1k,TIk 90,
o your own Have you been laying in
3 stock Of things to last you until the
end Of the war?
81 have just bought moro silk than
can use in years, but believe In pre-
4aIedness. Tie way everything is go
ING uo silk viii be out OF reach within
ayear OF two. have got the grandest
White crepe de chine for my wedding
r dress. How do you like it?' She held
up 9od OF the goods for his inspec-
You wiz Icok splendid in q, dress
Of that Jack enthused. ''Ydu are
very sensible to purchase now. You
arc the only person IN town who
aerees with me, though, III venture to
say
Then We are the only sensible peo-
Die IN town." she said, decidedly.
TEey think at home that am. foolish
TO invest so much OF my little fortune.
p things to put away, but time viii
al Father thinks have lost my head,
but at the same time he says that dic-
monds win dcnble In price before this
time next year"
Is that soy Jack exclaimed. Good
ness knows how soon might need a
diamond. had better see your father
right away"
let me sen you one. I am helping
h the store during my holidays. can
ten you the setting she viii like best''
Jack blusned to the roots of his hair,
but Jessie laughed gayly. He didn't
make his choice the first day. but
called often TO discuss it with the
eager young saIeslady. He did rot tell
her OF course. that he had not met
the young lady who was to wear the
ring, but vas just buying It in the ex-
pectatfon OF being engaged sometime.
It was following out his idea Of pre-
paredness
Once the purchase had been made
regretted that he had not taken
longer IN making the choice. Not that
he was not satisfied with the one JeS-
sic had persuaded him to take, but it
meant the loss Of an excuse to call at
the jewelry store when the jewelers.
daughter was In charge, Jessie had
always appeared attractive to him,
but now she appeared the most Won
derfuI girl In the world
Why hadn' he recognized her before
IS his IDEAL girl? he asked himself
when he had realized it 1t was
TOO late, for already Jessie had bought
her wedding dress.
How lucky the other man was, he
thought. It vas hard to give her up
Just as he had found It, as 1t were.
After he had purchased the rtnS
IacI did not make any more pur-
Shases OF things to lay aside. When
he viewed the things IN his wardrobe
md every other conceivable place to
store things the suspicion that he had
made mistake came over him. There
we're more things than he would be
able to wear before they became too
Ear ont Of. style to be presentable. How
much better It would have been Il he
had saved his money.
However, there was stfu q substan-
tai credit balance to his account IN
Ie bank. but Just the same he would
lie to have unburdened some OF the
things he had. There were enough
clothes and toggge-y in his possession
% start haEerdashery. His late pur-
chase was the worst white elephant
OF AL
Most likely he was doomed 20 bashe-
erhood, now hat the only girl who
could make : a happy was engaged
9 some one Csc. Perhaps It would
s best to give everything he had
stored away to the Red Cross fo- n
iLtE1rna:ke sale They would $tiak ne
erazy to have accumulated so
anS things. Jessie would advise
Pm what to do. he thought. as he re-
eclyed to cais On her again.
hat was Jessie's night TO Be 2n
ne store. jack arrived tus9 before
! el1ssnSS time There was no ore at the
'front.' OF tbs shop, and he waited I'm
: ateatly Tor Few minutes.
stiheG sob sounded from the rear
g the store Jack was ON thu alert
y an instant Jessie was cryiag: he
gould recognize her voice even IN a