The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1918-11-30

eCopgrtShts 1913. by the Mcclure
Newspaper Syndicate.)
wUFITH her neat bat worn coat butt
tA toned to her chin, her shabby,
black hat drawn down to meet
her thoughtful broWs, and with two
books under her arm. Roua was run
ming dom the stairs OF the Home
Boarding House Then something hap
pened Something serious enough to
bring teas TO her grave eyes. TIE
heel OF RoIIass slipper caught In
treacherons place IN the ragged carpet,
ne cIutched the ar. dropped her
book hen fen IN detected heap.
1dd 70 her discomfort and humIl-
- young man In navy blue came
e ter assistance. His soIicitous CUES
tons and attentions only served to In
crease her embarrassment and strange
y enough, she felt resentment to-
Ward him as he helped her regain the
scattered articles.
Thank yor, I'm not hurt" she said
curly.
There was a ripple OF Laughter. aaa
RoHa saw q tow-head disappear.
with tanning cheeks and close to
tears, Rolla hurried out, and not until
she had turned the conner did she stop
to brush the dust she had gathered in
her mfshzp from her skirt and sleeves
and to pull her hat into place. When
Che reached her destina&ion-the Mur-
Feen the swinging doors, the tense
expression on her face relaxed and
she breathed a sigh Of relief.
RoIIa Randolph had attended this
l. ery school when she was youngste-
IN mindless and pig.tai1s. She had
been "out for the yaledictory- but an
unfortunate turn OF affairs at home
had made it necessary for her to
shorten he braids and 1engthen her
skirts and enlist In the greatest Of all
arnfes-tha army OF toi1erS. Things
bad gone from bad to worse. Mrs.
Randolph Had become too Ill to keep
hodSe and had sane to live with SIS
and RcIla Vas obliged to make the
sreatast OF all sacTIfceS-to live With
and among strangers.
RoIa had two passions-her moth.
en- and education. She never passed a
school without sigh. and witnessing
a graduation OF a high school class
was at once a Joy and an anguish to
her. In her heart she Rugged hope
that some day she would take up the
broken thread Of her education; and
snnw she hal moved into this boarding
4suse because 1t was nearest 20 her
col." She souId slip away in the
SSning course as soon as she had re-
turned from the Office and swallowed
her meager supper
And how she loved those hours she
spent among the serious evening stu
dents. They were the only bright spot
her drab, lonely life.
Good evening, Mr.. Franklin" she
.nurmured as she passed the tall prin-
cipal, whose towering head and Shout
Frs she could see above the moving
fhrong oe students
She offered this greeting nightly
though she never received nor expect
ed an answer, not that Mr.. Franklin
would prrpose1y ignore her, but be
eause he never heard her low voice.
Her good evening" was merely a nat
nrd EXPRESSION OF the gratitude she
felt toward the man who was at the
helm ofan institution that offered her
the opportunities she longed for.
/ On her way home after school that
eve ing she ran full tilt into sailor
Who politely lifted his white cap. All
the confusion she had felt earlier in
the evening returned to her. She felt
4 VI SA4dlAAG az me- u.s. GsSsAS4o N&-
pertinent coward this man. and she
maze a desperate effort to mend It
now.
TT-thank you for-you must par
don me-" she stammere5.
Perfectly an right" he murmured.
lifting his cap again. Then, with a
smile and pointing to her books, he
laid: Studying French 81
l4er embarrassment was forgotten
in moment, and she feit as il she
were conTersing with an old friend.
he had struck a common note and she
bad answered. and soon they were
lost" in books
Tn trying to have some one teach
me the meaning OF couple OF words.
too. Need It for over there vo;,
know" he ted her.
RoIla vas on the point of Offering
what little service she could. when
suddenly she remembered that he was
the friend Of the quiet girl on the sec
} ond aoor. Perhaps this boy who ao-
pealed 50 strongly to RoIIa was fhe
sother girls dance. RoIIa. would not
come betweeen them. She managed
to steer out OF dangerous waters by
changing the trend OF the CONVERSE
vent 70 see the Great Lakes Ma.
III Station Our boys make a wonder
showing. don't they?' She re
marked
Yes, he agreed. ''tney make pref
y decent Glowing. but they're derce-
andous to SHOW the kaiser what
they're doing
sola began TO thew out In spite Of
saEselt before this boys wholesome
Do you know" she found herself
4S1ng. II fancy saw you there?''
4oq might have, was in the letter
IN Aneriea' and In 'Y when we
erEaed the word navy You must
lave recognized me bv INV White rs,o !;
They both laughed.
4oa can here often" she remarked
yes, 7 come to visit Alice regular
She bid him a sudden ana -o11
good night" and ran nv, ~, So 49, 80