The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1918-08-27
THE DAILY
SHORT STORY
THE BOOK WORM.
BY VINCENT g. PERRY.
copyright, 1918, by the Mcclure
EnuraoonnF Cvndfgafn

ana his estate. Sarah Morley. VINO
had been postmlstress for thirty
yoaTt( this was a fast Sarah hoped no
one could Femember) kept the village
posted on his activities. The iir5'
year be had been home from college
he had taken a correspondence course
IN law, then he had switched on n
short story writing and later had
studied the keeping Of bees and the
culture OF mushrooms. lie was al
WAYS trying something new, but kept
on with the old things he had learned.
adding 10 his hobbies almost month
~. He was always sending away for
and receiving books TO study. The st7.
bles At the Walsh estate were filled
with horses and dogs-d0gS had been
a hobby from boyhOod and he inherit.
Cd q love for horses Il was neces.
saPy for him to hire two stablemen,
kennel man, a bee.keeper and gar.
dOneF besides his household servants.
but ne supervised everything person
ally.
RAYMOND did not find time FOR so
clal life, Il did not interest him in
the least. He attended church every
sunday morning and sat in the Walsh
pew all By himself, occasionally smil'
ine on those who spoke TO him, but
never once letting his eyes rest on any
one OF the girls in the choir-and al!
the eIigible girls in the village were
there. Willgreen knew he was doomed
% baeheIorhoOd and the choir girls
had long since given up all attempts
70 make an impression on him. Mat
rimOnially he was out OF the market.
what do you suppose he Is study
ing noW?" Miss Temple exclaimed.
bFeathIOSsly, IS she hurried into the
meeting Of the T. G. c. (This might
have stood for Town Gossip Club.
Every member knew who she meant
but before they could offer a guess
% chad told them. veterinary sur
geFyl What DO you think OF it?' The
discussion that followed did credit to
the voIubIIity OF the members OF the
+. @. c. Little Miss Audrey Dunbar
from the city was an interested Visi-
tor.
"Why, auntie, what Is II all about?"
she asked. ''WhO is this man, and why
does everyone criticize him so Sc
VerelyT
They we're only too glad 70 tell her
an about Raymond. After the meeting
Audrey felt an irresistible longing to
meet this "Oddity" of the village. The
sunshine suggested q stroll in the
direction Of the Walsh estate. Oddly
OF no oddly. she was going to look
nice when she met him, she decided,
as she put on her prettiest hat.
Just as she neared the Walsh es-
\ tate. q dog limped toward her. Struck
yith q sudden thought, she coaXed the
nimal to her and examined its in.
red foot. II was broken, she felt
osure. Il was a big, dirty cur, by all
appearances, but nevertheless she
, picked II up in her arms and walked
boldly through the gate that led TO the
Walsh home. She almost let the dog
iall as she caught sight Of tail, good
hooking man wedding in the garden,
but regained her courage and kept
right on. He dropped his hoe as he
caught sight Of her. and ran to meet
her.
"Wha has happened?" he asked
"My dog has been injured" she said
whatever will do? ! should not
have brought him from the city with
me. oh. is his leg broken? Do not
Wiggle 30, dear Fido"
Raymond smiled family. as be took
the dog firm her and rested It on the
grass. IN. It is not broken" he an
nounced, but needs attention"
"PoF old Rover - Fido. meant"
Audrey corrected her mistake, hur-
fiedly. She hoped Raymond had not
noticed It.
Il will carry him 10 the kennels.
have hospital equipment there" Ray.
mond said. as he looked up from the
dog.
might I 30, too? hate to leave
FidOl" The eagerness in Audrey's
tone was not all feigned.
Certainly" he replied.
Fido seemed quite at home in the
kennels. All he required was the rest
cure, apparently, for Raymond left
him 10 show Audrey about the place.
1T Is wonderful" she told him en-
Enthusiastically. Everything is perfect
You must be q genius to have a knowl.
edge Of so many things"
He laughed. THE villagers here
think am a lunatic. You are the first
outsider 10 90 over this estate for five
years. Nobody takes any interest in
me. They think ! am odd for loving
this place and spending my time here
instead Of enjoying the pleasures Of
The village. All the girls here think
am an oddly. / am, too, don't you
think so?"
II should say do noe! They must
Be crazy! Village people are always
Quoor-sme OF them At least. a great
many 81 them, in fact Your life must
Be far more pleasant than the hun.-
drum life these villagers live. Il
would drive me mad. 1t is different in
TIE city"
Eyes. know 1t IS. Some day / am
gQing 10 the city" he said seriously.
Once the ice had been broken Au.
dFey called often to see how "Fido"
was getting on. She left him entirely
81 Raymond's care. But visits don't
last forever. and one day she an.
nouneed that she was going home to
the city.
u AIN sorry" Raymond said, sadly.
Il viii miss you more than you can
realize
dtu.i;l 49,, - Il. 1911 .....,