The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1918-04-08
IHE DAILY
SHORT STORY
The RuInma re Sale.
BY VINCENT q. FERRY

BY VINCENT 9. FERRY
Copyright, 1918, by fhe Mcclure
Newspaper SynC:ca:c.
TW7HEE the letter Stac Cara had
NJ been waiting fer fo= days ar
rived she was so ezcited she
could not open 1t for fuli5 i've min
Utes. But when she cid open it and
read the curt Official letter enclosed,
she almost cried with disappointment.
Fer application for overseas service
had been duly received. filed. etc. and
she would be notified II she was ap-
: pointed for overseas service. She
wouldn't be appointed. she felt SURG.
1t needed influence TO 90 overseas
< as nurse and OF influence she had
none. There we're more nurses than
the country needed applying to 80
but Just a favored few got the sp-
pointnents. She had thought that be
cause she. was trained nurse taat
she would have been given some con
stderation. She had no experience
but the three years hospital raining
she had Just completed, perhaps that
was Why she was just one of the ones
Who had their Application flied. There
was nothing for it but to settle down
To- taking cases like the other grad
tstes. and console her patriotic spirit
by spending all her spare time at Red
Cross work.
The Rummage Sale was clara's
idea and the other workers fell in
line with It and sat in TO make 1t d
success For week they collected
cast-oH clothing from the wealthy
homes Of the city and assembled II
at the Red Cross rooms. The sale
vas advertised for Saturday. b Fri
day night there were enough contri-
butions there to clo:he the poor OF
the city for a year.
Before the opening Of the doors on
Saturday there was lineup OF pros
peetive customers, and when Clara op-
ened up It was necessary to keep par;
of the crowd outside until those ths
got IN we're waited upon and starCeG
on their way Whether the thinS5
fitted or not they seemed 10 Gu! them
what wouldn't fit one child would Fl
another member Of the family. anc
so long as their money lasted they
bought. One old woman houGa:
enough clothes to last her the resi-
Of her life and would have kept en-
buying II there had been anything
left TO Ht her-
aFve wanted to be dressed up1l Ike
wealthy woman all my life and tdlS
e my chance she confided to Clara.
who did most Of the waiting on her
seSoF. II you only had some high
hee1ed pumps that you would sell
cheap, think would buv them.
Here's some here" Clara rooted
them from among a big pile Of shoes.
.sTbey are dancing pun't>s; size
three
The old lady gave a srpnt Of dis
aopoiptment. Il wear mines. SIZE
siEhed. Cant you find some mines
81 am afraid not" Clara said with
out trace of the laugh she vas try
ing 20 keep back in her voice There
are some gentlemens pumps here
thai. might fit you. but trIeE' la;sl =
hiSh heels would you but the
old woman had passed on to another
part of the reconstructed
sBusfress kept up all day. keeping
9 Clara from lunch As evening came
on the rush suosided d little. but
there were still stacks of clothes left
nine o'clock the piles had dimtn
ished, consid erabiy. but it looked as
Of there would still be some fine
things left unsoId. Erll have an auc-
zion" Clara declared. I'll be ore
auctioneer, but we need Two to Sc
Il done properly
Miss Toohey's brother. Dr. Tooaey-
has Just come IN. He viii heip- aul
sure. one Of the ladies' suggested
DR.. Toohey was secured and introduc-
ed to Clara, but she merely gave HIM
glance as she gave him MS nStruc-
s@eYou sell everything on that side
OF the room and III sell every shtES
over here. she told him.
4sI'u do my best" he assured her. !
as he slipped his overcoat OF and !
put It down on a table that had been
cleared Of clothes.
Theu the auction BEGAN. Clara neT !
er did anything by halves and 1he way ;
she sold the remaining things ~outo
have done Justice 10 a market crler. |
Standing on the top Of table she !
rave such glowing recommendations /
OF the things handed to her that they |
were sold one after another-many
at higher prices =han they had oeen |
marked. Dr. Toobey did his part. 100.
whenever Clara stopped Ecr breate |
she could hear him making speeches !
like a real auctioneer. The news Of
the auction seemed TO travel. IN less
than half an hour a new crowd flied
the rooms. buying everything thai
was offered AT eleven O'Clock the
assistant that had been banding
things up to Clara announced that
there was not salable thipS lei!.
and there was still an anxious swarm
ofscustomers
inst as Clara was attempting to
lalight from the table she caught sight
OF a mans overcoat on table. and
sic motioned tc one Of the people 20
Here IS a spleodid geut!eman's owl