The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1918-12-12
He DAILY Z
HORT STORY
Plans for Peace.
BY JANE OSBORN

Plans for Peace.
BY JANE OSBORN
copyrfght, 1918, by the Mcclure
Newcaper Syndicate.)
oME 81 the moro Ieisurely or indo-
x az the boarders at Miss Kings
gayS fingered IN the wicker
chairs Of the sun par1or after
breakfast but this morning there were
more 1oiterer5 han usual, they were
faitsne IN accents that showed keen
interest. And that interest had been
aroused BY headlines in the morning
fhe world war, if not in sight, was at
least something that one dared dream
about
q suppose Miss King Will have to
cone down on her board a little
Nfeazen.faced old lady, noted for her
miserIfness, was SAYING.
Wen. there's no use my saving any
m(6Ee pits, I suppose, sighed another;
third; Sat least, they won't have
II excuse for sweetening the Gran.
berry sauce with molasses didn't
Ike to ob1ee: before. 1t don't seem
loysb but now certainly
Doris May. who had lfnered on her
way to her volunteer work at Red
ing her time to account with sock
Whiting, had at this point emitted a
little stfed scream that cut short the
last REMARK and focused the eyes OF
the 1ingerers on her.
Doris: twenty-four. and sweet of face
and the youngest member by far OF
the King establishment, blUshed with
embarrassment. She had not expected
TO attract attention and she did not
SFeaIly want to explain.
II was Just thinking" she explained.
However. at suddenly occurred to
me that when the war was over there
would be no more socks to knit and
no more canteens to work for nor con-
servation kitchens to help with nor lib
erty bread to bake-end, well, was
beginning to feel sorry and that made
NE. scream, guess. It seemed so
wicked to have anything but the hap.
pteSt feelings that It Is all over truly
shan miss The knitting-
Wen, am sure shan't'' snapped
one OF the sour-vtsaged members Of
the establishment who had, during the
course ct the war, managed to knit
NO whole pairs OF socks and a sweat
g I'm quite exhausted, assure You,
ana nothing but a winter in Florida
WA undo the damage all this knitting
has done my nerves.
Anyway, you needn't stop Knitting"
mother ono of tie company was say.
ing- Soldiers aren't the only people
8 Tho wear socks. had cook once
IN awful creature She was. too-a2d
fer husband was a teamster and he
wore l.z.st socks I know, because She
used to Knit tie socks in the kitchen
ne tine that was paying her to
ork for me-"
But ! don't know any Transfers"
ta4Shed Doris. Really I didn't mean
fosssy ], was soSry. because am not
an 80 happy to think that it really
9 going to end some time, only it will
seem stupid going back to the bridge
parties and teas and things that we
csea TO spend so much time on before
the war;
Doris went about her work at Red
Cross that day and at canteea tha.
@fer1oon with less than usual OF her
natural cheafulness. She was vexed
With herself to think that she could
nave any selfish regrets-when she
Rnew that IN her heart she felt only
ne deepest Of joy ut the news OF pos
sible peace.
That evening Capt Robert Bicknell
came in to the boarding house from
he encampme1t five miles away where
since his return from France he had
hem acting as instructor He was
sized by the coterfe OF those who lin.
gered IN the drawing room after dinner
somehow It seemed as II his opinion
concerning the outcome OF peace tank
would be OF more weight since he rad
come fresh from a military encamp.
ment Az matter Of fact the fact
mat he had como from the encamo-
ment made him especially reticent
about discussing 5t-that is, before
the group Of Miss Kings boarders in
the drawing room.
It was % escape this assemblage
e9et he begged Doris to take a stroll
down tho small town street with hin.
Bue people notice So" protested
DORIS. You know how those women
9abb4es aud It was only two nights ago
thaS you were hero before"
Yes, agreed the captain. ''but per-
haps there WON'T be many more nights. /
I'm not going to annoy you asking, you
the o4o question. guess YOU made
yoursel6 about as clear to me as any
e.r4 could. I know you're not the, kind
% g14 that viii accept man lust be-
cause he Keeps at her, and I'm not the
lLlna OF man that would want a woman
% mary him Just because he did nag
her But may be leaving camp soon
md Just have to talk things over
With With you. You told me you would be
1nserested IN me always. and value
your advice. may be- taking a lean
= me dark. but have been thinking |
tl111gs over and I know now that I J
can't 90 on the way things were bs-
lore thesWac.
Then waS content to be cashier
here in the bank. Honestly, do Won |
Know Doris, when first saw Eaa no
per this morning and realized that
-nl.-eA LA s.....l..n ..nnA--- 1..c--S