The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1918-08-08
THE DAILY
SHORT STORY
BEING CLEVER.
BY HILDA MORRIS.
CODyYlght, 1918, by the Mcclure


oloGy professor IN the university. She /
YES pretty. TOO. or rather, as her but !
tOFliy cousin, Kate. once remarked
"thO would be stunning II she'd give
hOfSelf halt q chance" That was the |
trouble with Emily. In any save In I
tollOetual directions she never gave
heFSOli half a chance. She had never |
ltlt the slightest interest in boys and
mea except a. teachers and human be-
IAkS with worthwhile minds. AZ
twenty-five Emily was that anomaly
lmOnE Women-kind, a girl who had
lever had any sort OF love affair. True
here had been one or two young men
n her classes who would have liked 10
10 further than mere acquaintance,
Sut Emily had never given them the
ilighteSt encouragement
When she went TO visit Kate last
mhmtF Il was not because she wished
Ia 0Aare In the social life Of which
Kate formed 20 capricious a part, bul
simply because she thought Hates
hone IN a small town would be a good
QulOt place where she could work on
her thesis undistuTbed
However, Emily was mistaken.
There was not an evening when the
vePanda was not filled with gay youth
cone to pass the time, or there was
not q dance at the club. a party or a
play. The days we're Just as full; ten.
niS, 10y rides" with one Of Rates
ridiculous boys, picnics, teas-in short
Emily found thGtyshe would have to
state her purpose in life quite flatly
aod ask Kate TO count her out. SO
she cot In her room one afternoon.
trying 10 concentrate on a thick vol
ume With a formidable title, while the
sounds Of gay voices drifted up to her
from the VOrHRdS below.
Kate was there. Of course, and two
% three other girls. Also two young
mon Who should. thought Emily, have
been n better business. There was
OOmtthiAf quite demoralizlng about
the sound OF their apparent pleasure,
Emily found II hard to work. Not that
she 6nVied them, rather she felt sorry
Cor them, poor frivolous things! She
elOsOd her book and sat with her eyes
% space, thinking absently,
"Whefe's your cousin?' she heard
OnA OF the men ask suddenly.
Emily? oh, she's boning over her
old books, at least she said she was
eolnS TO-"
"foot thing!" commented another
gltl. Il feel sorry for her. Just because
she isn't attractive and popular sup
pose she has 10 be intellectual. 1t
must be an awful strain"
II should say So" spoke up a third
giYl. Il felt aWfully sorry for her the
other night at that picnic. Everybody
elSe paired off and had q good time.
She looked aWtully lonesome"
well" thsrO was q Shrug In Hates
voice. I've done my best. can't help
tit she ibn't popular Besides, l think
she really likes 10 study. You cant DO
anything for q girl like that"
Emily felt her face burn scarlet. SO
they were sorry for her! Sorry for
her! Why, she had thought the pitt
all on her own side. How dared they.
The voices below we're rambling on.
"They say Grant sturgis is coming
home next week. havn't seen him
Tor years, but they say he Is perfectly
stunning and an awful heartsmasher.
THERE'S some one to set your cap for
Kate. He has loads and loads Of
money"
Il was right then, In anger and the
spirit Of revenge, that Emily conceived
her remarkable plan. To think was to
act with Emily. and she lost no time
IN writing orders IN to various city
stores. Within a few days mysterious
boxes began 10 arrive for her, the con.
tents Of which she kept secret II
Kate wondered about them II was
without q great deal OF interest. Books
% doubt, or some more Of those i'm.
possible tailored shirts and flat.heeled
lhoeS that Emily always wore.
There was 10 be an informal dance
1t the Country Club one evening a
week later. Rather TO Hates surprise
Emily said that she thought she
Ihould like to 20.
Gould you get a man for me-" she
ISked her pretty cousin
"0h, yes OF course There's Emmett
Brown; will he do? I'm going with
Murray Jones myself, but when / get
lhere--! ! can tell you, EN-. there's
lust one man | want 10 flirt with 10.
aight and that's Grant Sturgis. He's
the best looking and richest man in
ElmVllle, and all the girls are wild
about him. / want to cut them out"
You doubtless WILL" Emily encour.
aged her, with an odd little smile.
Kate was so interested in her own |
dazzling toilet that she never stopped |
% wonder what Emily might wear. |
Indeed, she went off with her escort |
before Emily was ready, and did not
see her until after the second dance.
And when she did see her she was not
q gu sure that It could be Emily.
WHO'S that girl over there; the
stunning one in yellow with her back
towards u.s." she asked Emmett
FFoWn, with whom she was dancing.
Weu' you ought to know; it's your
own cousin. She looks mighty nice
tonight, too"
Emily turned around just then and
kate gasped. Was this Emily. Of the
nornrimmed spectacles. the tight Golf
faIe' the hot-heeled shoes? Her dark
SOFT hair was dressed high IN a most
becoming mode, her smooth cheeks
we're delicately flushed. the SpeetacleS
were missing and the neck Of her soft
yellow gown revealed a most bewIlder.
ingly lovely throat and shoulders. Her
dainty feet were satin.clad and she
danced divinely. More than that she
vas dancing with Grant sturgis, and
ne appeared 10 be enjoying Il!
As the evening slipped by, Kate