The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1918-09-10
TIE DAILY
SHORT STORY
THE Blue Goddess .
By LOUISE OHVER

BY LOUISE OLIVER.
(Go9ysi9he 1918 by the Mcclure News.
paper Syndiea4e.)
- EGGY lay awake all night listen
ing to the ram. Oh, Il ftEwould
only stopi She had planned so
l1any things Tor the next day, the day
Esptaln PsArgon was to be In town
lE1d had asked her If he could come
. see her
Cone to see her! Peggy's heart had
Entered almost to suffocation when
ne Rad the few lines on the heavy
White paper Come to see hert She
&c cloged her eyes and pressed tie
EcfdS TO her heart In ecstacy. The
serious officer she had met at
ne 1lafstons. about whom all the
iris had been completely mad, In
EIdnE herself
I6en Peggy had done some officer
NJ herself as Peggy could Her lit
Ie hands, which took only five and
a glove, could make PHI and lit
lie GtcldS step around more Lively n
one minute tha@n father and mother
combined could do in a week, and a
ord nom her pretty lips meant more
% Susan I'm the kitchen than whole
Regiment Of orders from higher up.
zo1a her II year old sister, adored
openly, as did Lola's girl friends,
who met ate school every day Tor
BeEgy TO instruct IN knitting
The oRfcertng Peggy did, on receipt
OF Captain Pearson's letter, consisted
ofdtspostng Of the family for the day
BEGINNING with Philip and Charles,
"a mad zone on down the line until
no one Was left but her mother and
fa4her and herself Captain Pearson
to stay for dinner, and Susan was
IS achieve the most delectable meal
Peggys busy brain could plan
short the program was TO be as
5oIIoWs: Morning, house cleaned up,
lowers arranged In bowls everywhere,
5sst linen and silver hunted up,
6orches cleaned and everything IN Or
Ter
Afternoon-the boys to go fishing
ter school and to Aunt Mays LOT
supper, and to stay all night; Lo!a
md the club to go to Mabel BFoWn 5
anf Lola to stay for dinner and an
night as Mabel had so often coa&eo.
PegEy planned to put on her new
soort suft &C army blue jersey and
Tzifh her own little car sparkling
sean was to take the captain for a
rae ont to Bowling Rocks to see the
55ew stop a. the club and introduce
nm 10 q few friends. then bring MIN
66me to a quiet, delicious, candIe-ilt
timer for four, Peggy In her ne"
80 dress a whole delightful even
aione on the moonlit Terenda
6era was a moon. Peggy looked at
~ calendar a whole week aheao3'
81 then-Peggy never tr1ea 10 LOOK
past that.
Ruf-The best laid plans Of mice
ana men gang aft agIa"
rafned, and it rai1ed and fdined'
ana rained The flowers would be
F1Iped, the tulips had been almost
ready to drop anyway The road to
BoRIfng Rocks was impossible now,
With whole days sun, and the
boys couldn't go fishing. Mother
wouldn't let them when It was damp.
Her a sleepless night Peggy was
6. To her surprise, her mother
WAS stirring In the hail. Peggy
ooened the door. What is it, moth
shs asked.
IFS Susan; she's sick. I've been
al night with her. think she got
oEerheated yesterday and then cool
ed on too quickly. I'll send for Dr..
Royce soon, now, but think sheu be
right In day or two"
day or two! But, mother, Cap
fain Pearson's coming to dinner and
there's SO much to be done today"
m sorry, dear, but we can't help
IN almost too tired to get break
Pegs face changed instantly
ssEont worry. mumsy. dear I'll get
Breakfast You telephone for the DOC
Tor then 60 end lie down I'll get the
ddies on to school
AFTER that there was no rest Ior
Peggy. The rain kept up and susan san
1ofs worse The doctor came ana
faved: and Peggy had to be every
SS5ere at once-tn the kitchen one
minute. hIIing hot water bottles the
nssst answering the telephone. max
~ beds. washing dishes, getunS
Innch and a hundred other things.
lunch over, the boys had to be
S.sIIsoed to come straight home from
se6ooI. for it was the kind Of day
neither worried about them. And. as
ne browns lived too far away, Lola
was told TO come home also
IoIa forgot about the company and
o'clock the entire knitting club
walked In The boys had brought
few extra spirits along too. Never
there such houseful.
Peggy by this time had accepted the
ineEftabIe, changed to blue linen
apron, and decided to make the best
she was out sweeping some extra
large chunks of mud OF the front steps
when Captain Pearson arrived.
Peggy did not run, nor hide the
broom. She stood smiling down at
HIM from the top Of the steps-a blue
goddess with the emblem Of woman's
here In her hand. The humor OF
the situation lent an added sparkle
L her smile.
I'm so glad to see you, captain"
ne said, holding out her unoccupied
hcnd to this splendfdIy caparisoned
nln Its q dreadful day, isn't Il? I
have some small brothers who won't
pe their feet, and they In turn have
= DOZEN or two friends who Won't Hina