The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1918-10-30
TIE DAILY
HORT STORY
The Dream Denied.
b. a. w. PEACH,
fcoyyrigbt. 1918. By the Mcc1ue
eseHsnaper Srndieatal

Richard Martin fought ont the old
battle between ambition, dreams
md duty. On the desk before him lay
9 fatefEl note. written in the vaYer-
hand Of old age.
vas his last Gay and last evening.
That afternoon the fnal exercises had
ben held that ustered him out into
bsny. workaday world OF men
Eis lips fIShteued as he thought Of
- dreams and pinne-that he must
put by. His lips dropped in repose'
That IS born OF tenderness as he
thought Of Ruth Leighton.
he had no. really known her until
senior year when the senior girls
men were thrown together IN the
upper classes. She had appealed to
fIer voice. the dark. taufaliziug dep
els 81 her eyes, the soft dark hair
made such fine settiEg for the
sensitive face. Then had come the
lpf.pus evenfng-it seemed ages, yet
Vas week ago-when. on the YER
az parting, he had told her breath
Tsssty That he loved her: her silence
that chilled hlm-then the whispered
word that turned his humble world
into heaTen-
Then he had met his father and
mother, md It had dawned upon him
that he had perhaps aspired beyond
whore his aspirations should go. He
r Ecoyered that Mr.. Leighton was Tar
bore wealthy than he had surmised-
fact as Richard told himself a bit
hoPelesslys Leighton was an aTtSto-
craft IN sfiif9 meaning Of the term
hile he himself was one OF the toll
efs the son OF q farmer in poor cir
cunistances Then had come his brief
visit to Ruths great house In the beau
tim Massachusetts city.
He picked up the brief note from
his mothefs which told him that his
father had suffered a shock and would
Be helpless the rest OF his life. Why
had he not realized. Dick asked him
self that something might happen?
N he had thought about was the fine
opening in the city that had been
psomised him, with It's splendid chan
css. Sc small wages. Now, beyond any
SQuestion, his duty was to return to
tie farm, from which he knew his
father and mother could not bear to
be separated, and there take up the
ropnd OF farm duties.
But Ruth-there his cup filed with
Bitterness HIS dream had been of her.
IN MS home, her dark eyes looking
T. ul6p uG1 Say G6A44 R4SoSGAAAS 'SASS
thin hearing; that dream must be
PCT aside
B.srst he wrote note to his mother,
fbe1 he picked up his cap. set his
SHOULDERS squarely and started down
8 College hill to the cottage where
Euth roomed. On the way he passed
o:d friends who babe him farewell,
tei1sag him at the same time of their
own happy plans.
BY the time he reached the cottage
his hart was bitter within him, though
there was no wavering in his mind.
BE rang. aud was urShered into the
reception room.
.Ruth. I am really here to say good
by. he began quietly. when Ruth
came IN. 81 have received word that
means nay return to the old place for
-Well for the best years Of my life.
Suppose we sit down, Dick" she
I broke In.
e n tho dusk Of the room he faced her
aha EeIIt on wrapped In the renUn-
alton he was voictng. II want to
-ta1 you how much-mUch love you,
5ust as I had plauned-but-well,
Ruth, I'm going back to the old place.
Father had had shock-and some
body must help them. Il he had kept
z6H-ao owe them everything.
m going there.
see" she said as quietly as he.
She had never seemed quite as beau
klf1t to him as then, with the dusk in
heSieyes her voice and her hair. He
hSId himself with drm grip upon his
ffli He rose.
II wish things could be different,
from the very bottom OF my soul. My
duty Is plain. however, and shall get
my Joy out OF others happiness, I
hope. he said tensely. He held out
hls hand "Good-by, little chum."
Quiet, passive, her own hand lay in
his Tor q brief moment.
Goo6sby, Dick: hope everything
VIII Be WE'LL she answered briefly.
Outside In the evening dusk he look
Cd m. ct the stars as men have looked
TOR comfort through the ages. "She
understood-to go to an old country
farln With me; even love cannot make
the sacriace. Wei perhaps there Is a
destiny that shapes things for the
hest after an; he thought to himself.
Tho next day he took the early
train for the city, purchased some
iEts for his father and mother, and
started homsward. It was evening
hen the train dropped him at the
t1jlE liEt49 station OF the village be-
ond which his fathers farm lay.
found one Of his fathers men
Waiting. for him with the span OF
5oFSSS.thaE was his fathers delight.
ey drove home In silence As the
farmhouse doomed through the
lsldly dusk, Diok'S heart thrilled =
I'm pride. Il, was splendid home
type, keeping the stern but beau
lines of the old AFchieOCturO.
NJ 5 most Of his fathers money had
through the hard years. The
lights Ei6au1ed out-thO homoliGhtS
Chat l1ays seemed 60 cheerfnl-And
icon tie span drew up before tho
ne Jumped out, rushed IN, and
caught hid mother IN his arms, then
e vent to his father. and the tTen-
bllns pressure OF the sick mans hand
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