The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1919-01-31
THE DAILY
SHORT STORY
Trapping a Poet.
BY lzoLA FORESTER.
Copyright, 1919, by the Mcclure
Newspaper Syndicate.)

~ .iit 3 0y4t6OIA ,PONhE0jEhs
Copyright 1919, by the Mcclure
Newspaper Syndicate.)
CT Z Is meant for you, France.
Long. languid eyes Of hazel
hue" Mine are blue, 80 I'm out
0tit. Read on, sister"
Jess lifted laughing lips to the seri'
IONS face before her. 1t was Z am.
Frances had Just stepped to the door
81 their mountain shack for the bottle
1f cream left at dawn by Shady Cone,
the village milkman. and had discov.
cred likewise a folded slip Of paper IN.
der the door.
Poetry It was, Enthusiastically, and
With purpose and intent in its hidden
message:
Long, .anguid eyes Of hazel hue.
Shall life lose Joy because Of you
snail ALL dreampt Of, hoped Of, die
Dependent on compassion's sigh"
Oh, isn't tl:at quaint and mid-Vic-
torian?' exclaimed Jess. TITS the
tail, thin, pale young man at Mrs. Nc.
Curdy's, France. Have you been sec
ret1y leading his young affections as
tray and not told your big sister a
word about IT,"
II don't even know him to speak to!'
Frances answered Indignantly. ] don't
like his poetry. ut sounds like valen-
tine verses"
She tucked 1t on the shelf behind
within week another verse lay on the
Shady had burst forth into poesy. but
threshold, as Jess put 1t, and little
more than the first:
..I send my mate-call ringing far.
Through springtime woods where
songbirds are,
And listen long your voice to hear;
Canst ind no answer for me, dear?'
.'Now that is worthy Of Sir Phillip
Sidney Jess said pudiciously. III
has Z true lyric touch. Greenwood tree,
shepherd calling in the distance, etc.
france, you are q hard-hearted and be-
.nishted maiden II you refuse to Wh1s'
tie back 70 him.
But Frances held her own opinion,
and when she had occasion to pass
Hart Wade on the road down the
mountain she merely lifted her chin
higher and let him understand his
poetry had rot registered.
Nov. that he appeared, TO mind her at
|titude, she had to admit. He was 9
pleasant, rather plain young man, who
had boarded at Mrs. McCurdy's farm
for the fall and winter painting scenes
81 mountain snow and keeping TO HIM
SAT-. Mac had told them he was an ar
tist one day when he had brought them
down q load Of firelogs from his wood
lot.
She liked Mac. he was straight to
The point and comradely. They had
Known him ever since they had; come
10 Red Indian for Jess. Health tand he
ma been o staunch friend and neigh
Dor. Now and then he ran down to
New York for d few weeks, but he 81.
waits came back with fresh load OF
new books and magazines and shared
stheni royalty. He was rather broad
.shoulderel and stocky in build, with
huriy reddish hair, and blue eyes that
had q habit OF twinkling when he did
not feel like speaking.
Il Frances i1ao liked him because she
\ could talk freely to him. Nearly all
men expscfetlyou to either fall in love
With them, she had decided OF to re
spect thon. But Mac understood ev-
everything. They had gone on long
tfamps together through the mountain
roads, and when the snow had fairly
:dfifted over their little shack 1t had
been Mac who came down and shovel
ed them out. and brought food from
bis own store to them.
SO she felt now she could speak to
Nm about she poetry, and get a sensi
Die biased opinion on what she
ought to do
.'The main question is, Macy said
&c soon as he heard about It, N
whether It is good poetry"
4 at seems very sincere" Frances ad
niit4ed, not realizing what a delightful
- comforting picture she made IN
her brown cloak and fur cap against
fhe masses Of crisp leather tinted oak
{ leaves drying on the trees and the deer
X ereen OF rines beyond. II wonder Il
hi a meant for me or for Jess"
s1Her eyes are blue, aren't they"
never noticed yours exactly"
ooh, mine are rather changeaole,
hazeI and grey and green. Cats eyes.
She turned them on him grayely. .Dc
Z You think It ia Shandy."
MIC chnckled.
Can't tell. Poetry liable to break
out anywhere Just like measles"
Frances pondered a few minutes
tliep said:
know what I'll do. Mac He
leaves .them on Fridays. I've found out
I'M Eci-v to watch and see who It 49,
al. no that wouldn't do. You get up
eaFiy dnn't ycu! Suppose ! watch un
tfi1g, then you get US at S and watch
NC n sed It would be great plan
only he wGs certain not even poet
Wosid brave the trip up the mountain
= s IN February to slip poetry under
iie door. II must have been lett IN
ina evening. but he would watch on
tte following Friday.
8fances did not tell her sister. jess
halls Z way Of laughing at serious things
\ III she knew when Mac came on
Eu1rd. for she caught glimpse Of him
as ia bright moonlight, standing Ike
4. &t,f, che AN1Y NJ the