The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1919-10-16
THE DAILY
SHORT STORY
What a Man Did.
ey WlLL d. AMEe.

Newspaper syndlcateO
TMs Is a story Of life-out Of the
life that is lived; that has its
y tragedy as well as its sunshine;
that comes to the happy ending or to
the sorroYful one as the case may be,
and not as the narrator wills. II 1t Is
not tust the kind Of story you would
wish 1t to be search through ances-
tries analyze prenatal influences and
place the blame where it belongs. Do
not blame meA-
June Phillips was the daughter Of
her mother, and she Of her mother;
and the mothers mother the daughter
Of still another like mother. And
down that line Of motherhood had run
q streak of Hghtsomeness, and no
strain OF eager willingness.
Easy, smiling, gay. was June
beautiful with the beauty OF great
tawny eyes, dark lashes and hair with
the CLINT Of mellow, sunlight in 1t. She
was soft and warm and pouting; en-
dovtsd at once with the lavish lure OF
womanhood- end with the pink and
creamy freshness of her scant seven
teen years. She drove John Halliday
half mad.
John was twenty-three and might
have been ten years more than tnat'
BY the settled, strong way Of him. In
stead Of school he had chosen to take
his education from an architect, after
sixteen. Already he was finished
drnughtsman and on his way to a
place in his profession. Holly, his
watchful employer always maintain
cd.
To June fluttering breathlessly on
the margin of a never ending mtlen-
mum of grown-up good times the
attention Of the responsible, well
groomed young architect combined
the virtues of continual social TIL
umph with limitless opportunity; for
John delighted to take the girl about
A year Of this and then, because John
was insistent and the girl was the
daughter Of that particular race oil
mothers and possessed keen instinct
for the easy road to easy circum-
stances, they were married.
Two years later John Halliday
knew, in the lottery that is marriage,
what sort of prize he had drawn.
What depth Of stormy petulence hid
beneath the wirsome Douttng, he
could have told; but did not.
What greed for admiration, what
impish thirst to dabble in the shadows
along the shores of the sea OF passion,
what eternal restlessness and hunger
for excitement lay behind the tawny
eyes had been revealed to him in long
months of disillusionment. But he was
strong, and as patient as he was
strong, and he bore with many things.
Then coming home after TWO
weeks business TRIP he found her
gone. She had left, the maid said, the
day after his departure, only instruct
ing the girl to remain and keep the
house going till Mr.. Halliday's re-
turn.
John maintained the home until his
lease expired, then sold the effects to
a new tenant and went to live at q
hotel. There we're no babies. God, l
thank you," SAID John, "for that.
When John Halliday was thirty
three his professional opportunity
came. 1t took him to a great city and
to a profitable partnership. Still
young, enjoying reputation and es.
tablished position, his earnings well
the excess of his neds, life held much
Of promise for him.
Then it was that, walking home fol
exercise through a sparkling avenue
In the orange sunshine OF a late
October afternoon, he met her
snuarelv face to face.
A single glance was sufficient to
verify the conclusion John Halliday
long ago had arrived at concerning his
wife. Everything about her-n the
character Of her clothes, In the man
ner Of her couture, in the degree IN
which she had insulted with pigment
the God-given splendor Of her eyes
and skin in her carriage, in the way
she held her head-was the mark OF
the woman who has traded herself
Tor the things she calls life; and
who Is satisfied with the transaction
and has no regrets.
She was quite unbashed. Hello
John," she remarked easily and with
her ever ready smile. Have you come
10 life enough to visit the city? You're
looking prOsperous!"
$50, ii may say So" replied John,
fare you.
ooh, I'm having a perfectly lovely
time. There's no place like the big
town, you know, You'll like it if you
ever come here to live.
81 live here now"
Really Well, you might come and
see me some time-if you'll telephone
ahead. The name is Spencer--Misi
Epencer; Selkirk apartments, Fifty
first. Now must run along
Good-by!"
With that she was gone; and John
Halliday, mistaken, master Of his
own nerves, proceeded on his way
Unconvincing? Improbable? think
20 myself. But, remember, told you
this was story from real life.
1t was full week after this that
John was walking home again, had
almost reached his own street, when
there was a commotion Of fire appara-
tus and a crowd running toward
where the whole front Of an apart
ment house On the cross street was
belching smoke and curious black
red flame.
John followed the crowd. A swirl
Of wind blew the smoke away from
Z the main entrance and John saw the
name "Selkirk." Something leaped
up into his throat. Then at window
only four floors up, John caught a