The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1919-02-04
He DAILY
SHORT STORY
The Service Guest.
NV lZpLA FoRREsTER.l

Cupy1tKht, 1913, by the Mcclure
Newspaper Syndicate.
sc a ND would like to suggest
~ right now, while we are as
\ semhled here to honor our
brave boys Just returned from the
front," Mrs. Hampton paused to give
full emphasis TO her next words. "that
We each one take one or more home
with uS to dinner"
katherine heard. but made no sign
Of acquiescence. She had been on the
Citiaen's League committee Of vel.
come and had worked for two weeks
On the programme for entertainment,
but this was bringing the question Of
patfiotaism straight into the privacy
of her own home, and she objected.
It happened to be particular co3y
home where she had lived since the
death of her father, DR.. Fenway. with
g Maria Upper as housekeeper. Nobody
In North Waldo ever spoke Of Maria as
q servant, although her life mad been
devoted tc service in the Doctors fam
Fly.
The house stood wen back from the
sidewalk on upper Main street; a
large old-fashicned house, with cup
ola on top and wide piazza surround
ing three sides Of its lower floor The
garden was withered and brown now
with patches Of snow in the deep hol-
lows around flower beds and shrub
berry, but in the spring and summer It
was glory to the eye OF the passerby.
And to cld-time residents Katherine
seemed part Of the garden. somehow:
SO many seasons had found her there,
working here and there over the an
nuals and perennials. and training the
myrtle at the base Of the old rock ped
estal that held the sundial.
Very few suitors had ever passed up
the winding path. There was some
thing frosty IN the air at the Fenways;
something that nipped romance in the
bud. AS Rodney Allan expressed 1t, the
first and only time he ever asked
Katherine to marry him:
"She thinks there's a Fenway with
wings right. beside st. Peter. Id like
to see the pride taken out Of her. all
right
But Katherine went serenely on
through her twenties without apparent
" regretttng her position as the prize
maiden lady Of the little Maine town.
Sc had plenty Of money, an assured
position. and all the old doctor left
!lr- Life had run in serene channels
~ the war flame reached America.
NNFasy had organized the first volun.
teer company that went down the
coast. She heard he was q captain,
and his sisters smiled at her In church
IN g sort Of triumphant way for hay
ing missed sucha chance.
He was in the hall tonight, decorated
and handsome. with one Of the Halsey
girls beside him. Evelyn, the prettiest
one, katherine heard some one say
they wore engaged, and suddenly she
realized that all Of the girls and friends
OF her own girlood had some special
soldier to welcome and cling to. Her
straight dark brows drew together
slightly, and she drew her fur cloak
closer around her. It was chilly in the
back Of the hall. She heard window
close two seats BEND her, and glanced
back to- zee who had noticed her dis.
comfort.
He was q stranger to her, tall.
deeply tanned. western type Of man,
with service bars on his sleeve. Later,
as the meeting broke UP, she noticed
he walked with a limp, and appeared
to know notcdy there. Their eyes met
again hers with quick question Of
her duty to him, as the other members
of the committee speedily gathered up
their guest units among the boys and
went home.
"rll send your silk flags home to-
morrow, atherine," Mrs. Hampton
called as she went out, but under the
words Katherine knew there was the
censure. All she had done was to fur
nish silk flags and money for the dec.
scorattons. She turned with sudden
impulse to the stranger and invited
him home to dinner with her.
Maria's eyes opened widely when
she was told to set an extra place for
. strange man. but, after the first half
hour, Katherine began to find her self.
sciousness leaving her, as he sat
at her fathers place and told Of his
pefiencas at the front. He was inst
out Of the hospital and had come north
with the Maine units because he had
friends among them.
There's no one expecting me spec-
1aly." he ADDED. my people are all
gone. excepting sister out in Seat.
attle."
And then. how 1t happened she never
knew, but Katherine saw him grow
tense and white, and Maria helped her
lit him to tho couch in the doctors
old room mex. the study.
Shell shock and overexertion, young
Dr.. Morton's verdict was. he must
rest and be cheered up before he tried
to so on farther. WIZ
N the days that followed the full
lea1on Of war came home to Katherine
20 it had i:cvcr before done. Clad in
White, she took her place as his nurse.
ana fsatht to bring him back to the
hefmA He was Bob Lorimer. she
seuBa cut. nothing more, but at She end
Sbf si1 weeks, when he was able to
lave breakfast In the little sun parlor
st,H the dining room. she felt as IL he
had afways been part OF her home.
savpose II didn't mean anything
g fsa, Miss Fsuway, that night" he
~ telling her; you Just did your
aiity w Q strange soldier. but to mo
N WAS handinv ,,,a 49,. ~, !. 4