The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1919-04-10
THE DAILY
SHORT STORY
The Ethiopian.
BY DORA 4. NOLAN.
tcoyyr,gat 1913 By the Mcclure News
naper SYndicate.l

THH Ethiopian lives over the htch-
en- range in the basement OF ls
Darrow street, New York city.
Mr.. and Mrs. Stanley Lee reside on a
raneh near Cody, Wyo. Every year
0ey Journey over the intervening
0pace on a swift limited and make
their obeisance to the grinning slave.
Ebony black, with an orange smile,
be stands ever patiently bearing a1ott
"a his Hattened palms q woven basket
q gcrgeously colored tropical fruits.
ouivering heat waves rise around his
1tatwart form, but TO such q tempefa-
tnfe he inherits immunity. Tho dark
city Kitchen with It's dismal outlook
Steals something Of the spirit of the
Thousand and One Nights from his
colnTful presence.
Fbr three years now have Mr.. and
lErs. Lee made the pilgrimage TO this
shrine. And Just four years and two
months ago events took place. grateful
memory Of which brings them back.
In those days Mrs. Stanley was Eve
I'm Brooks fashion artist for the Stan
dardized Pattern Company, and Stan
ley was making his first ranchman's
business trip east. He not only belong
ed to the West, but looked 1t, for he
vas tall and broad with the keenly In
terested eyes Of the plainsman, and
his ~sartorial preferences ran to cordu-
roy. soft shirts and the like. So he
vas dressed at Q O'Clock on this mcTLc
ing as he ran down the two flights OF
stairs which led from his aunt's apart
ment to the basemen kitchen IN the
house on barrow street.
Aunt Mag was all right and a good
snort, Stanley was thinking on the way
down, even II she had Mortified the
Ccdy folk last summer, driving TO
town dressed in a queer, s%hapeless gar
tient OF bright green, with sandaled
feet and floppy hat embroidered with
impossible flowers. He grtnned as
he recalled the commotion she Q
caused in the post office. But all the
same this way of living got his goat
staying up most all OF the nien' anu
sleeping until noon, like q bat.
Four hours after his usual breakfast
time. and not a sound from his aunt's
roomi Her last words before bidding
him GOOD night had been: "Stan dear,
II yo1 get hungry before I'm up IN the
morning, Just run down stairs Inc COOK
yourself something. There Is a com.
satntty kitchen down In the oasement
and you'll find my things on a hell
labeled with my name. Help your
self"
Stan didn't exactly like the idea OF
fussing around in some n else's
house but he was desperately hungry
20 he tried a door that looked as II 1t
MIGHT omen into a kitchen. 1t did, but
DE room was so gloomily dark that
be lighted the gas. Just then the door
bell rang.
stanley stood still and listened. but
here was no sound of steps along the
hare floor Of the hall, and again 1t
,ranR. So he ran up the basement
htairs and opened the door. On the
ttcos stood q girl. She was quite good
IA look upon, dressed in an unusual
,hade OF blue-green, with hat to match
trimmed with small flowers OF many
sclors.
The young woman appeared a bit
surprised when this big young man
rpened the door, but remarked in a
slutte ordinary tone of voice, III came
% paint over the kitchen stove"
Now Stanley knew enough from his
sShort experience Of this casual, bone.
MIN life his aunt led, to be prepared
sor the unexpected, and at this strange
announcement his mouth half opened
and he looked quite idiotic. for no
words came from it. In the first place
II was Sunday morning and In the
second the girl was not only well but
axpensively dressed.
Handsome young women IL costly
clothes coming around on the Sabbath
say to do a lob Of house painting were
sttsriy outside Of his experiences.
STAINS thoughts were becoming even
more hopelessly muddled when the
Eiri spoke again: 81 left my materials
Ct the basement door and / will 90 and
got them II you don't mind letting me
ia that way-weuld ycu?" And rs
Stan seemed to be still in a sort OF
rance, she added: Miss SanIersoa e1
DeGts me. but l presume she hasn't
arisen yet. And she ran down the
steps,
Stanley recovered enough to close
The door, make his way downstairs
again and admit this unaecountable
visitor at the basement entrance. She
mew the landlady evidently so II must
he all right. He helped as a matter
pt course With the brushes and pals,
but still remained t~ongue-tied.
When they gained the kitchen. the
young woman asked Stan to bring the
dep ladder from the laundry and pro-
seeded to remove her hat and coat.
When he returned with the ladder the
EtrI stood on the far side Of the room
uzing at the painted area Of all direct
y shove the set In range.
You See" she said, these walls are
such q horrible. gloomy color, and tho
lg1nt just won't do another thing TO
the house. Miss Sanderson can. at-
lord to do them over herself, 30 I OF.
st1ttdeto paint something colorful up
mare. Don't you think fruit would b
hcef"
hut that's rather tame" she eoatln-
ned, speculatiyely: then, her face flu.
minated by . sudden idea, she exclatm
ed: "0h, ] mow!" and betook herself
10 the top Of the ladder with tho aSil-
ity Of . squirrel.
Thcugh Stanley Lees tongue had
;utfsed to 20 OF a sympathetic strike,
and Idat he saw was q sight, almost
hestsh figure with Q mop OF short
kfDnk has. clad IN O hnrnrafNO fuaoAr