The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1919-07-07
THE DAILY
SHORT STORY
Loose MILK.
BY DORA NOLAN.
Copyright, 1913, by the Mcclure
NeMspaper syndlcate.l


Newspaper syndicate)
n FRS. BROWNING placed severe
M straw sailor on her head and
4V4 snapped the elastic under the
heavy coils OF her brown hair. Then
she buttoned her trig tailored suit, car
rying on at the same time CONVEX
sation with her daughter, who was
dressing in the next room.
"a morning like this makes mo
wish some kind fairy would change
this stir chapeau into a sunbonnet
and this suit into an old dress and
sweater; then IL she would trans
form my bag into rake and whisk
me away to Stonehill-ohI what's the
use Of wishing But / can Just smell
that brown earth! Cheerio, Rena!
Only two months more of grinding
the elements Of Latin into those flib-
bsrty-gibbert girls heads! Welr-I
with sign-.well have oyster stew
for dinner; don't forget, Rena. to run
over to the store and get quart OF
pers to- correct and won't be home
early"
Rena, left alone, completed her
toilet and hurried out. She didn't
have far to go, as her, school was
only three blocks away. On opening
the street door a warm puff Of air
struck her in the face.
Mother isn't the only one who
would like to be at Stonehill today"
she soliloquized, land grimy.faced
kids get on ones nerves just as much
as high school gifts. Poor kiddies!
They ought to be out playing in the
green fields themselves instead of in
the shadow of this eternally changing
elevated"
As often happens in the variable
month of April, there was a decided
change in the temperature that aft
ernoon. Rena walked home against
a chilly wind and decided that It
start those gingham dresses for the
country. Working on them would
make the approaching vacation seem
more real.
Rena was intense by nature. What
she did she did with all her might.
Glancing up at the clock after close
absorption IN her work, she dumped
the fabric from her lap and fastened
into the kitchen. Her mother would
be due in half an hour anyway. per.
haps before. Dinner was started.
Lets see. Oyster stew. And
have to go out after the milk" TAX
ing q small pail from its hook. she
inquired Of nobody at all. Nov
where's the cover? But that article
eluded her search. well, I'll have
to 60 without it and mind my step,
that's ALL
Ten minutes later the hatless Rena
emerged from the grocery CAREFUL.
carrying the pain and, head down,
against the wind, hurried across the
street, turned the corner-and col
lfded with q young man who was ap-
preaching from the opposite direc-
ton. There were direful results.
The loose" milk no longer occupied
the pail Most OF it spread out over
the dark overcoat of the stranger,
trickling thence to the sidewalk.
ooh" exclaimed Rena. What in
blazes-" began. the young man. But
at this point he raised his head from
ruefui contemplation of the coat,
looked at the embarrassed girl, and
shifted to this remark: ITS rather
Of a mess, isn't it,"
Rena was forced to agree. 'Tt
you'll come up to my mothers apart
ment, IN wipe it OFF with cold water,
and I don't think it viii show"
II has been said that the young
man looked at Rena, but it has not
been related what he saw; and it
was what he saw, quite as much as
the desire to have his coat made re.
spectacle again, that caused tho
stranger to accept the invitation with
alacrity. Rena, with her laughing
brown eyes and abundant, glossy
brown hair, was easy to look upon.
! Mrs, Browning, opening the door
of the apartment soon afterward,
heard laughing voices and followed
them to their source In the kitchen
She beheld her daughter busily
scrubblng at a coat while young
man with the sort of light hair that
never stays put, and goodnatured
gray eyes, looked on.
"oh, mother!" Rena exclaimed,
laughing, this is Mr.. Morse. l was
Just returning from the store with the
milk and / ran straight into him turn
ing the corner. Most OF the milk land.
ed on his coat, so the least could do
was to offer to clean 1t Off"
Mrs. Browning shook hands with the
young man. He told her he was
spending short vacation in the city.
you don't need to tell me you're
from the country" she said; your
color gives you away. Sit down and
tell MS what the country looks like
this time Of the year. We were long
Ing only this morning to be there.
We own little house at Stonehill,
upstate, and we hope some day to be
able to buy few more acres and
start q market garden. It's our Pipe
dream"
Morse hardly waited for Mrs. Brown.
ING to finish speaking. That's my
work. market gardening! Just at
present I'm managing a mfIlionaire's
farm out in Westchester county, but
I've saved money enough 10 buy a
place Of my own, and I'm on the look.
out for one"
Stay to dinner with US, won't you,
Mr.. Morse" said Mrs. Browning, land
we can have the time of GU. lives,
talking farm"
The young man looked his accent
ance as the mother continued: "Wsll
by the oysters; they'll be just as good
that way"
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