The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1919-05-16
THE DAILY
SHORT STORY
Anericanizatio11.
MARcH wind Is mo- respe.
BY DORA II. NOLAN.
Copyright, 1918, by the Mcclue
Newspaper Syndicate.)

i bIS0L OL u6T uCuI6 uOWu Oh u DlubLeE-
ing March day. Her blue cape flew
back and disclosed its brilliant lining.
Her small arched feet were neatly
siiod In brown .oxfords. Brown wool
en- hose covered slender ankles and
shapely-but the liberties taken by
the miniature cyclone were no fault Of
Ruth's.
One hand grabbed tightly the
straight brimmed sailor. and the other
carried bulky parcel.
A tall man stood in the doorway Of
the street car waiting room, but Ruth
didn't see him, as, head down, draper
les flying, she made for that haven.
Propelled by harder gust than usual,
like ship with all sails set riding be
fore the gale, she arrived full against
his stalwart bulk.
The tall man braced for the en-
counter. He grasped the scurrying
figure with one hand and with the
other opened the door. Ruth, look
ing up from under the brim OF hel
dignified sailor, now rakishly askew,
and through struggling brown curls,
gasped:
why, good afternoon, Mr.. Ogden.
Thanks for the rescue. That minia-
ture Flatiron building across the
street may be the pride of the town,
but it certainly conniyes with the
wind to bring low the pride of NOR
tails"
"Well, it's an III wind that brings
no one good, and I'll have the pleas.
ure of the ride up with you" the tall
man replied. There comes our car
now"
"But I'm not on my way home"
Ruth explained. I'm bound in the OPP
posite direction-for Bank street"
Bank street! At this time of day!"
calculated Ogden
yes, Bank street, this time of day
--alone." repeated Ruth. "You had
better hurry or you'll lose your car"
Bother the car" returned the
man. I'm going to put you on yours
first. Here it is now" Ruth hurried
out and Ogden after her. But, please.
Miss Devereaux," he pleaded, "let me
go with you; that's bad neighbor-
hood"
Nonsense! I'm as safe down there
as In my own home. Why, some one
out Of nearly every family has been
in my class at one time or another.
go every week and have supper with
Katy and Virginius."
Plainly this explanation was Greek
to Ogden. Ruth's foot was on the step
OF the car as she laughed at his puz-
zled expression. Come and see me
some time and I'll tell you all about
it." she said.
Tomorrow EVENING"" questioned
the tall man eagerly.
Yes" Ruth flung back over her
shoulder.
When Ogden crossed the street next
evening-for he boarded directly op.
posite to Ruth's home-March Wind
was still on his job. But the bright
fire on the hearth in the big quiet liv-
ing room. and Ruth in a rose crepe
dress, with rebellious curls neatly
coiffed, made a decided contrast to
their meeting of the afternoon before.
you see, nothing happened to me
down in the bad neighborhood," his
hostess remarked brightly. Have
this comfy chair; it's dads favorite,
and here's his smoking stand. It's
bridge club tonight. SO I'm. alone"
Though this was the tall mans first
call at the Deveraux home, he felt i'm
mediately at ease and sank into the
big chair after few words Of appre.
citation OF the cheer and comfort OF a
fire on such night.
First OF all I'll amplify my rather
enigmatical explanation of my expe-
ditions into the Italian quarter" Ruth
began. Then we can have cosy talk
: about things in general. You see, l
taugh In the evening school here the
first three winters after leaving COL
leSe. There wasn't as much interest
taken In AmericaniZation then; the
compensation was small and there
there was trouble in finding compe-
tent teachers. was restless doing
nothing. and that work appeals to me.
"Virgtnius is strapping young Ital.
ian who came to me the first year. He
was deep-sea diver then. and highly
paid; but he gave that up and took
something at the submarine base
which paid less because he hated to
miss q single night at school. Well,
naturally, such perseverance pleased
me, so was glad to find him on hand
promptly the opening night of the next
year. That year Katy came to school
"a little 1rish-American who had
been taken out of school too Young
She worked in mill, and was passion.
ately fond OF reading"
Ruth had been watching the fire az
she talked, but now she glanced nm
laughingly at the tall man sitting op-
posite. Mother says I'm q born
matchmaker, and fear she's right.
for from the first time q saw VirEinius
watching Katy with that faithful, ador-
ing look you see in the eyes of an old
setter dog made up my mind to help
things along. When there were M.
mors OF Jack the Hugger' in Katy's
neighborhood asked the big Italian
to see that Katy got home safely. So
he established the habit OF going home
with her. About this time the shin.
building boom struck on, and at nv
suggestion yirginius tried for Job at
the shipyard, and because he was a
diver, they offered him $50 a week.
But soon after that a falling beam
struck him on the shoulder, and he
was IN the hospital two weeks. took
Katy to see him, and on one Of our
visits what had been hoping for hap.
pened. ] left them alone for a mo-
ment and when returned Virginius
told me the old, old story; but puz-
clad ma INV addino NTH ia,.-t.... s-.L