The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1919-10-22
THE DAILY
SHORT STORY
IA Steam ShoYeler.
BY, r. RAY BAKER.
Copyright, 1919, BY the Mclure
tdewsnaper Syndicate.)

Copyright lel9, by the MGiuIe
Z Newspaper Syndicate.)
y ss-f-HERE Is no accounting for the
tastes OF some women when 1t
comes to men, Glenquist OBJ
served, clicking the ashes from his
cisaT. Maybe it's their intuition
he added, drawing his lungs tull OF
smoke and exhaling through his nose.
The lawyer appeared more than
usually loquaciops this evening re
had a reputation for being rather tacl-
turn when he was not in court, out
with me he always threw off the cloak
Of reserve and chatted freely.
During our after dinner chats, which
always took place in his office on the
seventh floor Of the BOltwood building,
z Ne had decided the fate of Bolshe-
vism. solved the problem OF H. G. L.
settled the railroad ownership issue
Ind thoroughly threshed out theosophy
spiritualism and new thought. Yes, we
we're congenial souls, we're Glenquist
and l.
) As yet we had never discussed the
most perplexing problem of the ages
love. Maybe 1t was because we were
both confirmed bachelors and did not
feel in a position to talk authorita'
lively on the question. However, the
marriage of mutual friend had
brought the matter before us this even
ing, and casually had inquired why
Glenquist had never selected life
long companion.
Suppose you tell your story" he
I1yhaF, I hFOnPha6 the suD-
ject. Then Ill burden you with
mine.p
on burden you with no story" l
replied There's no story to it. l
Just naturally didn't take to the fair
sex, or rather they didn't take to me.
guess it was mutual. Have you a
story?"
For moment he did not reply, and
when he broke the silence it was to
utter the words that opened this tale.
Furthermore" he went on, sit is
strange that brains do not appear to
be considered much of an asset to a
man when he asks woman to become
his wife, At least that Is the case
with some women, ard very good
bright and capable women, too mean.
Perhaps, as say, it is their intuition,
or their ability to see far ahead.
'In my case perhaps deluded my
self into thinking had brains. May
be | mistook my education for gray
matter. Yes, there is difference. A
man may be fairly we'll educated and
still lack an adequate amount OF
brains On the other hand, without
being conceited, it seems that may lay
claim to having at least normal sup
ply of thinking machinery. am what,
you would call successful criminal
lawyer,
Il was terribly fond of Cassie We'll
don, six years ago. This was my
home town and also hers. We were
classmates in high school, and when
We were graduated went to the uni
versity and she became typist in a
real estate office. During our last
year in high school we had become
very closely associated in'social work
and before we realized it we're keeping
steady company.
SWhen / was at college we CORE.
sponded regularly, and it seemed to
me that she cared almost as much for
me as |. for her. / pictured her pre-
siding in a nice little home when got
started on the road to success in my
chosen profession, and although dia
not breach the subject, ! felt con-
vinced she would see it that way. Per-
haps | was somewhat egotis.ical, but
really do not believe it was that. To
be sure was proud Of the showing l
was making in my studies and very
hopeful of the future.
when came home she professeo
TO be happy over being with me, and |
really believe she was. Our fayorite
pastime was walks in the woods with
camera, and must confess that, deep
down in trunk, still have number
Of those snaps. Just for fun l think
I'll dig down and take squirt at them
tomorrow.
Things went on like this for some
line, and am sure that she did not
keep company with any other particu
lar fellow, although she occasionally
vent to dances and other entertain
nents with some male acquaintance
who happened along and needed a
partner for some special social event.
This was only to be expected, seeing
hat we were not engaged an it not
being natural for young girl to stay
home and spend her evenings reading
Robinson Crusoe' and Red Riding
Hood"
at finally dawned on me that had
better get busy. was in the fourth
iesr Of my law course, but Cassie was
growing more attractive each day, and
IS was not home to look after my in.
,erests it behooved me to get an OPP
ion on her hand.
II had spent that summer working
n an attorneys office in Clarksburg,
ind so had not seen Cassie any more
Il Turing vacation than during the school
Ierm. It was in the fall, and i was
home for few days, when i felt that
The opportune time had arrived,
I'VE were walking down one Of the
back streets on our way to the woods,
Z. steam shovel was excavating for a
jkyscraper, and the noise seemed to
give me nerve. Cassie blurtel out,
don't you think that-er-er-it's
lbout time we t-got-down TO the
business and-well, became engaged? 2
she was looking intently at the
steam shovel. The thipg appeared to
ascinate her, with its chuggy chug-
,hugging and its snorting as 1t strain
2 ed as its base and seemed several