The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1919-10-28
THE DAILY
SHORT STORY
The First Offering.
copyright 1918 by the Mcclure News
paper syndicate.)
BY DORA NOLAN.

OF WuL6T, IOue bHdLOH 1--WE
not make summer"-nor does one
velvet hat make fall. However, the
particular one purchased by Marietta
Jones on her July trip to the city
Charge 1t, please, and send the Dill
to Mr.. j. johnson Jones"-iWas I'M
lucky from the start.
It delighted Marietta because it add
ed at least two years to her age. II
displeased Marietta's mother for tht
same reason. Marietta could standNt
She was young, very young, as Mrs.
Jones often asserted. Mrs. Jones had
married young-yery young, she was
fond of repeating. What added two
years to Marietta's age must perforee
have like effect upon her mothers
reason enough for her disliktng the
hat
P. johnson Jones dealt in ice. MI
merous wagons bearing his name ped
died the chill commodity from house
to house in the very same city where
the velvet hat was purchased. July is
the height Of the ice season. Jones,
pere, didn't like to be reminded OF
ieaner days to come, Then the bill
Outrageous! Just for bit of puckered
up black velvet!"
Billy Jones didn't like the hat just
because he was thirteen and never
liked anything his sister had or did
anyway.
Amy Lowell didn't like 1t either. But
Marietta Jones didn't know that, ana
wouldn't have cared in the least If she
had. Amy and her mother were oc-
cupying the small cottage at the exr
treme end Of the river road that sum
mer. Every time Marietta drove BY
wearing the hat Amy would sputter:
Goodness knows, we'll probably new
er have such a glorious vacation as
this again. People aren't going to Of
fer us q cottage for nothing every year
and it's tough to have to be reminded
that fall is coming, even If It is two
months off! When 1t SHOWS she'll buy
a straw one, l Supposed"
Billy Jones had peddled vegetables
around the neighborhood during the
summer of 1918, the product Of his own
garden. The profits had netted Billy a
$50 Liberty Bond. His enterprise had
been encouraged by the family.
Even Marietta had conceded 1t to be
1.-THE thing to do" But in the summer
of 1919, for some reason which was
entirely beyond Billy's understanding
it was not at all "the thing to do"
Only Mr.. Jones approved. BILLY Is
all business" he would boast.
So when the scion of the house OF
Jones, carrying a large basket Of crisp
vegetables, knocked at the side door
of the Lovall cottage one morning ST.
simultaneously with the passing of Ma
rietta and the hat, something on the
opposite side of the road, seemed to
have engrossed Marietta's attention.
This maneuver didn't get by Billy
nothing did, far He added 1t to the
long score he alread cherished against
his sister, and answered the summons
Come in" as one well used to the
premises.
Billy took the chair offered him by
Mrs. Lowell. Business was good here,
the Lovells being one)of the few fam
lilies Whereabouts who had no garden
of their own. Also there was Amy,
two years older than Billy, and pretty.
Girls of his own age bored Billy; he
had many years to so to reach matur-
ity where they like 'em younger.
'Tsn't that our sister, the girl In
the black velvet hat who Just drove
by?" questioned Amy.
"Um," gr1nted Billy; "she won't
sneak to me- when I'm out selling
things. Says 1t isn't the thing to do
this year" Billy's mimicry was per
feet.
swell, wish you would tell your
sister It isn't the thing to wear velvet
hats In July either, and remind one
of disagreeable things to come, like
the end Of vacation"
"And school, added Billy gloomfly.
Bill mulled over Amy's words as
,he trudged homeward with empty bas-
ket and jingling in his pocket,
SERVES her right" was the conclu-
sion he reached when he carefully
counted the mornings gains and stow.
ed them away In bullying canvas bag
under sundry clothing in the lower
drawer.
The cher" referred to was Marietta
not Amy, as transpired that afternoon
when the female part Of the family
had departed to tea OF the country
club. Mrs. Jones had somehow man
aged that a pink crepe CONNECTION
Should adorn her daughters head. The
maids were giving tea in the kitchen
with the pew gardener next door as the
guest Of honor. The coast was clear.
Only lonely fisherman, patiently
watching his cork bob up and down on
the ripple3, saw Billy as he lifted the
heavy rock, then the wooden cover
from an unused we'll on the Jones
bleach. Watched him choose a stone
and place it inside black object
which he carried under one arm, tie a
string around the object and drop it
into the well, replace the cover and
rock and walk whistling away.
The lonely fisherman, knowing Bill
", was consumed with curiosity. The
next morning while listening to an
excited tale Of mysterious dlsap-
pearance Of her new velvet hat relat-
ed by Marietta to his younger sister,
he made shrewd guess that the Gu
riosity had been gratified, But he was
not the tattling sort.
On the same morning Billy answer
ed the usual summons and walking
into the Lovell's kitchen, placed a
large basket of crisp vegetables on the
table.
Got string beans this morning."
ne announced Mrs. Lowell departed