The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1919-04-05
THE DAILY
SHORT STORY
Helen's Gift.
BY DOROTHY DOUGLAS.
Copyright, 1919, by the Mcclure
NewspaoeT Syndicatnl

lirely TO blame in her quarrel with Hill
larry. She had been small and selfish
and altogether unworthy the great love
she had deli :ately thrown away.
When Hilliary had first signiiied his
intentions Of Joining up with the Brit
lsh forces before his own country had
gone IN to fight. Helen had not even
taken him seriously. Sitting back sur
rounded by every luxury and comfort
that a human being could want it was
difficult tor Helen to appreciate the
TACT that thousands of men were giving
their lives that women such as she
might live. It was all SO far away and
would soon be over There was no
reason on earth why her Hillary should
20 over and fling his life away for
some other country when he was en-
gaged to her and she loved him.
But Hillary was not the kind OF man
who could sit back while brother man
we're bleeding and dying and suffering
Tor civilization and not offer to help
them. Neither was he the kind Of
man to be guided by the whims OF any
woman, even though he loved her with
III his great big heart.
And the Helen whom she had SEEM
ID to be was well worth any mans
love. She was beautiful from her ex-
nuistely poised head to the artstocra-
&c arch OF her dainty feet. Her should
sFs and neck were famous for the eS-
nusite texture Of the skin, and her
arms were Just the falrest example OF
Che Great Sculptor. Helen in evening
dress was the envy of all women and
the unbounded admiration OF all men.
Hillary often told Helen that he fell
Ii love with her arms before ne even
looked at her face,
And now that big love affair Of the
social year had been smashed into the
past, Hillary had sailed off to join the
British Flying Corps, a free man to
the world, but knowing that so long as
he lived he would always love Helen
always want her.
Ali that had been two long years ago
Much happened to the world and
freat deal to one human atom that
was Helen Travis.
She ha6 been stunned at first by the
loss OF Hillary, but had brayely faced
he situation and in q way from the
very start blamed herself, although
feeling that she had been very much
abused.
she had told Hillary that there were
plenty OF men to fight before he need
20 and that life would mean nothing
10 her when he was so far away. But
Hillary wanted to be among the first
and so he had gone with no word be-
hind him The engagement was brok'
IN ana Helen had said finally that she
never wanted to see him again. The
smart had hurt-hurt terribly.
When the war came closer and claw
I'd at Americas gates, eating deeper
and deeper into the heart Of the coun-
try and taking away the finest Of the
lads and the finest of the women were
working with teeth set. Helen began
10 see things in another light.
IN her heart she knew she could not
have loved Hillary had he not gone,
even though he had joined before AM
erica entered. She knew how that ali
men should have gone and that the
war would have been over the soone?
ard that less homes would have been
robbed of their dearest treasures had
more men been made Of the fine metal
that nodded Hillary,
Helen bad quickly prepared herself
Tor help among the wounded. She
wished With all her heart she had TAX
en- a full course in nursing. She had
spent an idle useless life, and now she
could only sit by and watch other WON
en- don uniforms and sail OFF to fight
beside the brave men.
However Helen drove her own car in
sid Of the hospitals and found much TO
employ her ready hands. Fine and
strong she was and capable of long en-
during hours that did not bring her
he least atom OF forgetfulness. There
we're not many men who compared
With Hillary and Helen found out that
IN her own heart there remained a love
tar deeper than she ever dreamed her
seif capable of.
But H;llary might have gone west"
With Other brave men. She had heard
no word from him since the day they
parted. Flow often how very, very
often. Helen blushed with shame at the
small part she had played and how She
lopged 10 make reparation, only she
aefself knew.
She hoped If he had made the great
sacrifice that he had forgiven her and
hat he had not suffered. To think OF
hillary suffering, wracSed by pain and
tortured by crushed OF mutiliated
BODY, made life unbearable.
she tried by every means at her dis.
posal to find out something about him.
e was difficult, since she knew little
or nothing about the Royal Flying
Corps and had no idea even as to
which squadron he was attached to.
Il was the saddest and perhaps one
nf 70 happiest days Of her life when
Helen, through newspaper item, dis
covered that Capt. Hillary james was
q hospital In Canada and that only
miracle in the way Of surgery had
saved his life.
He had crashed down in his machins
hile in combat with a boche plane.
de was badly burned about the face
and much skin grating was necessary.
Helen Travis left no stone unturned,
lost no time in making her way direct
% Montreal and to the hospital where
Hillary lay with bandages over his
dear eye eyes that might and might
not see again.
She bed had only one BRIEF moment
81 terrible anguish when she had sccn
the man she loved lying so still, but
shs rallied and pleaded to be allowed
70 give rs many inches Of skin as were
needed E3g HillaTy's recovery.
Ihat which Helen did she did in
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