The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1919-09-25
THE DAILY
SHORT STORY
The Shrimp.
BY r.. RAY BAKER

t|1r 95hAA SSASS
JacA Willlams, with a height OF
feet 2, a circumference OF 80 ana
countenance usually genial but just
now decidedly the reverse, stood al
the door of the living room and glared
al his sister.
Josephine, the sister, looked up with
a book in one hand and chocolate
81 the other, and gave expression to
assmile so sweet it would have melted
an iceberg. But the brother was moi
an iceberg, and he refused to dissi-
Il nate the frown that marred his other
wise attractive face.
IF you mean Mr.. Angell-yes he
8 has been here" was josephine
rather pert reply as she offered her
brother chocolate. But please to
Eremember that Mr.. Angel Is my
fiance and as such he should be
treated with respect.
Jack thrust the candy into his
mouth in much the same manner as
old-time gunners ramming charges in
: to old-style cannon.
"He won't be your fiance II ever
get crack at him." he growled'
"There's no use talking, Josephine
you can't marry that shrimp. Yes
shrimp! repeat it! The fellow whO
gets my sister must be strong man
not a lounge lizard, who can't DO any
more than sip sodas and chew candy
! MY brother ln-law must be able tc
protect his wife. against the blows
OF the heartless world. This nance
business has got 10 stop, that's all.
With which Mr.. Jack Williams leEl
his sister and mounted the stairs to
his own room
AS the self-appointed guardian OF JC
sephine, Jack telt he was suffering
personal affront In the attentions be-
ing showered on her by the diminu-
tive Mr.. Angel. Ever since the affair
began about six months ago, Jack had
tried to meet up with 1.-The shrimp"
but so far he had not succeeded.
This situation was due to the fac'
that the two young men lived in dit-
ferent cities. The Williams home was
in Thompsonville, fifteen miles south
and Mr.. Angel was in business In
Seymour, about the same distance
north Of Thompsonville.
Every Sunday Jack came home to
visit his father and sister and the
same day always saw the shrimp" q
s visitor at the Williams residence; bul
Josephine's guardian" could never
make connections to be there at the
same time as his sister wooer, be-
cause the only Sunday train from
Steel City arrived just fifteen, min
utes after the only Sunday train toT
Seymour had left
Mr.. Williams ST., declined to take
a hand when his son approached him
with the matter of Mr.. Angels court"
8 ships Leave it to Josephine" he ad-
vised. she can take care OF herself
It's up to her to be her own Judge
OF whom she wants to marry. Any
how, the more you try to lower this
young man in her estimation the
stronger she'll be for him"
But Jack was resourceful, and he
managed to bride the neighbor boy tc
keep him posted on the comings and
goings of the man who had designs
on Miss Josephine's affections, and
Who, IL appearance went for any
thing, had been successful In his et-
forts.
A fuIl-length camera picture in an
album gave Jack an idea Of his pros
pectiye brother-in-law's appearance,
but Josephine refused to enlighten
him as to the business in which her
fiance was engaged He could have
obtained the information by some
means, no doubt, but he hesitated to
appear in the light Of meddler out
Y side his own home.
'.Rut before let my sister marry a
weazel-faced, puny pigny I'll go over
there and slay him in cold blood, was
Jacks oft.repeated threats. He really
did not intend being meddlesome, but
he had his sisters interest at heart
and felt bound to look out for her.
''Now it's time to act" young Mr..
WILLIAMS told himself, ase he washed
up from the train trip, following the
dialogue that opened this tale. I'm
going after the shrimp this week sure,
II / can possibly get away from the
job long enough"
In the meantime the shrimp was
draped between two seats in a parlcr
car, watching passing scenery with
one eye and page OF magazine
with the other. Certainly he was not
ySry prepossessing to look at If one
were in sarch of musclar splendor.
His face was handsome in way.
but he looked too small and frSji 10
Withstand the battering blows dealt
out in the world.
Arriving at Seymour he had dinner
anc then escorted his mother 10
church. From the way he evincsi IN
terest in the words from the pulpit 1t
could be seen that this visit TO the
house Of worship was not merely a
matter Of duty, He was enjoying him
self in such an edifice
Monday morning the shrimp shaved,
consumed a rather meagre breakfast
and went down to his office about
eight o'clock. After opening the mai
he went into back room, where lie
ftook of some physical exercise
fing various gymnasium appliances.
be shrimp certainly was not ncgle2t-
4 Jig his physical well-being.
During the day Mr.. Angel had fire.
iuent callers, most Of whom ne es-
torted to the back room, instructing
The office girl to permit no one to
isturb him. This was his daily rou-
me, and appearance were that Mr..
Apgell was an exceedingly busy man.
" About five o'clock in the afternoon
he was h1oying a respite from his
business tivitles, being engaged in
reading a page Of the second section
q q newspaper. His legs wre stretch