The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1919-08-28
TIE DAILY
SHORT STORY
A Short-Lived Romance.
By DWIGHT TINeLE ecoTr.
Copyright, 1919 by the Mcclure
Newspaper Syndicate.)

AClOb6 every udy duu WIZ Ao4AS Ia. - 49,
that well-I-can't -believe-it-you- don't
I, took-a- day-over -forty-stuff; wife
who is matronly and jolly plump and
growing frankly gray; and a stem
ographer with a very tall blonde
pomp, very high heels and a passion
for Robert w. Chambers novels and
ten dollars an ounce perfume.
\ Put the man and the stenographel
into small office with the scent OF
y the perfume; and have the days work
consist of writing about half-doZen
business letters, answering a few
phone calls and going down to the
bank frequently to deposit a fat COM
mission check upon a cargo OF crude
rubber; and you have situation where
the deyil is to pay-usually.
@ and he had the incest eyes and
hair, and when he smiled It just made
you sort Of like him, y'know."
where did you get to know him,
Kitty?"
swell" said Kitty Tulane, taking of
her hat and patting her hair as she left
the elevator, II hardly got to know him
at all. Yesterday Mr.. Sterling sent
me over with some papers TO his
father-in-law's office in the Imperial
building. When got back down that
shower came up, and had to walt in
the lobby. He came along and took
me out under his umbrella and helped
me on the Brightonville car. We had
70 run to catch 1t. l wouldn't even
have known his name but it was writ
ten IN white ink inside his umbrella.
It was pretty name. too, Thomas c.
Slater, but, pshaw, suppose he is Just
little nobody"
kitty Tulane, you make me tired.
a little nobody! You think you can
get 'em with nice eyes and hair and
ut the same time have limousines and
country homes like your boss? I'll
say you can't. believe you're in love
with your boss anyhow, the way you
60 on about him"
"Why Gertie aren't you ashamed to
say that to me?" And Kitty Tulane's
pretty face went red with mixture
of confusion and anger.
In the hall of the great building,
the two girls parted, and went to their
respective offices.
Kitty Tulane put up her hat, raised
the windows, opened the typewriter
desk and then sat in her chair quite
still, her hands resting in her lap.
1t would be half hour before he
got in. She yet colored as she thought
of Gertie's remark. Never had she
consciously thought OF Mr.. Sterling
except as thoughtful employer and a
good friend Besides, he worshipped
his wife-everybody loved Mrs. Sterl-
ing-she was that kind. Still wives
did die, sometimes, and men married
again, very young women, too. Kitty
wondered vaguely if such girls were
really ever happy. At this point her
dreams became strangely confused, for
she began to picture young man with
nice hair and eyes and wonderful
smile, riding in Mr.. Sterling's limou-
sine and talking over the phone in Mr..
Sterling's clear, confident manner.
Dreamily, she took up her note book
and began to write: katherine Tu-
lane Slater" then katherine Tulane
Sterling"
With her head set prettily to one
side, she studied these two lines crit
1cally. Finally, she erased the first
line.
1t was this occupation which Mr..
Sterling's arrival interrupted.
His brisk. CHEEKY Good morning,
Miss Katherine" startled her. She
Hammered and blushed guilty. and
hurrtedly hid one note book in her
drawer.
"That viii be all this morning, Miss
Tnlan. Just read that last letter back
to me-"
81 have your favor of the sixteenth.
raj 20 aL I.
dock IN Baltimore" She had ever
80 slight lisp; he noticed it quite
suddenly. She had made that chiffon
waist herself. Her teeth were very
white. And those high-heeled shoes
they were just bit shabby, for all
their neat bright polish. She was go
ing to get another pair. but she must
wait until pay day after next because
this much he had overheard in an
exchange Of girl confidences in the hall
outside his door Her hands were very
shapely-how shiny pink she always
kept her nails. Poor little thing, pref
~ hard lines, having to struggle along
on SIS week. Not much in life for
her perhaps. He put his hand over the
one that rested on the note book. For
just Q moment she seemed confused
then she continued reading. He al
lowed II to rest there for Just a mo-
ment, and gave fatherly little pat
as he removed it.
In flash, Kitty knew. She had
written those telltale names on the re-
verse Of her note book. And as she
read back the last letter, he had seen
t. Katherine Tulane Sterling"
During the day he glanced over a,
her, Once he caught her studying him
and she blushed and went to typine
furiorsly.
- couple Of tickets for The Girl
and the Prince Miss Tulane. Take
yorr mother or some girl friend. And
We are not using our car Friday night:
I'll have It come around for you"
OF course the chauffeur knew. Pres
entity the cook knew. Then the up
stairs maid knew and said It was a
zss;ne. Mrs. Sterling bit her lips and
hlinked hard over an anonymous note
no, she would not let herself cry.
Green corn and new potatoes, my
N.Y.
New Chester. you know the last
tifne--they always make you billions y