The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1919-02-11
THE DAILY
SHORT STORY
"a Making Over.
nv MAY nELLEWLLE BRovll.)

m GlDy Dut the lhmpl1GnI was also q Tell.
tie, for It showed walls hung with
feded paper, meuded curtains and
decreptt furniture.
All there, Patience!" Maxwell ga
lgted his wife jauntily. ri hope you
did not mind my not coming home to
supper, bu; smithers gave me a ticket
70 the bowling match at the athletic
club, 10 took lunch and went right
owe. . Great little match 1t was, too. .
HIS wife sewed on, serene and
silent. Presently the man made an
other convene tional attempt.
LOOKS awfully coy in here TO.
niEht. ] .ell you I appreciate this nice
little home Of mine!"
Patience raised her eyes and looked
q her husband. She was fair wo.
man, with broad, white brow and well.
get head. Tonight her brown eyes and
tuH-Ipped mouth werc gravely serious
- she announced quietly:
Then yDL win be sorry to- give It
"Wha-at7" the question faltered IN.
% something resembling bleat. The
man-haadsome as he was. with a
trace Of weakness, with full blue eyes
and silky black handicapped his lip
and stared. ~
The woman gazed intent,y at her
husband, choosing her words.
we nave been married. ten years
Max, and you have never had more
than q fair salary. For five years we
were only two, and everything was
new, SO our expenses were not large,
but we saved nothing. Except for a
lew weeks when Dorsey came, I have
done my own housework. Up to that
time spent about hundred dollars
year on myself. Since then / have
earned her clothes and mine with nv
needle-making clothes for the chill.
dren OF the neighborhool !"
injured Innocence sat on MAXWELL
Briton's countenance 90 he pulled him.
self erect. -.'A'
"a pretty TRADE! Just because. al.
ter working hard all day took q little
relaxation-or free ticket, too, mad.
ane--I have to be raked over the
coalsi" His Indignation grew With
speech. "Since this. is my welcome
will go back. and you may eypect me
when you see mel"
Maxi" her voice was low hut he
turned at the door to listen. II am
speaking for your sake aud my own
and for Dorsey. You have failed to
make good with us-perhaps you can
do better without US. I will not work
any harder to support myself and her
than ! have done heretofore, so / have
decided to take her and 60 for year
Ct least-the future depends upon
The man leaned against the door.
his face white.
pered.
z mean +, Max. and nothing can
change me-.
II. .B + r. Patty. have always been
True. III the sense Of relations
With Other women, but in the sense
that yop owe Il TO me and the children
e might bear you to make the most Of
yourself as citizen and as business
man, you have been false.
" was Q strange colloquy. The man
paus.ered. Ct times wept, pleaded,
scoleed; but the woman's face scarce.
Y changed it's expression and ber
POSE. = - Ast puf-
The!nouso Is mine by deed OF trust
from my father, through Dorsey to
me-, she told him. II want nothing
else. Use your salary to further your
own position and will look after NY
eAh and Dorsey. / only ask little
time to gat ready. have been laying
~ some money. and will sew here
Wh ] get the house ready for a
tenant and will ask you to keen on
paying such bills as you have met
petore. Then I shall open parlors in
\ DOWNTOWN apartment and live there
NTH Dorsey
From that time life was lived on
peculiar terms in the bungalow on
Park Heights. Maxwell was despond.
Z emit, but uncommuntcative. Patience
was calm, yet went about her work
with sadly inscrutable eyes. There was
q guarded wistful friendliness boz
tween the two and shytng Off from
each other. as though to avoid men
ticning tho situation.
The raintera and carpenters came
md went, transferring the shabby
house into charming freshness. Max
Rell began regular work on the lawn.
burning lis rough surface into green
velvet. cutting dead sprouts from
shrubs and trees and. training vines.
Tor year, he had spent HIS evenings
downtown, on the plea that he needed
fslexation.
70 So to his work, and in the long twl.
lights Patience, with the light hand
ofk which she saved for evenings,
look strange comfort, IN Knowing that
10 was busy hear her. Dorsey-the
nila's own contraction Of the aDor-
~" which was given at her christ
51Ipg-scarcely had been acquainted
WITH her father. but now abe reyeled
81 - The company OF daddy" and trot.
ted after him Ike frclIcsome puppy.
Her fathor enjoyed It, too. and p.
tience would hear their merry dia-
logue outside until bed time.
Tho inside Of the house had its
anaerphosts. Patience had the
LIVING room done over ine43ensiyefy
& u son hroWns. ana made the dining
room, WITH its ivory enamel and blue
Nails, seem al though Intended for the
Blue china inherited from her mother.
Upstairs the rooms were freshened
s With white paint and fresh walls. and
s ~ 49,