The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1919-07-17

Copyright 1913, by the Mcclure
Newspaper .Syndicate.)
trrHE trouble With Tommy Ellis
showed itself from the first day
~ he went to school. II was a lit
tie school. and there were just fifty
hooks on the walls of the boys Ten
try." with flfty-one boys to hang their
hats on, them. Half dozen Of the new
boys were younger and smaller than
Tommy, who had reached the ripe age
Of seven; but Tommy it was who had
TO lay his cap on the floor IL the cor
ner because he let the other little
fellows grab while he held back.
Tommy didn't like having 10 put his
cap ON the floor any better than the
other boys. But somebody's had TO go
there, and so 1t was Tomm3's
II wasn't because he was slow or
stupid that Tommy, from tha: time on,
took the dust Of his schoolmates and
later on the last choice Of whatever
( was being given out In the way Of ia
yors or Jobs or opportunities. On the
contrary, Tommy was brighter and
quicker and naturally more skillful
and clever than the majority of boys.
But he was utterly lacking in self
: assertiyeness.
The only occasions on which Tom
my's hand went up In time to be recog-
Snized by the teacher, when she way
Showing OF her pupils to visiting par.
.ents or committeeman, was when he
4 was the only chold in the room who
knew the answer to the question. II
one; or two or dozen OF the others
were prepared with the desired infor-
nation they were all sure to beat Tom
my to It.
Tommy and mud puddle. Tommy
= worshipped in his secret soul. One
day her hat blew of. She was thu
school beauty, so five boys put chast
after the hat. Tommy, as usual. got
Z started last, having been bumped out
OF his stride by another boy, {: was a
freak wind and OF sudden the hat
shifted its course and came straight at
Tommy and a null puddle. Tommy
headed 1t of and, all bushes. took a
single step toward his inamorita. Then
another boy grabbed the hat away
from Tommy and himself bestowed II
upon its owner, with the air of having
rescued 1t from the puddle instead OF
iapurloining 1t from the abashed Tom
rmy's worshipful hand. The little girl.
whose name was Annabelle Hester.
smiled benignantly upon the other boy.
!, whose name was Floyd Cushman. and
\never even gave Tommy glance.
And so 1t was. AT twenty Tommy
fSas holding down the worst possible
LOB in the gift OF the superintendent OF
the one-horse interurban trolley COM
pany, a job which no one else woulu
take and which necessitated his get.
ting up at an unconscionable hour in
n. to- HIT NA ftan
taking the last car into the barn at
middle of the day-and what use can
ayoung fellow make Of the hours from
ten till three?
The use that Tommy made of them
was to think, hopelessly and with q
belle Hester whose hat he saved from
being muddied when he was little
boy. Annabelle was stenographer in
town now, but she still lived in the
suburban village and very often rode
out on the car on which Tommy COL
lected the fares.
She was always friendly and nice to
Tommy, and now and then he ventured
to talk to her little, but only now
Esnd then, because Tommy fancie.t
1ahnabelle seemed little nervous and
Ill at ease at such times, perhaps as
though she didn't Just care about get
ting too intimate with conductor.
Another reason was that Floyd Cush-
man, who was in college now and 60
ing to be lawyer, rode out with An.
nhbelle whenever he came back to the
village. which was pretty often, and
quite took possession Of her Yes,
Tommy felt altogether "out of 1t" with
Annabelle.
Then the war came. Tommy went
90 Q buck private and came back as
one. He wasn't, It appeared, OF nom
com material, though an intelligent,
! studious and conscientious soldier
i Floyd Cushman, tanning his way into
the attention OF his snperiors at Platts-
Z burg and later In France attained to a
cAptatncy before he met his finish
above verdun.
When Tommy was demobilized they
gave him back his old run, and 1t was
the third evening that he saw Anna
: belle Hester. The girl had climbed to
2 the platform OF the car and was on the
Sp0tnt OF entering when she glanced up
and saw Tommy. She went white, then
>G4sy why. Tommy-Tommy Ells!"
NE exclaimed. when on earth did
6u get back? j didn't never
heard- Annabelle was becoming
inarticulate.
Tommy Ellis had been through what
no man can go through and stu b.
quite 90 he was before. Much OF his
old eelf-consciousness was gone.
Annabelle." he said IL manly, di-
rect way. I'm dreadfilly sorry about
Floyd. I'm the only one you know who
was there when It happened. Al, the
way back was thinking you'd want TO
know, and that the first thing I'd do
would .be to tell you. II you'll let me
know when I'll get OF and come over TO
your house and tell you.''
DO, Tommy; come to morrow In your
n6 time. I'm going to be home. And d
do want to hear-everything." Tommy
didn't notice the odd, studying look tho
9tris gaye him. But he promised TO go;
aSpext day he went.
NJ told Annabelle about the
nd rush OF the great movement:
the American cleaned ont tho
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