The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1919-10-29
The DAILY
SHORT STORY
A Horse and Buggy.
Copyright, 1918, by the Mcclure
Newspaper syndcate)
5wrp PHILLIPS frowne

when he,saw the long, gray tour
E6A ing car come to a stop on the
other sldegof the street che froWh
deepened when he saw Harold Briggs
worth step out disgracefully and
Y .iadntily mount the steps Of the HGr-
non residence, slapping driving
glove gently against his leg. Kenneths
4EroWn remained for ten minutes, then
it changed to savage scowl and no
sbit the rubber off the pencil he had
! been grinding between his teeth. me
scowB MAS accounted for by the zact
that Miss Matilda Harmon came trip
ping down the steps with MI Briggs-
worth and both Of them got into the
car and drove away.
M Kenneth was seated in his Office,
which was nothing more nor less than
q room In his paternal domtcile. From
the window he had a good view o!
a.atildais home, and he told himself
ii gave him inspiration.
fle young man was called a dream :
cr By nl2Iy OF the citizens of Cedar
Springs, who had an idea of what
b. was toying to do but were dubious
CONCERNING his ability TO do it. BY u
larger percentage OF the popul&sioN
le1sal dG51ed "silittless."
His real friends, howeYer-and
anong item he numbered Matilda
hannon, although he WINGED at APP
plyiug tho word friend" to her--eX-
pressed sympathy with his purpose,
aud although they did pot always
have faith in his futu.e, they PIP
lcssed to and gave him what an
rouragement they could. Mostly TINS
. encouragement consisted OF praislns
his poems. More often than not the
magazine editors did not concur IN
The friends verdict, for most OF the
scripts came back, accompanied by
little printed slips which expressed
regrets and informed the poet that
i'rejection does not imply lack OF mer-
IT," Occasionally, however, this send
out and get back machinery got jam
med and a check would be forthcom--
ing instead of the poem and printed
Kenneth WINGED at calling Matilda
'friendp because he had ambitions
which called for more intimate and
endearing terms. In fact, that amni-
ton was linked inseparably with ms
poetic inspirations. That was why
he chose the window overlooking her
home at which to do his writing.
However, the disadvantages oil
working at that window were more
plentiful that the advantages. 1t seem
"A tbat every time he looked across
The street for Inspiration, he got IN
stead a view of some big automoolle
taking one, Of Matilda's numerous
suitors to her abode. $50,
q haven't chance in the world,
he said repeatedly during periods OF
lad solflouuy. "All those fellows are
rich and have machines, and what
Kind Of a show have my horse anu
buggy against such odds?"
"But I'll own big machine, too
some day." he would add sayagely.
and then his typewriter would rattle
steadily for an hour or SO, and soon
Kenneth would dash out Of the mouse
with a long envelope in his hand.
Matilda and Kenneth were born on
opposite sides Of the same street.
Kenneth still lived in the house
where he first opened his eyes on the
world, while Matilda's parents had
Torn down their old residence and
erected in its place modern dwell
ing that could lay claim to being a
yeritable mansion. This happened
three years ago, when Mr.. Harmon
reaped a harvest of several hundred
thousand dollars from an investment
In the automobile industry.
This, Of course, projected the Har-
( mons into new social plane, and
Matilda, who possessed exceedingly
noticeable physical and personal
charms, became the target Of never
reasing bombardment Of matrimonial
candidates.
sim, Kenneth was not left entirely
in the cold. The childhood romance
continued, in so far as outward ap-
pearances were concerned, and Ma
ilda did not seam in the least chang
She accepted his attentions the
same as she always had; whenever
\ he asked her for an evening with her
she acduiesced; nevertheless, Ken
4 netll felt. that they were separated
4 BY wide gulf-the gulf of wealth
and social prestige.
She used to go riding with him IN
his buggy, but Of late he had not
been able to summon the courage to
suggest such an excursion-not with
an those big automobiles lying In
walt for Matilda. Is
.Ili work my head off and get a
car larger than any Of them, he
would mutter frequently to himself
as he worked into the late hours Of
the nis n an endeavor to make
good hi 5reat,
Abig ..ft was made in the CLOUDS
when a reputable publishing concern
wrote Kenneth a letter suggesting
that he submit some poems with a
view to publication in book form
Kenneth at once put his nose to the
rindstose and worked for three
weeks with Scarcely any intermis.
sion.
During that time he did not see
Matilda except when he glimpsed hei
lerying with some young hopeful II
ear. At last, one Saturday night
Kenneth completed his task and wen
out to mail a huge envelope contain
ing the manuscripts for the prospec.
TIVE book
sunday morning Kenneth was sur,
pfiaed to receive a telephone cal
ION across the street.