The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1919-09-01
THE DAILY
SHORT STORY
The Nickel Lady. :.
BY lzoLA FoREssTER.
Copyright, 1919, by the Mcclure
Newspaper Syndicate.)


youngsters who were lucky enough to
please her.
Stubs and Marsha saw her first.
Peaceably enough they were offering
advice to the old man who cleaned out
the dry leaves from the fountain. II
was the sure mark OF summer time
when they started up the fountain, and
the children regarded it as the signal
for celebration. Marsha was Ike a
wind blown leaf herself, skinny
brown, light-footed, twirling and dane
Ing in her wisp of a made-oyer coat,
with a red crocheted Tam" dangling
aver one ear.
III you'll Just stand still for min
nte I'll give you nickel" the girl
called to her, as she stood with little
bad and pencil by the edge Of the cir
ctllar walk around the fountain. And
Marsha took up the offer instantly,
standing like some little statuette on
The rim Of cement, with huge urn Of
blooming tulips lifting behind her.
Stubs eyed the proceedings with
alert suspicion, but as he managed to
Sdge about and get look at the sketch
the girl was making Of Marsha, he APP
proved, and from that first day he had
championed the cause Of the Nickel
Lady" as they all named her.
One evening he met her on Second
avenue in the rain. There are degrees
Of social status about StuyVesans
square that are quite as peculiar and
as rigidly drawn as those around
Washington square. Along its far
western and northern boundaries 1t Is
exclusive and ADMINISTRATIVE, but the
park itself on either side is a flower
bed Of youngsters on summer days. And
thew had their faVorites besides the
Nickel Lady" foremost OF all the
white Doctor"
He was young and always dressed in
white, and when his ambulance would
swing across Second avenue he never
failed. to wave in answer TO Stubbs'
greeting and the rest OF the bunch"
They did not know his name, only that
twice when there had been accidents
in the neighborhood he had been on
the Job" as Stubs said, and had saved
the lives of two Of their playmates.
Therefore Stubs. honored him and
when the Nickel Lady" hesitated
laughingly as the rain beat down upon
her, and before he could stop her, had
slipped across the street under the
very wheels of the huge gray mail car,
the first thing he thought of was the
White Doctor" He stuck by her when
the crowd gathered, and 1t was he,
TOO, who got Bandy Moran, and Chick
to carry her to the sidewalk where she
lay still, and white until Stubs led the
way into the tailor shop, where he also
had drag" as he expressed 1t, with
Odlnsky, the little calm-eyed owner.
When the ambulance swung arouno
the corner and the white Doctor"
jumped down, Stubs explained the sit
uation to him briefly.
Pm her best friend around here
he said loftily. is she hurt much,
Doc?"
skiltully Rex Fuller knelt beside the
slender figure, making his examina-
ton. Stubs almost held his breath
until he looked up with little smile
and nodded cheerfully.
"Just shaken up and suffering from
shock, old man." he told him. What's
her name and where does she live?"
Stubs scratched his head doubtully.
He didn't know. Neither did Marlska.
nor Banty, nor any of the bunch"
hanging around mournfully. She was
Just the Nickel Lady" So they took
her up to the hospital, and Stubs made
his arrangement with the doctor to
visit her as her nearest friend"
That night when she lay conscious
for the first time, Rex waited until the
nurse had gone down the ward, before
be asked her the necessary questions
70 fill in her card. Not word about
Stubs and all he had told him Of her,
Of the nickels she gave away, and thel
sketches she made of the squares
youngsters.
/ Her name was Phyllis Truax, she told
him. She lived on the west side Of the
square, Just around the corner Of Six
tenth street. Alone in New York and
unmarried, an artist by profession.
That was all, only when Stubs came
TO visit, she sent him after stationery
70 she could write few letters, and
be noted they all required out OF town
postage.
I you and me've got to stand by her,
Doc" he told Rex out in the corridor, |
aud Rex agreed to do his part.
B Three weeks she stayed there, the
tirst rest since she had come to the
sity, and every day up in the beautiful
seof solarium Rex sat with her, &C.
isording to his promise to Stubs. But
he day before she left she had anoth-
n visitor. He was very contdenr
when he first met her, but she sat
With dropping lashes as he talked, and
npally she said something to him,
ind after he had gone she smiled at
Rex somewhat anxiously.
"I'm perfect fraud, doctor" SO
said. you won't care for me bit any
more or Stubs or Mariska or anybody !
I'm not just stray artist stranded in
New York. I'm regular person with !
q home and family and plenty of mon /
~, and I've just refused half a million
more. I'm afraid I'm spoiled for that
sort Of thing. You've been SO wonder
ful to me up here. l think III be q |
nurse"
You will mott he told her stenly.
In the first place you're not strong
enough to train, and in the second
promised Stubs to look after you. II
you had not known that l would, why
aid you send away the half a million
chap"
Stubs was on his way to visit her,
With two large straggly red carnations
he had managed to bargain for but