The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1919-03-10
THE DAILY
SHORT STORY
Matthew Bradstreet
Chooses.
~ LAM EoaRoRNE.
Copyright 1918 by Mcclure Newspa
per Syndicate.


per Syndicate.
II suppose you young fellows will all
be thinking OF getting married COM
mented Mr.. Hannibal Hopkins, peering
from over the top of the local evening
paper at Mr. Matthew Bradstreet as
he passed through the Hopkins living
room to the dining room for little
dinner. And then as Matthew paused
70 hang his hat and coat on the rack
that graced one side of the living room,
81 see by this here paper that them
new houses being put up by our plant
is to be reserved for men that are
married. Tho rest will have to take
pot LUCK boarding round the SAND as
usual And if I was young chap like
you, Mr.. Bra6street, I'd look around
and pick wife so as to get one Of
them houses while the getting's cool.
There's pret'y girls plenty heSea-
bouts"
"Good advice, Mr. Hopkins" but
there are n good many things man
has to take iHto consideration beCore
he picks a wife besides pretty face,
You agree with me there, I'm sure"
In the dining room Violet Hock:ns
filling Mr. E4adstreet's water hlr1blsr,
blushed unseen with embarrassment
and as he entered the room she retreat
ed hastily to the kitchen Il get the
plate Of dinner that her mother had
! set In the oven-warmer for the delin
quent boarder.
an wash those dishes, mother, II
you'll take in Mr.. Bradstreet's dinner
she said.
The mother looked up and caught
tae tell-ta'c blush OF embarass nent
You run along now" she said mo
Hheed you running your hands IL dish
water. WHAT'S fused you?"
Nothing, C1actly," replied Vto'c:,
sonly wish dad would not talk to iie
brSrders cutie so much sometimes, a
Specially to Mr.. Bradstreet. Y d Now
TN crazy aSout dad, but still ~ sh
he wouldn't talk about you yoIag Iel-
lows and tug" them aE,G : Rs','"
married. HISS getting one II"
biggest salaries over at tho plant, ev-
an II he Is young, and somclCv lie 5
steo digrisied e be called young tel
lew and besides every one says he's
/. going to e engaged to Edna Dorkins
ana then he'll be son-in-law OF the
pre9iJent u the whole plant"
Never y"u mind what dad says,
responded the omther after Violet had
returned from the dining room again
sAnd never you mind about Nj. BRAD
street And then she saw lhe tears
yelling her daughters eyes. u E7Jv
lis hard, US having to take b)arders
an l you har ing to wait on :aoie, out
( others have had to do harder things
on account cf this war"
"0h, I'm not the least bit ashamed, ;
said Violet excitedly. I'm only sorry
Y can't do more. know dad is old and
everything. and truly I'm sorry FOL
what said. don't care a straw
what Mr.. Bradstreet thinks or any.
body else"
But in spite Of her protestations shC
really did care, and in spite OF hel
loyalty to her father whose own eff
cheney AMI salary had waned ant
food prices and taxes had increased
che endured hours Of mental anguish
over her other's mode Of eking GU
the small income,
She would far rather have given u
her work at the Normal Schaal ant
sacrificed tie hope of becoming 1
teacher and gone to work if by so do
ing she might make it unneccessar!
TO have these endless mealers arount
their board, but she knew that ever
ID suggest such sacrifice woult
tause her parents llnhappiness.
What caused her the most intens,
ahap Diness was not 90 much tina
here were these outsiders Eathata'