The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1919-12-17
THE DAILY
SHORT STORY
Only a Little Gift.
BY ARcHEY CAMERON NEW.
copyright, 1918, by the Mcclure
Newspaper syndicate)

Newspaper SyndtcateJ
~ ICTuRB a riot OF softness and
fragrance. And nowhere can
there be found more perfect
blend OF the softness and fragrance
x nf late autumn day and campus
full Of soft, shimmery dresses and
fragrant, happy girlbood than Vandt-
YER Academy for Girls.
It is Just 5 o'clock-the wltch!ng
college hour-and the campus is now
filled with girls.
"Lc/s go down to the post office.
girls" urged Doris Blair, whose dain-
.ty feet seemed merely 10 touch the
ground beneath them, "JUst there
Z and back. Hoppy won't know" And
she turned a pair of mischIevously
blue eyes toward the office wlnQOw
In the ihain hall.
"Miss Hopkins asked us not to go"
demurred Mary Kehly solemnly.
s,Dinneris at 5:45 tonight. Special
lecture on philosophy, you know ut
4 Let's have a guessing contest in
stead"
Doris looked around, imp;shIg sol
emn, and winked lmperceptibly at
three of her 'chums.
wonderful" she exclaimed. try
Ing her best to look solemn Let's
draw sides. III take Helen, Claire
and Nab Whom do you want, Mary?"
Lets see." Mary looked around
cautiously, feeling serene over her
sway over Doris and conscious of an
easy victory. - take Josephine,
Ruth-and-and JESSIE There! Nov.
then, shall we draw straws over the
first guess?" She regarded Dof's
complacently.
ply. "Your team can guess how
many letters we're going to get. Or
how many sunddeS we'll eat. Or
when we'll be back-that's the hard
est"
And laughing heartily, Doris grab
bed Helen's arm, and reckoning to
Claire and Nab to follow, they DART
ed away toward the town. y.
Think she'll tell Hoppy?" asked
Helen worriedly, looking back at
Mary.
"iis-.s:: think it." snapped Doris, in
differently, know It"
It'll mean no Christmas" hazard
ed Claire, anXiously.
1--WE should worry" replied Doris,
laughing. "C'mon, girls"
They stopped at the Arcade, con-
sumed Jew sundaes, and then made
off for the postoffice. Doris poked
her little nose through the window
al the clerk, and kicked back at the
others, significantly.
"Any love letters for me, Fred?
she asked provokingy "l'm expect
Ing two from the city" She winked
ut her chums.
I'll think there's one-letter fol
you, Miss Doris" faltered the young
elerk, serious looking boy, who de-
poured Doris with his two sober eyes.
''But l hope it's not love letter"
."Why not?" she asked him, teas
mgly, gazing full into his eyes.
"Because-oh, nothing" He turned
abashed toward the letter rack and
hastily asserting them, picked out
pne and handed it slowly to Doris;
then noting her gaze on him, con-
Fusedly handed several to Claire and
Mabel.
Doris looked at the superscription
eagerly, then her face fell.
"Oniy one from home" she confid-
ed to the others, with whisper.
Lets sit down and read EN-"
I'll think we'd better hurry back, )"
urged Claire. cts nearly six"
"You can go, If you're scared" re-
piled Doris. I'm going to take my
time"
Il admit I'm scared" agreed Ma
bel, frankly. ''I'm going"
The other two followed her out,
and Doris sat down lelsurely and
opened her letter. She read it through
carefully, and as she did so, her smile
gave way to a look of great despair.
She read II again-more slowly this
time, and as she did SO two big tears
weled into her eyes. Going South for
the holidays-stated the letter from
her father-she could stay at the
Rcademy-no one would be home. No
pne home-Christmas,
"They can't do it," she stamped her
Tiny foot, poutingly. "Why-G'll be
III alone, All the girls are going
home" The "little girl" in her gave
away, and she LEANED over the bench
and her shoulders shook from cry
Ing. And then she felt light touch
pn her shoulders, and looked up tear
fully into Fred's face,
oi'm sorry, Miss Doris" he sym
pathized gently. "Men are awful
things at times, aren't they?"
Her father awful? That sweet,
darling daddy Of hers awful-wen,
she guessed not
"They're not!" she snapped at him
indignantly. They're just fine =
some men," she added Significantly.
At that he turned away, piQued at
her rebuff and Doris, sorry the next
minute, wanted to call him back
even started toward him-then, turn
ing on her heel, hurried out Of the
place and toward the academy.
At least, she reflected, she might
have company there during the hol-
Z days. Mary Kenly would tell Miss
Hopkins she was sure, and her three
rhums would be refused permission
10 go home for the holidays. She
might even find 1t out frCm Fred,
her nephew. Would Fred tsll, she
wondered Re had every reason to-,
she admitted, but then
AS she neared the academy she
made detour past tie dining hail
and its bright lights, and made her
way sorrowfully to her own room.
She lay on the bed crying softly
when her door was thrust open per-
amptorily, and, as the electric light