The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1920-12-27

a
I've come TO realize he's right
You've had your opportunity and
you've proved yourself failure
!ow can you expect me 'to marry
/ you ~
Mildred Stewart spoke In a rath
er unteelInE manner, She sat In a
] rocking chair while Bert Town
send occupied a davenport nearby
tafAI1ont them were evidences OF q
hurricane having struck the Int
9 ri6r Of the house. The floors were
/. iI5aTe Of rugs and the wall OF pic
lures. Little furniture could be
{ 6eefll
III seems to me-" Mildred went
2 on. "that our leaving Ohio-tather
y and lis the best thing. It's an
opportunity for US to call 1t quits
/ can't marry a failure. 1t isn't the
financial angle OF It 80 much: It's
Just the idea OF having failure for
a husband"
She captured some stray yellow
locks and tucked them beneath the
\ dust cap she was wearing. Her
face, with perfect complexion and
features, bore an expression be-
tokening resolute purpose.
BERT, his dark face grave. looked
silently out the window for a mo
.inent, then turned AMI said quietly
with a wry smile:
eyes, Mildred, I'm failure; at
tcaSt in business way"
ssAnd that's what counts" NIL
bred said quickly. you're a grad.
i tiate Of medical school; you have
adfploma and also an office with
q sign in front. But you have no
|. practice. -
'lTrue, true" he agreed sadly. 81
have no practice. so I'm failure.
4 mfght be ever so good a physl'
gFsiafl, but ] haven't the trade. Still.
I all my patients are living except
one. and he died of old age"
That's IT," Mildred said. you
haven't lost patient because you
haven't had many. And the only
Z ones turned down by other physt'
clans because they didn't have
money'to pay their bills, You have
careleas way about you that
shows you lack sense OF Tesponsi-
1tiiity. Bert, your way Of speaking,
ur bearing. the manner in which
ID dress show lack of responsi
2iity. i have asked you to give M
Ede idea OF being a doctor and
feallY 90 to work, but you repeat,
! edly refused. So I've decided to
concur in fathers wishes and give
YOU up. I'll say good'by now and
3neyer see you again"
Far into the night light burned
Z IA Or. Townsatld's office while he
saE and smoked pipe and thought,
band thought, and thought.
Far into the night light burned
Mildred Stewards room. She
Nat on tho edge or the bed and tore
letters into fine shreds and threw
them into a waste basket, and cried
now and then. and occasionally
looked at picture standing on her
Pressing table. While she had
been speaking In apparently an un.
feeling manner to Bert her heart
had been breaking.
II was Inconsistencies as much az
anything that took Wilbert Stewart
and his daughter back to Tennes
see. They longed for q sight OF the
Unaka mountains, In whose shadow
tiie family had lived for genera
lions. So Mr.. Stewart sold out his
! Shardware business in Newark and
purchased a peanut plantation in
Fennessee.
Before settling on the plantation
Mr.. Stewart and his daughter went
ION d camping trip In the noun.
fBIns, The father needed vaca'
don from work and MIldred's mind
siaaded vacation from ponderlng
: over her unsuccessful love anair.
With them they took a noun
taineer guide, and they selected
deserted hut as their temporary
abode. The outing was enjoyable
for every one concerned until MIR.
Stewart contracted a severe cold,
and. was obliged to take to his bunk
and remain there. Fever took hold
and his condition rapidly became
z serious. :,
~ we've got to have a doctor"
Mildred decided one morning, as
sae sat at her fathers bedside, lis
tening to his incoherent chatter.
''I'ye done all / can, Jim, and so
have you. can't diagnose the
aMe neither" said Jim, hover
Ine helpless nearby. TITS got me.
I'VE sure need doctor, but l never
heard OF one round here"
eGo to Slope Side and see If you
can't find out" she pleaded. There
J may be some one there who can
. help us"
Il did not offer much encourage
ment, but Jim set out, astride a
horse, at his EsSt gait
All day Mildred sat by her faith
i ar. watching from the cabin window
for inns returning: Darkness fell
with no sign of him. 1t was a long
way to Slope Side.
sIts all over, I'm afraid" MIL
dred was whispering some time
later, when the door opened and
Jim stepped in, followed by a
Young man in mountaineer's garb.
'tBertw Mildred calculated. why
how"
mo mystery" said Bert concise
w taking her hand for an instant.
II lust simply had to be in the
same state as you, SO I'm living In
the mountains of Tennessee"
i He unstrapped a medicine case
I nom about his body and after a
close examination of the patient
mixed q portion In glass and
4 fsrGed It between the sick mans