The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1920-01-21

Newspaper Syndicate.)
II LITTLE MISS AEGELL looked
IA smothered behind her pile of e8
ercise books. The front OF her
hair was quite white where she had
brushed against the chalky board, and
her middle finger had deep scar
OF ink.
When you looked very hard at Miss
pretty. II the shyness OF her eyes had
dullness OF her hair had not hidden
its softness and the wistful look
about her mouth had not forbidden
You to look at its pretty curves.
When you had seen all thisyon
saw suddenly Just how little Mis-
Angel would look in ten years when
the softness had changed to sharp
ness and Miss Angel would have be-
come good teacher"
But Miss Angel wasn't thinking
just now of becoming good teacher,
she was staring right through the
schoolroom with its prim little desks,
right through the wall with its gray
maps, into the manse at Brookline
where Uncle Pete was sitting all
alone.
Just because she, Mary Angel,
wanted to go out into the world and
see what happened there. And this
was the world. This school with its
gay, carefree girls, and its older wo-
men who had taught ltoo long to
care very fich what happened to the
Mary Angells-all except Roberta.
Right into the middle of Mary's
thought came Roberta Hardy. The
real Roberta in a minute the room had
ceased to be a schoolroom and had
become the background for her glow
ing person. She perched herself on
the desk, which was unthought of;
she tossed Off her hat and put a warm
hand on cold red cheek, while her
black eyes cleaned.
aBeen in here all the afternoon
Workng?" she groaned in sympathy.
oh, Angel. IL You wouldn't be so
good! But whatever should do with
out you in this nunnery? Angel, I've
got TO tell you, = she lowered her voice
so that none OF the curious maps
could hear, I'm going to marry!"
Marry" repeated Miss Angel.
oh, Roberta!" Her eyes glowed as
though 1t were she to be married. $50
i is Joe, and you are going to-"
You poor innocent! No! Whoever
heard of marrying man you could
have Just saw him this afternoon.
was taking the children walking up
the old highway and I was so bored.
At the top of the hill we passed that
pathetic looking mission; the girls
begged to go in. Anything was better
than their everlasting chatter. So in
we went. felt like an orphan
asylum, of course, with six Of them
tagging on behind, and then / knew
why they had wanted to so. Up the
aisle came the ASSISTANT man. The
first FFe seen in months, with the
face OF q ST. Anthony or some early
martyr, and. the devil lurking in the
back of his eyes. And a voice, the
kind that once you've heard 1t winds
itself about your heart and squeezes
II. After the service put on my
sanity expression and went up to
him.
II wonder Il / couldn't help you.
isn't there some Sunday school work
she looked at me very gravely be-
fore he said, THANK you, have
about all the teachers and assistants
] can manage at present. But"
Yes?" / asked sweetly.
I'm going to have sewing class
Saturday morning, perhaps you might
II jumped at the chance, not that I
can sew stitch"
Mary Angel sat looking at the mar
rator breathlesSiy. She loved her
warm cheeks and her wiry black hair
and her eyes that were dark and dar-
ing and gray.
That's all,' Roberta ended, so I'm
going to marry him. It's very simple.
shall make a delightful minister's
wife, something new in that line.
Damn, there's the dressing bell. See
you later!" she caught up her hat
and flew down the hail, her heels
clickclacaing over the polished floors.
And that was the beginning OF It
The last bell had rung, the lights
were out in the dormitory, except for
the tiny CLEAN that peered through
Miss Angels keyhole. Miss Angel
was still working over a problem In
arithmetic. She never even heard
Robertas, light knock.
Working? Oh Angel, you'll youse
your beauty sleepl" Roberta laughed
at funny little thought Of her own.
You've got TO help me. Angel. Pm in
an awful mess. You know the man
Tmrgoing-tomarry?"
Mary Angel nodded and for some
reason she flushed all over her fan
skin. Eyes, I've seen him when I've
been walking with the children in the
afternoons. !"
Somehow that man is very hard
to WOO" Roberta went on "In spite of
Bernard Shaw. You know, I've taught
sewing every Saturday; and twice a
week I've gone to the mission in the
afternoon: but he's very backward.
Now ] come to the awful part, He
asked me today IL I could play, and
Itold him could! promised to play
for him tomorrow-the only way out
is for you to do it, Mr.. Page will
never find 1t out, for you are to wear
my squirrel coat and my little squir-
rel hat and hide your face; when you
are through, sneak out the rectory
door. Don't forget, the rectory door. !.
.But-but-"
you've got to; besides that tire
some Joe is coming up from home to-
morrow lust to see me-
So that was how little Miss Angel