The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1920-09-07
He DAILY
Isl HORT STORY
I,eft-OYers.
ev.llLY wANDELL.
Alright. 1920, by the Mcclure
Newspaper Syndicate)

s;-gJ1 HE usual series OF parties 4of
an engaged couple began,
Cam generally in the bac1,
ground watching Deborah out OF
q ME corner OF his eye. Aow she
sized In the continual eunsHine
of admiration. 1t thrilled MN ~, 70
think that he had won heF. 5H W.
I was new IN town ana lnii!ls1 SIG,
t:nonular, and he had always peen
Z I'M n gro6sed III following his va
y nafion Of o professor TO bother
eoout social afHairs. But Deborah,
with her brilliance Of q woman IN
X fiiII bloom, had shaken him out OF
Afats retirement.
IA very young girl, too short for
Cams taste, had seated herself on
Gle other end OF the sofa. cam
danced at he: and decided he uid
nut ike her. She WIS TOO small,
Her fiai1 too straight and black her
skin too dark and her eyes Slant
iIlp like en- orieutaIs, bluck aAI
& large, conspicuous for being small
and painted very red, she nnl4ad
family, almost ttmtdly.
"rm your neIghbor," che ven
ttlred. lie did not like her v2!&H
: fjitber. 1t was low.pl!ched ahI
tilroaty. DeboEah'a was clear ana
& distinct.
4 NeiEhbor2" then smiling AZ the
Esttep, :'Oh, Soc
aThat was not what l meant. /
am visiting Mira. Ingram, who hVoo
next door to you. i've seen you
lpRds OF times"
II sounded slightly reDroachfull,
2 ard Cameron Dlw, being Oh Il Sensi'
tive nnture, felt then and tha.e
+ called to make up Tor h!s seeming
finctYility.
Later before the party was oYoE,
i when Bhc expressed u 4a3!:c 10 ~
IS:no Cam accompanied her The
Short way, simply US Gou.sG hy |"
Mrs Ingram, to whom he IclI In
tdehtea tor many little ne!ghhoty
isiAsinduogses, Somehow OF otneF no
ot talking about stars TO the girl
and when, he returned TO the BCaAe
OF festtYIty the guests had lett, IN
Guiding Deborah. He was amazed;
.s1e had had no idea that he had
l7Stood more than an hour explain
ing the solar system to slant
eyed girl. At any ratio he Went
home congratulatlng himself that
he was engaged to Deborah ana
not to Mrs. Migrants young visitor,
Poor little thing, he felt sorry for
her, abe seemed SO forsaken, q lit
tle different from other girls. Even
her name, Vashti, had heathen'
sist sound. quite in tune with those
dark almond-shaped eyes and
painted lips.
The next day he fingered near
the party fence. This had nothing
kto do with his neighbours guest;
z he was Interested III G vine grow
I ing there, q troublesome vine that
needed no end OF tying and ADJUST
ing. And after he had fused with
It for Qutte,>a while Vashti did ap'
aesr and came over to see what ht
lSJ{gas doing. She might have been 4
hardy little brown plant herseI.
rs she stood there in wood-colored
skirt and sweater, adorned b.
single splash Of red, u ripe berry,
Ser painted lips/
@fkIe explained the vine to her, all
Etjout its botanical family, and sim
lAr wild vines that grew In near
7 tjy woodlands. He suggested that
alter his classes they might look
for some.
Ing their second or third 1aunt, that
Die learned about Bobsie. Vashti
m confiding whispers told him all
5about the quarrel that had oc-
CURED the day before his sisters
marty, BobSie, 1t proved, was u
senior, and from Vashtls descrlp-
ton, very hard-hearted and uuror.
gfying. He was not taking any
steps to make up; he seemed to
4 take malicious enjoyment seeing
a her lonely and fCrsalan, Na5htt
i wanted to know wha: to do about
Lets stir him up to action"
s.sUggestcd Cam boyishly, mako
him sec the ggoep.eyel monster
z frfghten him and then" he
I stopped moment and added glow
IL, Ni'm su.e Deborah Won't mind
ID did not sound very positive.
ss9z7Yho on earth Is Deborah?' CIV
.ffi1g the name a funny little twist.
1'Why, surely you know. Miss
Heath? I'm engaged TO be mar
Vaahti interrupted with n deli.
i cious laugh. ''Ill not be fooled! |
S;don't believe. for o moment that
Ou would marry leftover"
"vashti!" cried Cam in shock,
Cd voice, really you don't realize,
Deborah's not more than thirty.
t tSS u Z" three quite . O.' younger
f'But quite bit too old for you'll"
1nimicked the girl, laughing, and
then, with appealing sweetness,
nm sorry thought" And Cam did
not know whether she meant that
She was sorry for him or for her
rude remark about left-oveTs.
He explained TO his ,finncee over
& the telephone about. his obliga'
lions to Mrs, Ingram and the very
Fnice opportunity he had Of reciprO-
eating by helping her to entertain
\ her guest. He hoped Deborah
would understand. She said she
did perfectly, and reminded him OF
one or two dinner dates and about
!, making q list for the wedding in.
Cam found himself sQuirming
A3out OF different social engage.
1ents, His fiapCee was very sweet
about his seemlng neglect; he al.
most wlshod she would be little
huffy and more eXacting. But she
was very busy herself with dress.
makers and shopping, and all serts
h 81 Showers and lunchecns Never.
theleSa Deborah was bound to no
ttce how things stood; she was
foloYer, though, and refrained from
nRgging, and went on with gay
preparations.
sAs for Cam, he wondered why
Ia had ever insisted upon SO short