The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1920-05-14
D y
SHORT sTORY
The Power Of Suggestion.
BY JESSIE DOUGLAS.


That's all you know about ~
thenm she answered almost snapplsn'
~. 'And Marcia's features aren't q
bit regular"
William Dayey said nothing TO this
last; but he noticed that Kittys leat
ures were regular, her straignt SINAI!
nose set above mouth OF charming
curves.
~ went init the library to get q
book couldn't find and she showed
me lust where 1t was in tho shelves
smart little thing he said almost
10 himself.
"Of course, il Mario wants to work
It's all very well, but ! think girls
Mace is at home: at least girl OF
our class" abe said decisively.
Then she looked up at William
r)ayey ana said. Aren't you starved!
~ am" A diInple thimble deep in her
curying cheek caught his eyes and no
admitted 10 himself that Kitty was the
prettiest thing he knew.
He watched Kit.y's hands as they
| flew about the preparations, sou Wnts
hands with pink oval nails. She llsht.
cd the lamp under the cnatlng aisn
and rang for Sarah: When Sarsh came t1e
Il into the room bearing tray that helu
cheese and butter and toast ana tai!
Il glasses, Williams eyes were again
a iascinated by the skill and rapidity OF
Those soft hands OF Kitty's as they
gtstirred the hubbling mess in the chat'
ling dish. ,,
. ii was delicious rabbit and Kitty
land William laughed and chartered,
Abut underneath Il all William was con.
sscious OF discomfort that he could
not place. When he heard the warn
Ing notes of the cuckoo clock in the
hall that shouted Good Night, Good
Night"-.or at least 1t sounded so-he
was glad to rise and so home.
q When he had said good night and
the door had banged after him, Kitty
came back into the sitting.room and
threw herself down angrily on the
big couch.
Fool" she cried to the pillows
Hes d fool! Why doesn't he propose?
Z / wouldn't even think OF taking him
II his father didn't own the Dayey
Milis-old stupid"
She went over slowly to the mir.
rot and lifted down two battered Sill.
yer -eandlesticks from the mantel and
set one on each side of the long glass;
she looked intenuy in at her own re-
Election.
Oh, yes, she was pretty enough to
!, have a maid OF her own, to have a
coupe Just for herself, and to wear
! velvet and lace that would set off the
satin Of her skin.
She looked around at the shabby,
pleasant old sitting-room and shooA
her fist at an inotIensiye chair tina,
sagged woefully.
Sill soon make William stop living
tho simple life. After he marries mt
he'll have to give up that room over
q shop on Farview Street and stop
being workman in the mills" She
blew out tho candles beside the mir
5tor and climbed the stairs undaunt'
eddy.
William Davey, walking home
through the darkness, was thinking OF
Kttty-and thinking hard. love but
she was pretty. A bit flighty. OF
course and lots Of notions. That about
not working, for instance, when her
father really needed her help"
He thought OF Kitty again sudden
iy, when he went into the library a
few nights later, returning the book
on mechanics that he had been study
ing. He remembered as he handed the
book across the counter to Marcia
Haden that, Kitty had said her eyes
were faded. Faded? He looked into
their translucent blue depths quite
forgetful OF what he was doing until
he saw Marcia's cheeks begin to
deepen their rose. Paint?-no, Kitty
was mistaken there, Marcia didn't
paint. Funny how girls could get those
tfhfnpa wrong
tCould you show me?" he stumbled.
where I'd find the second volume OF
1this7
He followed her into one OF the long,
sdusky. book.lined abysses while she
pointed out the book sitting sruggy on
its shelf. She reached up to 1t and
as she did William saw her profile,
not regular, but with a certain piqu-
ancy, q certain something that drew
> his eyes back to hers.
! VI say" he saked, what time do you
ret through here?"
"At nine," she smiled, and William
wondered why two such simple words
should sound so charming. "Is there
anything else ! can do for you?" she
asked.
eyes, you can let me walk home with
You he said.
She did not answer Eyes" or mo" but
when at nine he stood waiting for her,
she smiled demurely up at him. All
the way home he caught glimpses OF
her face beneath the lighted lamp
posts; and as at last she stood on her
own doorstep, with the yellow light
falling full on her, he wondered why
he had never noticed her before.
He never would have seen how ex.
pressfve her eyes were, nor that color
that came and went as he talked to-
her if Kitty had not called attention
to it-or rather to the lack Of 1t.
But 1t was Marcia herself who start
led him.
"rln leaving here in month" sne
said. "I've been offered much bet
out a bare hand and then as he took
please, don't look at it," and drew
back the roughened little hand.
"You see my hands aren't soft be.
s ssRse take care of the stoves" she
William suddenly saw another pair
: OF hands, soft. white, with oval pink
nails; for some reason curious lump
got in the way OF his talking.
Good night" he said at last.
Why was It that that small rou-
hand should come before him aga
and again on his way home? And tho.
expressive eyes, and a mo- neither
small or bowshaped but . in its
curves? He let himself his own
quaint chamber at last ana Iefore he
struck match he spoke 2'oGd to
himself in the darkness.
at Il hadn't been for Kitty, would