The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1920-11-23
THE DAILY
STORY
A Real Thanksgiving
gy HART.

"4JS4N -
said Mrs. Ilnlden pettishly. "Of
4 course I'm glad he's coming
ana all that, but he might have CIV
en- me longer notice But hats
Just like Bob-always dropping in
like a tornado, with NC more than a
| telegram the day before he comes
and how I'm 10 get his room ready,
[ simply can't see! l have the din
uer to attend 10, and goodness
Knows it is hard to get things these
days without making preparations
Tor another guest. II he'd only writ
ten. All he had 10 do was 10 sit
down a week ago and write"
Now, mother, don't you get all
worried" Pretty Barbara Halden
slipped an arm around her mothers
ample waist. "a know you've q
thousand things to do. and Bob's
coming makes it harder-but you
lust go ahead and manage the din
uer. I'll fix his room and every
thing"
Bless your heart, dear, run
along and get It ready. I'm always
glad TO see Bob" Her speech
was cut short by the abrupt exit Of
. her daughter, who danced of up the
stairs, followed by her mothers
| call, BE sure and put out the smok-
ing table! You know how Bob
likes his pipe!n
IAN right, mother, dear-I Will"
And Barbara sped to the little room
under the caves that had been sa-
cred to Bob Halliday since the time
two years ago, when he had first
| como TO their town to practice law
and had taken up his residence un-
der Mrs. Halden's hospitable roof.
Since that summer, when he had
saved Mrs. EIaldens's little savings
and her home from the clutches OF
q Erasping syndicate of real estate
sharks, he had been like a son to
the good oma She had let him
do very much as he pleased around
the house, and had even limited at
his paying no board, but Bob had
insited on giving her what he term
ed n ridiculously inadequate sum
each month.
When success brought him fame
and fortune, he had refused TO take
UP other lodgings, claiming that he
enjoyed the home cooking and the
home associations OF the little brown
houea near the edge of the town
more than he could could ever like
the garish splcndors of a hotel or
the loneliness OF bachelor apart
ments. :,
For the past two months he had
been travelling in the West on Il
big railroad case. His sudden wire.
received the day before Thanksgiv-
ing, had been the first apprisal OF
his return that Mrs. Halden had
had.
Now as she busiiy arranged her
kitchen in preparation for the man
ufacture of n dinner that should
surpass all her former efforts IN
that line, she blessed the chance
that brought her boy" as she call
ed Bob, homo at the holiday season..
while she outwardly faigned great
irritation at his unceremonious an
nounccment Of his return.
Meanwhile, up in Bob's room,
Barbara was busily putting things
straight, spreading clean linen on
the bed, arranging the cover on the
dresser, seeing that the smoking
table was supplied with matches
and traps for Bob's ever-present
pine, and generally making things
fresh and sweet for the reception OF
her hero. For to Barbara Bob was
n good deal Of a hero. though n
| would hardly have confessed e.
| even to herself,
She attacked the dersses last OF
all, inteding 10 take out OF n
| drawers any odds and ends mat
might be in them and leave space
for shirts, collars and other arti'
Giles of masculine apparel.
The big lower drawers were emp
~, and beyond a quick glance IN
search of truant dust she did MOTH
ing to them: but one Of the small
ton drawers stuck ohstinately IN
The manner OF some drawers. she
gave a hard tug; the wood remain.
| cd obdurate; she set her teth and
pulled violently.
The next moment she was sitting
on the floor with the recalcitrant
| drawer upside down in her lap and
a lot OF odd looking papers scatter
ed about. ,
With 4 little laugh and n shrug at
her awkwardness, she 0 s n
| stopped to gather up the papers. AS
she picked up one strap, larger
| than the Others, she happened to
| glance at 1t, and something mat
was written on the top sTiPPed her
attention With the blood dyeing
her cheeks, she read:
ITO Barbara"
Below were some lines OF poetry,
| She read them through. They were
| not so good, as poems go; in TACT,
| there were spots where the meter
halted and staggered and the
rhymes weer not above criticism;
hut to the heart OF the girl who
read them they were more beautiful
than any words of the greatest sim
gers Of all time. For there in writ
ten words was expressed tho love
of a man for q maid-the love Of
! Bob, her hero, for her-for herself,
Barbara Halden.
She read the verses through.
Then, with the blood dyeing her
| cheeks, she hastily thrust the pa
pers into the bosom of her dress,
Bob-Boh loved her! He had never
spoken, but the verses spoke for
him. And she-she knew 1t now