The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1920-12-03
THE d. us
SHORT STORY
Underadvertising
,oopywright, 1890. by Mcclure
Newspaper syldicate.)
BY WILL 7. AMES.

somehow he seems to be forever
keeping a oheokrein on himself,
sort OF afraid to let any single en-
thusiasm get loose and caper
around in that sober old head OF
his.
Sometimes 1t seems to me as If
he were using up lot OF steam
Just trying to live down to that
dreadfully commonplace name of
his--aB though he'd made up his
mind that nobody called Henry
Brown had any business to put
fouTlRhes around his personality
: any more than around his sigma
ture, and was trying to avoid CIV
ing ofEense. hate anything like
that-anythlng like Belt-enace-
nent,"
Mrs. Fellows was the knitting
kind OF mother. She was knitting
now, and smiling the least Of
smiles at her daughters attempt
TO analyBe the person called Henry
Brown.
fIhave observed, she answered
that you don't appear to altogeth-
er detest Henry even If you do
hate some of his characteristics.
Personally can't see that he
lacks self-respect or even force.
OF course, he is in contrast to
Forest Noyes''-the mother took
a sly loolc at the daughter, which
was quite lost upon that young
woman, engaged as she was with
the last OF her milk-'and, IL you
want my opinion, in rather favor
able contrast"
~ but, mother, that's Just 1t.
can't understand It at all. I just
dote on FORESTS bubbling optim-
ism; his vanity; is appalling but
Eaclnating; he's as transparent as
water, but his efferyeseence is de-
lIcious; he's full of the things he's
going to do and they're always
terribly interesting, even when
you know he never does anything
at ell really worth while. And all
sthe time 1 know Forrest hasn't a
y Sgle one of the solid qualities OF
hzhry. But wish TO goodness
that Henry was little bit-just
a.little bit-lIke him, nevertheless.
.Mother"-and Julia turned per-
picked countenance squarely upon
her parent = what would you
The answer was, prompt. Moth
ing. Absolutely nothing, dear.
Nothing but wait. Your little rid
die will answer itself. They al
ways do But as the girl kissed
her mother good night and took
4 herself off, Mrs. Fellows surprised
her orderly cpurchgoing self with
sporting soliloquy: I'll bet my
fur coat against paper of pins on
Henry"
Henry BToRp was In real estate.
He was a broker, not Spectator,
and he made his money in bits.
incidentally. he had built reputa-
ton \ People said Of him: IF
Brown says a things so. it's so";
and he prospered. not spectacular
~ but solidly.
On the day following her brief
talk with her mother visit to her
dentist, whose offices were in the
same Guiding, brought Julia Fell
lows to the door of Henry's place
Of business. She opened the door
to bid him good morning Henry's
stenographeT was putting on her
hat. "Mr. Brown is OUT" she
said, "but he'll be back in NOM
emit. I'm just running out to the
bank. Won't you waltz"
JULIA had scarcely more than
seated herself at the window be-
fore she heard Henry's voice in the
hallway outside, exchanging greet
ings with some acquaintance.
What freak of fancy urged her to
run across the room to the door
marked Private" she could not
have told. But the little inner
office was empty and she slipped
through the door.
AYistt from her would be a sur
prise to Henry anyhow, and she
might as we'll make 1t complete
by popping out at him as soon as
he had had settled himself at that
orderly desk Of his, Perhaps he
would be startled the fraction Of
an inch out of his everlastingly
guarded poise.
But Henry was not alone and
the voice Of the other person was
that Of Forrest Noyes. The girl
was trapped. Not for q good deal
would she have Noyes know that
she was there.
She detested being battered
about Henry: and at that t1oment
she realized as she never had be-
fore what a gossip Forrest Noyes
was Uncertain what to do, it was
presently too late 10 do anything
but remain where she was and be-
come an unintentIonal evusdrop-
per, for the door. was triffIe
tits no use, Forrest" she
heard Henry say: II won't have
anything to do with it. I'll grant
there's money in It, and It's easy
to put over, Perhaps, aA you say
ITS Just business. But you know
and I know something that the
people who bought those lots
would have to find out afterwards
that tho whole area is full Of
ground water and Qulcksands."
"BIt," pro toste d Noyes,
they'll be getting their land
cheap enough SO they can afford
to correct those faults. They'll get
their moneys worth"
'tFhat's probably true, NoyOS,
But they wouldn't DO getting what
Was promised them. Just to take