The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1920-12-30
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9 .R !. /: |! STORY
Hope
az GRACE UPTON

iSs fkE8I &4O6OON WVUGbSO C4N
~ third 1ight Of stairs IN her
aunt'B boarding house and
carried the carpet sweeper into
ne third floor front" room. This
8aB occupied by Mr.. ArchI.
b6t McPhee, floowalker in de-
paftment store, and Hope always
smiled q little as she tidied up the
odE1. It was typical Of Mr.. Nc
iShee,with it's expensive toilet set
Ilraad on the dresser, its cut glass
bottles OF perfumes and toilet wa
ter2 Ats gold framed pictures Of rich
looking people wearing handsome
clothes and snowy 1ewelry, its
rack OF rainbow hued neckwear--
q scarf for every day in tho year
and a few over-tts wardrobe filled
with costly clothes"
II poor Mr.. Harrison!" sighed
Hope, for she was thinking about
the occupant Of the hall room at
the rear. Then she pulled down
4 the window shades to the proper
place, left a window open Just a
little to keep the air at the proper
Temperature, and left the room.
The hall room came next. She
looked at the narrow white iron
bedstead with tho bed neatly made
up, at the white washstand In the
corner with two or three things in
order-the scantily furnished dreB-
ser, the almost empty wardrobe
the poverty Of 1t all.
rs II hope he can find a position
today" she sighed, for she knew
tflat tho pale grimm face was grow
Ing paler every day and that his
board bill was creeping up. Her
! aunt had not said anything yet but
the girl hoped she would not, but
4 coal bills were high and It was
creeping towards the New Year.
operhaps Mr.. McPhee will get
him a place in the store" she
Wrought. Il know he wants to be
snewspaper man. but-oh, dear
she stopped and stared at a
new picture on Jim Harrison's
dresser. A large photograph OF a
" pretty girl, really nice girl with
charming smile. Across one cor.
1er was written in a dashing hand
Come back for my sake! Jimmy"
That sentence rang in Hopes
sars the rest Of the day. She could
not eat and her lovely face grew
pale and worried, for in her heart
: 81 hearts she loved Jimmy Harri-
son-and there was another girl
who wanted him to come back
Gould he resist that appeal? He
dame in TO dinner that night look
{, ing white and grim as usual. He
was late and so was MIR. McPhee
md the two men sat and ate alone.
Hope went in and out waiting up
on them for 1t was Maggle's eve
ming oft
MADE any connection yet?" ask
ed McPhee genially as he ate his
soup.
'No," answered Jimmy Harrison
afraid this is a bad time for do
! rot seem to fit into anything"
.Got any friends-any pull?'
HtNothing but some letters from
nome folks in the west"
eve need a man in our adver.
Using department; better come up
and nab the job tomorrow morn
Ing
THANK you, McPhee-but can l
fill"
Iof course he can Mr.. McPhee-
he's very clever indeed-you can
eli ie-you must" interrupted
Hope. HE must start the New
year right-with o good position"
She smiled at both men and Mr..
4 N6cPhee laughed outright and jim
IA Harrison turned to her CRATE
fully.
'sThat's fine OF you. Miss Hope"
he said.
Hone fled blushing into the front
fitting room where she hid her
face behind newspaper. What
had she done. She did not know
about Jimmy Harrison and here
5 she was championing his cause,
finding a position for him through
Mr., McPhee, all because she had
learned to love him-"and prob
ably he doesn't know me from
Maggie. was her agonizing thought
But Mr.. McPhee rushed through
his dinner because he had a the
atre engagement, and as he passed
through the sitting room he winked
I at Hope. LANDED him, didn't ]"
he whispered hoarsely.
Hope nodded. $50 good of you.
MT, mCEneep Sne SalO DuL' ueF
heart was sore. 1t gave a sudden
Jump when Jimmy Harrison came
out Of the dining room and stopped
In front Of her looking down at her
G with very strange expression in
his gray eyes.
'.MIss Hope did you put McPhee
up to giving me job?" he asked.
She nodded through her tears.
'sWhy?" He didn't seem angry
1T all, in spite OF his pride.
well, I thought 1t would be nice
OF you to start off the New Year
right-and then-there's the girl in
the picture-you can make good
before her." she stammered.
"What girl-oh-you have seen
/ 1t And So" He Redeemed and
{ with another muttered word Of
thanks he dashed up the stairs
whistling like a blackbird.
Hope bowed her sunny head and
cried,
Christmas came and went, with
boxes Of candy and flowers for
Hope and her aunt from Mr.. Nc
Phee and Jimmy Harrison. The lat
ter went to business every day
i With}Mr. McPheN and he was max
ing good, very rood indeed. The
anxious frown left his countenance