The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1920-10-12
D All
sH...gR. Z STORY
The World Is Small
6By KATE EDMONDs

GO OsYOU are going to marry
~ Ethel WRde?" remarked
Fenton as he parted with
Gregory Marsh. "Congratula
tons
Gregory smiled contentedly
I'm the happiest man on earth.
he said.
s Andyou marry your dream-girl
shot as he boarded his train.
Ny dream girl" unused GTeE-
DRY as he drove slowly home. -
had almost forgotten her--I won
der IL 7 ought to tell Ethel about
her 7-she might not understand
and then / want no tiny cloud to
mar our perfect happiness" But
that evening before he retired
Gregory dug out an old letter case
and took from II a pink chiffon
ven and a glittering black buckle.
Scents or orrls wrenched him ont
Of the present and into the pIer:-
ing1y sweet Joy Of one night All :.
Hedging days.
The pink veil had been twisttN
about her hair, and the odd buck,
Of pearls and brillIants he l.,
found In his cart must haze
dropped from her little satin slip
per. That was his share OF her
I'll he had.
He did not even know her name.
vet It seemed he had been waiting
TOR her all the impressionable
days Of his youth, and she came
and went out OF his life like a
Beautiful dream.
he buried his face In the pink
ven and again lived the mad mo-
f1ent OF the spectacular fire at the
summer resort-the frantic girl
who had beseeched him to ta%e
her away from the burning hotel
whore she had been dancing with
the gay throng, of his ready COM
4pliance and the slipping away of
the high powered car through the
midnight darkness, with the glare
OF the fire behind and the sobbing
gtfl beside him.
: The ride had soothed her hys-
terra, they had talked like o.d
friends, and after Il while he had
I. left her at large house where
distracted relatives thanked him
& effusiyely and invited him within.
He had declined.
For the first time in his young
life he loved, and he wanted to go
away and think about IL. He new
or saw her again and had never
2 been able to locate the house
where he had left her. The veil
and the buckle he had treasured
for years-until he met Ethel
) then locked them away and forgot
all about them.
Tonight he would burn then
$ hui this resolution was dashed b!
4 telephone call-hurried consul
tations and such WEAKNESS that on
liberated 1t from his memory. the
letter case and the mementos were
packed in his trunk and accom-
panied him on his wedding trip.
The waning Of the honeymoon
found them motoring along the
eastern coast resorts.
There is place called "Har-
nony" suggested Ethel one morn
ing as she studied the road map.
Let us go there. dear"
Very we'll, agreed Gregory,
but he marveled at IN unktnd fate
which had prompted Ethel to &C.
1 lect that summer resort, where ne
had met the dream girl. His love
ly wife flushed delicately and her
blue eyes were reminiscent
.sWould you mind going there,
Gree?" she asked. There is
something I must show you ana
tell you"
t'aorrible confessions = Mrs.
Blt(ebeard, /" jibed Gregory, putting
his arm around her.
s.Horrid enough" pouted Ethel.
ssItls about the man-who-came-oe-
fora-you!"
5Piffle! bet he didn't stay
when he saw me coming" remarN-
"a Gregory with completeness.
Some OF those youngsters who
used to hang around you, dear are
running yeti" ),
such goose as / married. "
sighed Ethel, but there was n
efoud on her fair face and a troub-
led look which worried Gregory.
IL 6 wondered IL Ethel was conceal
Inr anything from him, and from
that tiny doubt came burning Jeu
lousy,
They were both unhappy.
.Haye you eyer been here. Greg.
nry?,' asked Ethel as they neared
Harmony.
Nonce ago"
She smiled brightly and spoke
about the season-it was early
nut there were crowds of people
on the boardwalk and about the
hotels and cottages. There is
I fhe new hotel-at least l ca
new. The old one burned when
Ne last stopped near here. l was
II the hotel hop that night"
THE night 1t burned? he asked
incredulously.
she nodded and her cheeks
burned.
1.-The world is Hmall!" Then he
said aloud: "Tell me about
those days-before you knew me-"
She turned her face away. u
must tell you this evening, Greg
ory--that Is why / asked you to
COM -there Is something l have
to say to you"
every well. do mot let me for
get" he agreed, but his heart felt
cold and sick. Somehow she has
found out that have treasured
the pink veIl-I wonder what ever