The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1920-01-31
THE DAILY
SHORT STORY
THREE NINETEENs
BY BORA NOLAN.
Copyright, 1920, by the Mcclure

AShNkk4g th IIt SCAGCA "a Inv tHSASt va
q tripod, stood a crystal ball into
this the woman gazed through eyes as
Opaque as Jet beads. Opposite, hud-
died close together on a rickety plush
settee, sat her audience, two grown
up children or very young ladies', as
one might chose to call them-the
man in The street would have chosen
to call them "flappers."
In a deep, artificially bass voice
which rumbled up from somewhere
in the depths of the red kimono the
crystal gazer spoke. The words cam,
Il see in the life of the slim
one"
Marie Fenton clutched at the hand
of her plump companion.
II see in the life of the slim one,"
repeated the oracle, "a bright light.
It flares UP suddenly, then burns
steadily through the years. 1t is the
love light. 1t comes the year the
same number appears three times IN
the future Of her whose life see here
depicted"
The fat sybil lifted her chins from
their resting place, yawned expan-
sively. then turned to her audience
with briskly business-like air. "a
dollar apiece" she demanded,
stretching out hand decorated with
many rings. This sudden metamor-
phosis of prophecies, endowed with
magical power to see around the
curves OF the long line of going to-
be, into a mere greedy money getter
was disconcerttng to the spellbound
listeners. But they opened their
handbags quickly and paid the fee.
or course she has to i've" little
Marie Fenton excused as they hur-
ried down the dark stairway.
Yes, l suppose SO, and she looks
as though she ate lot, too" agreed
her stouter companion. But, oh,
Marie! What she foretold for you
is wonderful! What can she mean
by the same number coming three
times?"
.why, that's easy enough to IN
derstand," replied Marie proudly. II
thought OF 1t right off. I'll be nine
teen in nineteen nineteen"
@oh, how wonderful" thrilled the
chubby one.
Three years suffice to change many
9 flapper into real young woman.
Marie Fenton passed her nineteenth
birthday early in January Of nineteen
nineteen. The months passed on. Oc-
tober came and still the bright light
that had nared from the depths of the
crystal ball to the eyes of the inter-
peter failed to illumine with its radi-
ance the life of Marie.
The summers cocky straw sailol
bad given place to fiery red tam. But
still the latter was never pulled into,
place over Marie's left eyebrow as she
set off, for business in the morning
without the accompanying hope that
this might be the day Of days.
Then it happened = when Marie
least expected it..
There was new purchasing agent
Marie was sent in to take dictation
from him. He was tall and broad
should Notwithstanding, Marie thought,
and he had that suave way with him
that convinces one woman at a time
that she is the only woman.
1t. convinced Marie to such an ex-
tent that the curves and dashes on
the pad before her became alarming
" blurred.
Bring the letters to me just before
five Into these seven words Mr..
Beers managed to condense volumes
Of meaning: That he loath to send
Marie away; that five o'clock was a
long way of; that he should await
her return impatiently, and that when
the ionged-for hour arrived-well,
J somehow there was vaguely roman
tic suggestion OF tryst.
Marte's fingers justified their auto
matte training that afternoon, for he,
thoughts went .skylarking down the
long lane of the future, where some
one tall and stunning walked by her
side. When 4:45 came and she pre-
sented the letters for signature it
caused her no surprise at all that Mr..
Beers should suggest walking home
with her.
Wasn't it all foreordained? Then,
too, 1t seemed perfectly natural and
ut the same time incredibly marvel
pus that the new purchasing agent
should ask her to go to the movies
that very evening. And some people
said crystal gazing was all a huge
AS Marie closed the front door be-
hind her and passed through to the
Kitchen where Mrs. Fenton was pre-
pairing the evening meal. something
Intangible pricked her bubble of Ella
lion. What was it that had filled her
thoughts before that fateful moment
5Wh04 QUO Ah4 OPGuGu bS6ES Of
lice? Her mothers greeting words
brought 1t all back:
Bob Is much worse" she an
nounced.
Bob? oh, yes, to be sure; Bob was
sick-that was the truant thought.
Bob Bryan. the standby of child
hood and girlhood; funny. steady,
true-blue old Bob, who would have
let them cut off his right hand for her
any time, she knew; and who had, al
ways been--why, as much a part Of
life as mother herself!
But how tiresome that Bob's illness
should have to come right now when
she wanted no shadows-only the high
lights Of happiness! Marie had new
sr been in the habit OF confiding her
lnnermost thoughts in her mother, and
now 1t would be impossible to make
her understand
well, must confess that never
thought daughter OF mine could be
so heartless-to go to a show with a
stranger when her playmate and chum
was dying, like enough This new
generation moves too rapidly for
mel" Mrs. Fenton's tone was bitter.
But Marie went. Bob couldn't be in
danger: 1T was unthinkahle Ana ba