The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1921-10-14

|sE90 SIT Or. X
III the Romance Drug
Store
~ FRANK 4. BAKER.

rMoGBNE was twenty-five, the
prettiastc girl IN the block and
the eldest child in a family OF
eight
4 She had q beau, OF course--no
girI 50 pretty and piquant and alto
gether desirable could miss having
some young fellow crazy about
her, in spite Of the fact that he
NEARLY had tosfight his way through
sprawllng children and curious
hetkbboFs to reach her side.
Imogene's beau was young Bill
JENNINGS, a llkable fellow several
sSars lrnogene's senior, and hold.
ing q good position in a downtown
bank.
All during the hot summer Bill
had been calling regularly on limo.
gene plotting his wheeling EliVver
Though the hot streets to-. her
home and being the life OF the par.
~ at more than one family gather
ting, where the younger children
toukfit all over the place, or played
Cracked pieces on the family phon-
oefaph, or made sly remarks about
big sister and her Teller. Ana
when the nights had grown cooler
and the hint Of autumn WAS in the
. air. Imogene had come to feel that
Bill was the one man In the world
for her
But y dat chance was there for
Bill to- propose? Time and again
as 1mcgene pictured TO herself the
Joys Of a little home OF her own,
where she could make the coffee
which Bill so liked for Bill alone
Instead OF for a great profuSion Of
ahrothers and sisters, and where the
dusk OF evening would bring Bill
home from work and happiness to
heart. she sighed mournful1y and
felt that 1t was no use. Not only
did there appear to be no chance
for Bill to pop the question. but also
Imogene feared that her tumultu.
Gus family might eventually drive
Bill from her to some queter home.
And then came the evening when
love enveloped &tnOgenc In n pink
cloud ct pure Joy.
And how unpropitiously the eve
ming started! Almost the minute
after Bill had parked his car at the
curbing in front Of the HetTick nome
young Jim Hetrick. aged seven
teen, bounced into the drivers seat
and announced that he was going
to borrow the car for while. 1mo-
genes heart sank as she saw Jim
tearing down the street. Lately
InroRene's mother had been allow
ing her to take short rides with Bill
in the 3ncient flivver, and ImoEene
had been rather counting on a ride
this evening. Tonight she had felt
was TO bc the night Of nights. and
vet here was the one hest chance
for giving Bill chance to speak
gone to smash.
"I'm awfully sorry" said limo
%gene TO Bill. Il just wish father
Was here-he'd not let Jim do a
thing Ike that"
4S ooh. never mind" said Bill. q
@5ritle ruefully. Lets go In the
.shouse and play the photograph. I've
brought a new record.
+ Inlogane led the way into the par
.l0r. Much to her surprise the par
Tor was empty. What luck. Per-
haps. now
Bill placed the record on the ma
chine and started it. The piece was
: fox trot. He held out his arms 10
Imogene and she floated into them.
They were good dancers and liked
10 dance together. And now.
4 thought Imogene. now would be the
time. She felt Bill hold her more
"Dear," whispered Bill, softly,
E.1et's-"
But Bill got no farther than that.
FOR into the room dashed tempestu-
Gus Nellie, one of lmogene's young
er sisters. ~.
Gee, it's a new record. amt it,"
cried Nellie. excited did you
bring 1t. Bill?"
eyes" said Bill shortly, in a
voice that was plainly irritated.
Imogene's heart sank. II Bill
was to be always interrupted per-
haps he'd become tired and quit
entirely. And life without BIZ
would be very bleak indeed. \
tremor OF fear possessed her. She
must do something unickly. She
/ simply couldn't let Bill get away.
Gently Imogene dtsengaged her
I ooh, Bill" she exclaimed, as a
happy idea came to her, lets go to
the, Family theatre tonight. There's
a good film there tonight
TITS pretty hot" remurred Bill.
rather ungraciously.
4 please whispered Imogene.
clutching Bills arm and gazing at
-~-~-~~~-~-~~---~-~>-~