The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1921-05-09
THE DAILY
SHORT STORY
Among Eight Hundred
.BIpoRAM OLLAN

rom Fitch, 70 find the latter still
al loggerheadB with their mutual
chum, Chris Hatch over those verb
table Wandering Jew topics Of
dlseission, the tariff and taxes. SO
had sam, left them three hours be-
fore, when he departed the uni
varsity precincts 70 pay a much
dreaded call upon q cousin Of his
mother. The cousin, Sam had luc-
Idly explained, taught something
or other In the neighboring city,
and lived at Hampstead House,
some sort OF an endowed hosterly
for gffi students"
.WhsWi" Sam threw his sir
tset@of stature-onto the couch
and elaborately mopped his fore
head With purple bordered hand
kerehief. "Whewi Eight hundred
lotsthem under one roof Whewi"
Eight hundred WHAT" inquir-
ed Tom, irritable at being inter
rnpted In the midst Of an involved
argument
Girls" came the reply from
the couch. Girls! short girls, tall
sifis, blond girls, brunette girls,
thin girls, fat girls. girls with.
short hair and long skirts, girls
With long hair and short. skirts,
young girls, old girls, girls by
eourtesy. blue eyed, black eyed,
knock-kneed, bowlegged, cross
eyed-eyerything but tongue.tied!
Girlsl Girls GIRLS"
i wonder now" commented.
Tom, switched into his fayorite
though traek-tor he aimed at be-
coming,a government statisticianA
what the percentage OF fat ones
would be among that number-and
thin ones. And as to names, how
many Marys and"
Speaking OF Marys" interrupt
ed Sam johnson, sitting up and.
looking at Chris Hatch curiously.
~ met one tonight, Mary Brown.
She said she knows you, Chris and.
wanted me To ask you TO come and
zee her"
Christopher Hatch said nothing;
he never did have anything to say
concerning girls. Because he never
mentioned knowing one or ever
having known one he was dubbed
"girl.shy." Now he gaEed straight
before him at something which the
room did not contain, then abrupt
~ attempted to take up the argu-
tnant where Sans entrance had
disturbed IT
But Sam impelled by some per-
verse impulse, blocked him. "You
haven't the nerve to go there and
call on that girl, Chris. Why not
be q sport and own up to It? Bet
sou-=Fbet you my autographed
copy of Oliver Twist you haven't
the courage to enter that apart
ment lair Of the deadly sex and
drag forth said Mary Brown to our
next informal dance!"
That Chris was intense In his
admiration Of Dickens, as he was,
in all things. Sam well knew; and,
he knew what a delight 1t would
be ito him to own that autographed
volume. But he couadn't know what
was going on right then in Ghris's
mind regarding q girl named Mary
BroWn-how he came to the decis-
ion that, as that girl had helped
take;from him the person he loved
most in the world, as he believed
shelhad, he had a right toPuse her
70 acquire something he coveted.
IN take,you upon that" Chris
said.
9sam," said Tom Fitch after
Chris had departed, 81 wish you
hadn't egged' Chris into calling on
that girl. Brown was the name OF
the woman his father married, and
there was a daughter. Chris hates
them; hasn't had anything to do
With his old man since"
"Whew!" said Sam. "But 1t
can't, be the same one, Tom. She.
wasia big chemical blonde!"
When Chris Hatch stepped into
the lobby of Hampstead House 1t
was 8 o'clock and the time Of the
evening mail distribution. The
place was full of fluttering femin-
unity. Yes, Miss Mary Brown was
in and would seu him. Chris sub
sided into the nearest chair, and.
placing his soft bat upon his stick,
solmenly twirIed 1t around and
around, intently watching 1t the
while. Then a voice said:
why, Mr.. Hatch! This Is a
pleasant surprised"
Standing before him was a slight
girl whose flaxen hair was brushed
straight back into a soft bob at
the back. of her neck and whose
blue eyes did not quite voice the
pleasure her words had expressed.
The opening speech Chris had 80
carefully prepared crawled into
come hidden corner of his brain
and mocked him. On all. sides
bright eyes appraised him, ears
from their coyerts of hairs, LISTEN
I'd.
There's a good picture at the
Empire" he blurted. Would you
IKE to ggo?"
"f'll be ready in a jlffy." The
girls voice betrayed amusement,
All at once and for the first time
she understood this tall solemn
young mamie was bashful, wo.
man.shy-and that was what caus-