The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1921-01-27
The DOLT
BY AIRLINE A. MACDONALD.

~ W MtN IuIe nv
SyndicatsD

u0It ne would never have been q good
soldier.
At least, so Richard himself ex.
pressed II In letter that Abe Walton.
the town clerk, received back home
from somewhere In France"
The young soldier had been the re-
ciplent of a number Of congratulstory
missives consequent upon q published
account Of his acts Of heroism and
daring on the western front. And the
youth had read them modestly and
had penned a solitary reply to Abe
Walton at kensington. knowing that
Abe would take It in turn to the re-
spective villagers. And Abe did.
Now young Doe had never borne an
envisble name In the village. Tall
and handsome, he regularly Joined the
hangers on" about the general store.
working at nothing, and giving but
little promise Of ever doing anything
else. He made q at subject for the
gossips. OF which there were many.
Nevertheless, Richard Doe was always
conscious that he possessed certain
latent qualities which ought to be
made patent. They needed only q time
Of trial to bring out their grit and pal
ability. And the time came and Ruth
Walton was responsible for IL
Ruth was the only daughter OF Abe
Walton, and a teacher In the village
school. She was (tall. slender girl,
scarcely out OF her teens. whose face
was one Of those quite as striking for
Its character as Its beauty.
She admired Doe, liked him for his
sympathetic understanding OF his fell
low human beings, his sense Of the
/ dramatic. his untrammeled flow Of
words, which were the best perquisites
Of his friendship for a girl In her pro-
fesslon. Once he had reproved her
for overdancing and had brusquely
turned from Tom Whitney's proffered
cigarette case. II was at the supper
table that Ruth had said:
Dick lacks the pep that character
l ICES the modern young man. He does
not smoke. he does not dance. He's
too handsome to work. He's q dolt."
One day. In desperation. Doe decid-
ed that he would force the attention
OF the village upon his talent. He
whispered something into the ear OF
Abe Walton, who had already given
the youth big corner In his own
heart. The next morning he dropped
guilty out Of the village and the
tongues Of the gossips wagged furious.
ly. Mrs. H, who never meddled
with anyone's affairs, reminded the
neighbors that a year before she had
said that Richard Doe would disap-
pear some day and would turn up
later In penltentiary. AS for Abe
Walton" she declared, che has yield.
ed his energy to the hypnotic iniiu-
ence Of that loafer scalawag"
II was true that Does departure
gave Abe more energy. He quickly
got a contract from q New York jour
nalist for the erection Of a pretentious
stucco mansion on the knoll adjoining
his own homestead.
Time passed quickly at Kenslngton.
June came and the robins piped their
sweetest lay. and the odor of the rose
and the honeysuckle stole through
screened chamber windows. At the
close OF a balmy afternoon Ruth Wal.
ton sat alone in her own boudoir read
Ing war story which appeared In the
newspaper.
Suddenly she remembered that there
was dance that evening In the pa.
villon. She arose. rubbed her face.
which seemed drawn and bloodless,
and fastened below to prepare the eve
ming meal.
The dance had never seemed so
pretty and overcrowded. Nell Whit
ney. In furry OF excitement, made
some complimentary remarks about
Ruths dress.
Richard Doe Is here" she said.
"And oh. isn't II dreadful. Ruth" she
easped, his left arm has been shot
on"
This was too much for Ruth. In the
stupor which almost held her brain In
thrall she heard faint where's
Ruth as she tottered TO the road that
led to Kensington knoll.
Her hands wavered /; her knees shook
~ hootrtepS she hutW only 100 well.
60 Go back, Richardl" she
screamed. Forgive me. / can't bear
to look at you. Your arm !" she gasped.
ut isn't As bad as you think. Ruth"
catching her arm and trying to COM
fort her. "See!"
Deliberately he unbuttoned his frock,
disclosing a whole arm suspended In a |
sling
"Force of habit" he laughed a. he
outtoned his coat this time with the
arm outside. His jovislity lapsed her
TO a steady calm. A thrill OF pleasure |
surmounted her being as once again he |
took her hand. A fresh June zephyr |
swept the fragrant pine across the
knoll, where. sitting agains; the open |
sky, a stately mansion bathed In flood |
Of silvery moonlight.
Its yours. Ruth. did It for you"
he whispered.
A solitary tear OF ioy Stood On thu