The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1921-02-12
THE ORIOLE
By BOOTH HARRINGTON

illustrated by Lucius Wolcott Hitchcock

ratty's whispered questions; in the
game on the steps-the pledged Truth
written by Henry Rooter and Herbert
Atwatcr on their sacred words and hon
ors The infatuated pair had either
ovcr-eStlmated Patty's caution, or else
each had thought she would so prize his
little missive that she would treaSur"
II in tender safety. perhaps pinned upon
her blouse TAT the first opportunity
over her heart. 1t IS positively safe TO
say that neither of the two Neraciti"S
would ever have been set upon pdpel.
had Herbert and Henry any foreshad-
owing that Patty might be Careless;
and the partners would have been seized
with the utmost horror could they haze
conceived the possibility of their trust
full messages ever falling into the hands
Of the relentless creature who now
without an inStantS hesitation. unfold
ed and read them.
Yes, it | got to tell tho truth l
know l have got pretty eyes" Herbert
had unfortunately written. Il am glad
you think SO too, Patty, because your
eyes are too Herbert lllingsworth At
water, Jr."
And Mr.. Henry Rooter had likewise
ruined himself III a cOincidental manner
Well Patty my eyes are pretty but
suppose l would like to trudc with yours
because you have beautiful eyes. also,
sure as my ramc Is Henry Kootcr."
Florence stood close To the pink.
shaded electric drop-light over her small
white dressing table. reading again anu
again these pathetically honest ltttl"
condolences. Her eyelids were with
drawn to an unprecedented retirement
so remarkably she stared: while her
mouth seemed to prepare itself for the
attempted reception of a bulk beyond
its total capacity. And these plastic
tokens, SO immodcrate as to be ordinar.
! lily the consequence OF nothing short OF
poignant horror, were overlald by 9TH
ers. subtler and more cleaning which
1 wrought the true significance OF tai
, contortion--a JOY that was dumbfound-
Ing.
Her thoughts were first OF Fortunes
kindness in selecting her for favor SO
: miraculously dovetailing into tina pre-
, else need of her life; then OF Henry ana
, Herbert. each at this hour probably
brushing his hair in preparation for the
Sunday evening meal. and both touch
, ingly unconscious of the calamity now
, bcEalling them; but what eventually Ell.
crossed her mind was the. thought OF
Wallie Torbin.
Master TORN. approaching fourteen.
WAS in all the town the boy most dreaded
by his fellow boys, and BY girls OF his
| acquaintance, including many Of both
sexes who knew him only by sight
and hearing. lie had no physical On.
dowmont or attainment worth mention.
! but boys who could whip him with Ole
hand" became sycophants IN his pres
ence; the terror he inspired was moral
He had special over-devclopment of y
faculty exercised Clumsily enough by
most human beings. especially in their
youth: in other words. he had genius
not. however. genius having to do with
anything generally recognized as art IT
science True. II he had been a violin
list prodigy or mathematical prodigy, h1
would have had some respect for his
fellows-about equal to that nc mikht
have received II he were gifted with
some pleasant deformity, such as SIX
toes on q foot--but he would never have
enjoyed such deadly prestige as had
Wallie Torbin had genius for mock
cry.
Almost from his bSbyhood he had
been child Of one purpose; to increase
OF unfortunate friends. II one or them
wept, Willie necessarily pursued him,
yelping in horrid mimicry: IL ono were
chastised, he could not appear out-of-
doors for days except TO encounter " al
lie and complete rehearsal of the re-
cen; agony. Quit. Papa! pah-puh
quce-yet! I'll never do it again. Pan
pub! Oh, lemme alone. Pah-puh"
As he grew older. his insatiate curl
osity enabled him to expose unnumbcred
weaknesses. indiScretions and social
misfortunes on the part of acqualnt-
ances and schoolmates and to every
exposure his noise and energy gave 4
hideous publicity: the more his victim
sought privacy. the more nc WAS sought
out by Wallie. vocterous and attended
by hilarious spectators. But above al,
other things. what most simulated the
dcmoniac boy TO prodiGies OF satire was
any tender episode or symptom con-
nected with the dawn OF love Florence
herself had suffered overwhelmingly ut
intervals throughout her eleventh
spring, because Willie discovered that
| Georgte Beck sent her valentine: and