The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1921-12-17

y HI .iDIEsi .I.tft =
Nhen a young person. particul-
ariy a young person with az many
reasons not TO cry as Helen had
rs shedding tears on the eve OF the
greatest holiday of them all, some
thing Is seriously wrong, some
where Helen was pretty; she was
young; she twas not. rich, but she
was not poor, around her lay many
fibboned PACKAGES; gifts from her
friends, which &ere1 religiOusly not
to be opened till the morrow morn.
ing. and stu she was soboing as
though her heart would break.
Something must -haYe been wrong.
Something was wong. Just
year ago the incest man IN the
world had told Helen that she was
the only girl In the whole universe
Rssfar as he was concerned ann
had asked her certain questions Or
q very personal nature, most OF
which Helen had answered In the
affirmative. and they hadt been
happy asr.onlY two young things
iust engaged. can be- They had
parted he for the West, where he
hoped. TO make his fortune and She
FOR, New York where 7she Hoped 10
make hers. They had written oh,
how they he'd wr tteu! She had his
letters, stlll. thick bundle. And
then tn" fIl thing had hap
rened
Bu,er moved. She bad left
n forwarding address and had writ
ten, to Robert telling him her new
street number. There had been a
pause, and then! Her letter came
back with sIEsoTts ot,iittle rod Ink !
-notatlons ON It. to the effect that
1.-The addresgee could not be found,
and no letters ca1ie for her. That
mi been Ftwo months rdgo and in
thai time she bad not heard a line
frof41 Bher Robert. And now 1t was
Chftstmas eve, and just year ago.
Z ne lad told her that he loved her
ana Neutrality-suspicious. he was,
and he didn't know where she was,
and generally things were as bad
as they could be.
II WIS after noon. but Helen had
no desire to eat lunch. She had
refused all invitations for Christ.
mas parties, because Robert had
promised to get back on Christmas
eve and give her the best party
that could possibly be had She
was alone and heartbroken.
The bell rang. Helen answered
the door. first making sure that
( her eyes.Hlidvnot appear TO he so
veEy red. A messenger boy stood
without bearing a package. She
signed for II and closed the door.
wondering what it could be. II was
addressed % her, but there was no
return address. She. opened It and
gave a little scream of delight For
there in the Box were dozens OF
The most beautiful roses she had
ever seen. She soon had them III
water and looked vainly for n card
but the donor evidently preferred
10 remain anonymous =.
a few hours later, when she was
still puzzling over the mystery, an
other package arrived. She open
ed it; it was small, so small as to
suggest something precious. and
indeed ITS contents were Llt -
dagzle the HeyeAaa Bar PIN glitter
ing with cdtamonIls.r and shining
platinum. II was SO, beautiful that
she could not believe 1t was for
her; but there was the address on
1 the box. The messenger had gone,
so she could not consult him She
retired to wonder over this fresh
mystery. ,,a
Evening drew on Helen prepared
10 go out FOR a solitary dinner. She
had ner Int fixed in place anu was
drawing on, her gloves when again
the door bell rang. She answered
IL. and there stood the familiar
messenger beraing third package.
,swait a minute" said Helen to
him "There may he an answer. :"
She went into her. room and. nn'
did the cord. This package was
the finiest 'Sof altIhardly more
than an inch atfiSa half on side2
she opened It, disclosing, a. little
plush box, and in the box was
Helen rushed to the door, to de-
smand of the messenger where he
mad come from and who had sent
MIN for in. the. box was, ring
sSplatinum ring, set4with one large
dIamond-such. a ring. az means
only one thing in this world, and
.is never worn on any finger except
the third finger on the left hand.
But the messenger was gone!
Gone-but In his place stood q
tall figure at the sight Of whom
her heart gave a Violent leap and
then started 10 pound 'madfy-a tall
figure who. stepped FORWARD and
took her IN is arms, and, cQmtort
ed her and told her ala the things
Sthat lonely little girl most wants
Eto hear Yes, gentle reader-you
ara right. 1t was the long-misstnG
Robert.
He told her how he had gone
from his first address into wild
Aart of the country. and hid Wit
Ten her to tell Of the change, and
how his letters had come back as
hers had done:; how he was nearly
in despair. how. at last, when his
work Was done and he was estab-
1ished B rich man thanks to some
GAINS he had, discovered and sold
fdr tremendous prices, he bad dash.
ed for New York, TO her old ad-
dress, only to be met by a stupid
nsTsons who's said that he had had
Helen's address, but had, lost 1t as
som as she gave it to him and had