The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1922-02-23
TIE DAILY
SHORT STORY
Where Men Were Scarce.
az MONA coWLEs.

some OF the girls who had gradual.
ed from Reynolds college in war
days. But the men were back from
the war and wartime stress OF bust.
ness WIS over. The situation be-
came apparent to Jane Burchard
when, week after her graduation
from Reynolds, she discovered the
best lob that she could find
through the aid OF agencies and
!, newspaper want advertisements
was that OF a learner IN candy
factory at $12 week or a job SELL
ing ribbons In a department store
at SIS.
So Jane decided to teach. But
she knew her friends and class.
mates would not forget the derisive
remarks she had expressed anent
the teaching profession.
II know why you don't want to
teach" her young brother mad ex.
Splained. You think teachers never
meet any men, get to be old maids
and never marry. You're afraid you
won't get husband
Jane Burchard was annoyed.
Precious little use have for men, .
she snapped. "And just 10 show
you, I'm going to start in teaching
Atnext autumn"
: But Jane didn't want to face the
inquiring faces Of her friends after
.she had begun her career as "a
teacher so she chose to select from
the positions offered to her that OF
teacher In a district school in a re.
.note end OF the state. II helped Il
fIitte TO feel that she was filling a
Job that no one else wanted. A
( special appeal had been made for
teachers for these remote districts
where several schools had actually
been closed down because no one
could be induced to take tho posi-
itions. Moreover she wanted to
show that impudent brother OF hers
THAT men didn't count in her ca.
reer.
Human beings Of all descriptions
were scarce in the rocky region
around Berwick district school, but
men-young men-were slngularly
i unfrequent. You'll be perfectly
safe to live alone in tho little cot
tage that goes with your Job" the
county superintendent Of schools
fhad told her. There isn't man
\ in the district, not even a tramp.
kiOh,, there's the minister and the
doctor and a dozen old farmers and
= old Stebbins that runs the store,
I but they aren't likely to annoy
you"
So Jane Burchard was installed
as district school teacher in Ber-
wick township, pleased in knowing
that, though her salary was net
large, she did not have 10 spend
any OF 1t for shelter and would be
able to save more than with twice
the salary in the city.
For two or. three months al went
fell: It was not until after the
Christmas holiday that Jane be.
camc disturbed in her little cottage
lSpear tho school.
One day Jane took pains TO dis.
miss her pupils all on time and.
overlooked the fact that several Oc
the other children had deserved to
stay In" Back In her cottage she
donned heavy walking boots an9
neat though certainly not very
jaqnty walking toys.
Then she started out in her
search,
AS she walked through the coun.
try roads and lanes that afternoon
She enumerated to herself the oc.
cupants OF the various farm houses
and cottages she passed.
She was looking for something,
and It was quite apparent that none
of the houses she passed contained
II. So she walked In the region on
the outskirts of her district, where
there was an occasional house with
which she was not familiar.
Finally she drew up beside
small but recently renovated two
room cottage. A man OF uncertain
age, but surely not aged, was sit.
ting out In the cold winter sun
shine ON tho front steps or his di.
minutive home. He was smoking
in solitude. Apparently Jane had
found what she had been seeking
Excuse me, stranger" she said,
"but l wonder II you will help me.
Inn the district school teacher, and
I've been out looking for-well, the
truth is, Dive been looking for an
abIebodied man. They are oil rath.
erl old or feeble up by the school.
1swonder II you would do me ser.
vice"
The rather unkepmt young man
rose with an alacrIty and good man.
tner that rather surprised Jane. "Ry
all means-T'd do anything in the
world you asked me-"
4 ;'sWell, I'll tell you" lane said, a
4 little embarrassed at the obvious
urbanity of the young man. 81 live
alone in the cottage. Lately some
one has been providing around
+ itfseems to be a man, and | hear
him every evening Just about the
time I'm getting tea, and then us
sit by the table getting ready the
next days lessons. don't want
any OF the neighbors to know I'ih
tfmid. Besides, am quite as well
able to protect myself as any OF
the men down there. Fancy ole
Or, Warren or Parson Jones trying
to stand up against a sfze.sizci
tramp. So I've been looking around
trying to find a-well, n regular
II