The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1922-10-30

walked he could think Of nothing
hut the case Of Faith Clarke. Why
had she declined his ofteH2 why
would any girl decline f35 instead
Of SIS? Mr.. Gage made up his
mind TO solve the problem.
His med. tationS were GuddenIy
interrupted, when his doWneast
eyes fell upon a small purse Iy:,S;
on the sidewalk before him. {
was half covered with snow; ap-
parently 1t had recently been ex-
posed. Mr.. Gage picked It up aud
opened It. 1t contained $2.4 and
key attached to a wooden ia !;
marked Room 80. Blair Street
Home. Mr. Gage asked the po.
llceman at the next corner where
the Blair Street Home might be.
and was directed to a boarding
home for girls a few blocks away.
1t was ding place inside and
cut, and the high uushaded gas
lights in the hall did little to dis
pel the outside gloom. He asked
he attendant at the desk whether
she would take the purse, to which
the attendant mechanically reached
out TO cumbersome electric press
button and rang n.ne times and
then nine times more. I've sent
for ninety nine" said the attend
ant YEARLY. I'D rather have you
give II to her yourself"
MIR. Gage sat waiting on a mar.
row uncomfortable black walnut
bench in the hall and presently to
his surprise appeared In the gloom
Faith Clarke-tho girl about whom
he had been thinking for the past
/ halt hour.
Are you ninety nine?" he asked
! rising and then, ~ didn't expect
find you here, Miss Clarke. sim |
am very glad that ! did,"
Explanation concerning the loss
and finding Of the purse were
soon over. Mr.. Gage fingered SIT
ting there beside MiSs Clarke In
the dingy hall. lie told her that ho
felt this a good opportunity to Try
to persuade her to accept his offer
II am quie sure you can do the
work satisfactorily and ! should
think that the increase from elEh.
teen TO thirty five dollars a week
would make up for the additional
responsibility. That mist be an N
ducsment."
Faith Clarke looked about her
and then back to Mr.. Gage.
"You see." she said, this ia
homo to ma. It's the only home
I've known since left my uncle's
in the country and that wasn't a;
all happy. It's a working girls
home-the rule is that no girl earn
ing more than twenty dollars a
week can live here. left one place
because they raised my wages
that was when | went to Cages:
! and now-don't you see what It
mems to me? II ! accept your
proposition l would have to leave
this home. It would break my
heart"
Thomas Gage, Jr., felt somethlnE
very much like a dump in his throat
at the thought that this dingy
place, with It's odors OF sanctity
and poor cooking, could mean sc
much TO any one. His own homa
life has been SO happy--perhops hr
had never quite appreciated Il.
"St!li, I'd like to do your work. u
Faith admitted. at would be &c
much more interesting. Would YOU
let me do the work with the Same
salary"
! Thomas Gage looked perplGxed
and then suddenly he laughed a
little and held out his hand. "Ips
a 30, Miss Clarke. Vel! make Il
twenty q week and they'll still le:
you stay here"
II was there In that dlngy hall
that Thomas Gage made up his
IN nd that he would probably voc
Faith Clarke as his wife az gil!
who loves home AZ much rs that, "
he assumed himself, fought to make
a wonderful wife"
; Two months later he asked her
TO marry him, and. Of course, Faith
nccerted. 1t was then that she
found that there was little bank
account to her credit, showing q
weekly saving Of SB a week. "It's
You're to do what you want with it,
Mr.. Gage told her.
I'm going to give it to tho home
maybe, they could bry a pleasant
er light for the front hail and get a
comfortable settee instead Of that
old black walnut bench"