The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1922-10-04
THE DAILY
SHORT STORY
Handed
By A. Va PEACH

~ 49, fstA
Her ylvaeions iittls friend chat.
ssred on as abe bpsied herself witt
The chafius dish. and With every
word she was tunbllng the bright
easties that Esther Henley had,
been building through the months.
And you know, the eager
voice vent ON sthe reason for
your transfer Esther, from the
head office WIS that Raines said
sou reminded him OF girl he
used to know Lansing. who Is
Raines's special PAL told me 50,
you know-satd that Raines was
ready 10 marry this glrl-even
ted me where she lived and wha.
her name IT, then they quarreled,
ana Raines never married.and she
never did Quitea romance, eh?"
Esther agreed with a serene re.
ply. but there was "a tornado
within her She held q responsible
posttion with the great importing
firm and then suddenly she had
been moved 20 Ratnes's depart
ment, Her salary was equal to
his. but he was the senior member
Of the executises IN charge Of the
department work Then his quiet
strong personaifty had begun u
win her and she had ben conscious
,more than once that his brown,
KINDLY eyes we're following her
With pleasure and a bit Of longing;
and. IN spite 81 herself, she had
begun 10 hope dlmly that he cared
Tor her.
Now that hope and that. dream
went with the careless words Of
her friend After an, his interest
m her had been for another's. sake;
when his eyes rested upon her they
we're seeing another-a vanished
love Of other years. There could
he no doubt Of II Lansing was
not IN the habit OF gossiplng-what
he said Was usually founded upon
truth.
slisther smiled the evening away,
btit after her friend had gone she
sat long IN thought! 'How foolish
" Is 70 let d dream get the best Of
You, She thought to herself; "but
conld be happy With him. know,
How foolish for him and her to
haveir
She went TO her work the next
morning With different emotions
stirring her heart His eyes bright.
ened as he saw her with the quick
light so Welcome In The eyes or
tnoHe we love and he seemed to
make 4 point to stop to chat
With her Knowing what she did,
fhe could look at him brayely
CROUCH now, and even, as she re.
called that his regard for her was
second hand IN q way she could
he just little sloof. ne I'm turn
seemed % sense the distance that
VAS sFowias between them.
Esther came 70 her final decision
that night and the decision I'M
mann WAYS was rash one. FIrst. .
sIshe Went y her iistle friend NOM
and using dipisma IL tactics, man.
aged 70 get The addses Of the glrl
thst Raines had teved--a little VII.
lsEe In the northern part Of the
state
mere Is no 1tssl In three OF rs
being unhappy 4 might as
well tfy the rtissionary'sJ schome
rs any one,p she argued with her.
self.
So a letter vent out, carefully
written. with emphasis upon the
responsibility that Raines carried
20 splendidly upon the regari
that an had for him, Esther built
Cup word by word an ELOQUENT ami
moving picture Of the man she
fsanlslS contested that she loved:
and at the end she gave the rea.
SON Tor the letter; he had seen t.
II that she was kept IN his depart.
rent because Of the girl OF whom
she reminded him,
III Is rash OF me and foolish,
perhaps. hit missionaries some.