The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1922-12-28
ETHE DAILY
SHORTS STORY
The Mixed.IJp Pilgrims
BY Il. IRVING KING

COZ was avery prettysgiri, and O
very nice girl IN every way, but
she was not what Is called "lntel-
lectual. She WIS bright enough,
rs far Is that went, hut her
brightness lay IN other directions
ehan rbnok learning.D She could
mako hnckleberry pies the best
You ever ate and her apple dunn
pings were d dream. The art Of
cooking and the science Of house
wifory fascinated her: but for all
other arts and sciences she had
little aptitude and less liking.
Her father having made much
money and there being many SER
wants IN the house, the exercise OF
men domestic talents was greatly
restricted. Mrs. Wilcox being bent
on society. had dragged Bella in
with her, and Bella had been q
social success from the hour OF
her debut
y unseifishness issat the base Of
good manners and Arabelia was
Qeite ,inselfishs Added to this ma
iSl advantage was the training
sIk lhad received at a fashionable
finishing school in social conven-
tons, a knoBledge Of which re-
NAMED with her after graduation,
which she could not have told,
Two weeks afteH she left school,
whether SIT Walter Scott wrote
4MarmionH or.The Idylls Of the
king.v
\ SO Arbella got along very we'll
until ghe met Rex Hamilton.
Hamilton was the catch Of the
season But alasl he was litter.
sry," had written a book and talk
= litefstire and all the girls had
Fterrible time studying up In or
der to BE- able to talk with him Oh
anything like passable, terms.
Arabeila had met Hamilton sew
eral times and, had she not been
80 afraid Of his literary attain
nients and his habit Of showing
them would have greatly enjoyed
!, his society
AS II was, she was constantly
ON guard. to foil his attempt to
talk boolss with her and only saw.
. ed herself on several occasions
but cutting Short conyersations
which were otherwise exceeding
ly agreeable 70 her Mr.. Hamilton
she thought was delightful, but
between him and her she realized
was q great guilt fixea-her abso,
lutte ignorance Of literature. She
was sure to make some awful
break itssiie talked with him foS
ary length Of time: she was sure
10 expose her snorance-and thea
Whist would he think Of her?
why ala Lieut. literature SO al
school2t she asked herself, re,
morsefuiiy so II was with very
mixed feeling ,that she heard her
mother say one day, "Belia, dear,
Mi. Hamilton Is going to drop in
10 tea this afternoon. Be suro and
stiow him that your father and
lid not waste our money on your
education. lt cost enough, good.
moss knows. Hamilton Is a great
catch and very literary. He's writ.
ten q book they say. Your father
and never had /, the early adyan.
tage YOU have had. But we want
TO show Mr. Hamilton that.
tiiongh we may not bs literary
ourselves, perhaps we have
laughter who Isl
'sRnt mother cried Bella
aghast ~ am .awfully rusty on lit
eTatlre 4 never was any good at
II. anyway. You know i wasn't.
Oh, dear, lam sure to make some
horfid blunder IL ! am forced to
talk about books with Mr. Ham.
iltons Don't aske me to. 1 can't
/ can't ~ 81
seanst2p cried Mrs. Wilcox.
And soti d graduate OF the Mel.
ton Mowbray' School for Young
Ladies2 / am ashamed OF you.
You must Hamilton Is always
wanting 20 talk about you every
time / meet him. What do you
mean, ungratefnl child? Do you
want to die ian old maid. with
such q chance as Hamilton before
you2 There go along with you and
be sure you do as tell you"
Her mothers harangue ualy
AIDED to the trepidation with
which Bella met Mr.. Rex Hamil.
ton a. the tea table that after.
noon. And 1er trepIdation grew
into absolute horrorlw In spite
Of Rella:s attempts to keep the
--reesssss--s.esss .---...ss..~---.e-ec-oo-co<