The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1922-01-31
ahiE DAILY
.skIORTsT0RY

NJ GSN4IS4S4SAA II
He Said He Understood
Women.
> s tRANk H. WlLLtAMss
hi UNDERWOOD realized.
nat an the neighbethooa was
interested IN his Eodftshlpt of
pfetty Alice Mehefee. He kfie@
that the folks near Aiice'B home,
and Ia fact, all the folks III the
lakeside section Or Brafnptbn,
where Alice resided, wefp wonder:
ing whether no would win Alice's
hand or whether she Would he
TOW Il on his rival Howard
Bfahm.
And Hen, realizing all THIS, tilted
liis chair still farther back and,
smiled at his good friend, old Mrs.
Ferguson, through the smoke from
his cigar.
Mrs. Ferguson had been Ben's
nurse when he was q baby. Now
tliat her husband had become
Wealthy she, too, resided Ia the
lakeside section OF Brampton, but
she had not out-grown her affee.
ton for Ben, and still mbthefed.
him having no children o. her own
You ought to be up and doing
declared Mrs. Ferguson, with az.
peFitY evidently frrttated by Ben's
eompbsnrA. aBrahn will be running,
away with the girl you ought 70
mafty, before you Know It, II you.
don't look out"
esheil never marry him!r de-
\ elared Ben positively.
again he pulled contentedly on
his cisars He could see, too,
that b spite 81 Mrs. Fefglson's
irritation his calm assertion had
made quite an impression on her.
Now why DO you say that?" she
demanded.
eBeeaaBs I understand women
declafedsBen easily.
"Becanse sou understand won.
emf mrs Ferguson exploded. "A
lot YOU know about women. You'll
see, yon1t see!o
sW6lI understand this one
wonan-Alica, in Particular as.
serted Ben, bringing his chair down
ON ali tolts. .Atd I tell you she'll.
never marry Btaht1. I'm as sure
% IL aaas-as anything at ALL"
Flint look at what he's doing for
! her.n gen.s old nurse cried. .
that big automobile OF his. And.
then look at4hat big house he's nut.
ting rp. NY but IT'S d big 6nel Ana
ali tho folks are saying he's put
ting It nhY fof her. You ought 10 be
putting F1p an even better one. You.
can aff6rdsitle
II know cati afford At said
eBen, shtt I'm not going to do It.
/ teiI YOU i understand women and
know what they want, Now don't
Won wofry.
ne stood up and patted Mrs. Fer.
guson feassuringIy on her ample
shoulder
Mis- FefFuson smiled a bit at
this and calght his big. brown
ifand Id hArs.
f hope you're right, 1 do hope
you're firht. Benz she said. az
wait yonsto shayk everything that's
besf IA the world and everything
YOU want. And5I know yoii want
Aiicea
said Ben, al d wistiui loolt
came iii his eyes. II, want Alice
bad.y
For d moment he said nothing, his
glance abstractedp Then he patted
Mrs. Fsfguson's shoulder once
arafrs
Gut I'VE got to work things out
IN my5own way" he said. "I'm sure
I'm Tfght I'm not going 10 sit by
nIiafly and let Brahm walk right
over me. I'm going to do some
thing. All right. But TmNafrald
yotili not approve of IT,"
ayShatis it?" demanded Mrs. Fer.
4ntson.
FThat,s a secret.h Ben smiled.
I'M tell you later"
That night Ben went TO see Alice
and he knew that all the neighbors.
were watching closely as he drove
up before her home in his last
yearss an aud sauntered casually
I'm me sieps 10 the font door. Bon
didn't care What the neighbors
thougflti Of said or did. II II afford.
ed them entertainment 10 know he
MAS cafling Oh Alice, and Il they
enjoyed s%6ec6iating about the IotIt.
con1e of3the contest between Brahfn
md shffnseifs let them keen on snec.
nialfng ia didn't mind in The
least.