The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1922-02-20
THE DAILY
SHORT STORY
Willard Revisited
av IANE OSBORN


s1re It was matter OF business.
Al client OF the law firm OF which
he was & junior partner lived In
the outskirts of Willard, and Dal.
ton Drew had been detailed TO take
this necessary trip TO see him.
Dalton arrived at G O'Clock OF the
q esing preceding the morning
when he was booked to call on the
client, and at tho railroad station
got in touch with one Of his fra
ternity brothers whom he knew 10
be still a resident Of Willard. BEN
son Forsyth had married and lived
at home. but he apologized to Dali
Ion, as his wife was taking a va
cation and as the cook had taken
French leave, he could not play a
very good host.
y Dalton, however, took n taxi to
the home Of Benson Forsyth.
"There is nothing 10 cat in the
house." explained Benson, "and
there, isn't thing in town by way
of amusement. Sometimes we
have a good show. You'll have to
gotdown to the Willard House and
4 have dinner and then come home
hero with me for a quiet evening.
aWbat Is the matter with Bar
iow's?" asked Dalton, recalling the
confectionery restaurant that had
been q vcritable institution among
Sthe college boys when he was In
'qGollege. Barlow hasn't gone out
of husinnss?"
That's tho trouble" complained
Benson. Barlow still gets all the
business. Tonight is junior prom.
The whole junior class will be din
ing at Barlow's with their girls. We
could probably get table-Barlow
always puts up extra tables and has
extra walters. but it's enough to
take your appetite away"
Dalton did not understand, so
Benson explained. ITO see all
those girls-most of them foolish
girls from country humes-coming
Ito their first big college dance. Co
ing to Barlow's with some grass.
green college student Is a great
<. EVENT. Some Of them are pretty
enough, but no style. After what
you're used to in the city, I'm
afraid you would be disguised
"Still." delibented Dalton, Eve
/, were just as green when we were
juniors, and the girls We thought
perfection were probably just as
simple and demue. Fact Is, Ben
son, Two an idea II would DO inter
est'nS. I'm no great admiror Of the
Self-possessel. seIfsatistied girl of
the big city. Let's 20 to Barlow's. F."
That Is how 1t happened that
Drew, and Forsyth Of the class Of
1916, looking quite worldly wise
aud middle aged 10 the boys and
/ girls who were dining at Barlow's
that night, took their places at
small table set up In one OF the
-alsles. 1t was they, not the stu
tSdents, who felt little cmbarrass-
ed at the contrast. They made no
: comments until the waiter hud set
before them the first course Of the
famous Barlow table d'hotr, cspec.
! tally elaborate on the night Of one
OF the big college dances.
"They're not so tame looking as
II thought" said Benson Forsyth
with considerable self sconscious-
Z ness as he became aware OF the
fact that he had been looking with
Transferable Iutentncss at the
diners at Il table near by. which
however, Dalton Drew could not
have seen without turning around
in his chair, al dare say girls,
even country girls, are more sOphis-
ticated, know how TO dress better
and all thut than girls OF that sort
used to. At the table behind you--
you can't see them nowhere are
a couple OF callow looking juniors
and two OF the trimest looking
little twins YOU ever saw-bobbcd
hair. jpde earrings, peaches and
cream compleXtoRs, Do you see
anything that looks good to you?"
Eyes" said Dalton, "the girl at
the little table to the right"
" Benson Forysth turned enough
to notice the girl in question.
You're joking poor girl, she
looks scared enough to choke.
And she's with her brother. Hos
Jack Matelands younger brother.
fraternity brothers Of ours. Poor
girl. Funny she's so plain-.Tack
and Tom are good looking fellows
dalton Drew, looked again, re.
flecting on the obvious difference
iin his own and Benson Forsyth's
taste. To he sure. the girl he adj
mired was not well dressed. Like
4 wise she was lacking in assurance.
= The stiff hat that crowned her
smoothly brushed hair seemed too
large and from time to time the
girl lifted a slender, but awkward
Z index flAgcr straight before her
nose TO raise tina brim OF the hat
that seemed to peril OF ccllpsing
her face entirely. When she did
this her round eyes that she kept
wide open and that looked n little
humid from excitement seemed TO
cross Just small fraction OF a
degree, Awkward as this gesture
and expression was. 1t struck DIAL
ton Drew as amusing and really de-
lightfui. He enjoyed his feeling OF
admiration tho more because 1t
A.o0k considerable perspicacity TO
I$teaiize that sho was really very
pretty. He cast his eyes about the
dining room, turned enough to
catch q glimpse OF the twins, and
reflected that this Jnno Maitland
was undoubtedly the prcttiest girl
al Barlow's-a fact that he did not
Souchafe TO the unarpreciative Ben.
son Forysth.
When Benson and Dalton rose to
leave their table It happened that
Tom Maitland, junior. and his sis
a., 1tod cleo ,iEon al III, ,DU,o tIr,o