The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1922-05-31

s. lori S TORY
.MILLY'Ss LUCK
BY Harriet Brunkhurst

Molly Pelton's faith in her luck
was wee bit shaken when she
saw that decrepit old rocker
* among her future household pos
n sessions and was apologeticaily
n informed by her soon-to-be- nus
w band that they'd have to keep 1t.
with everything else SO won
derful I ought not to make a fuss
oyer a little thing like that, salo
5 Molly, cheerfu1ly.
You are some girl" said JONI
III heartily, giving rueful look al
the old rocker.
"The fairies look after me every
minute" declared Molly ot
course don't count you as luck
you Just happened. But this abso-
tlutely perfect bungalow vacated
Just when we need it in town
where there isn't house to rent
on any terms!
Then, with furniture so expen-
siye, that i couldn't see any way
out, your father sends along all
this lovely old mahogany, oak and
walnut. We are lucky!'
Barring the rocker" said
John 1T ought by rights TO be
chopped into kindling wood
don't know why dad saved it. ex-
gEEE cepL Lldt ne always lhSd LIZ 81
lin it ON the back porch.
Then to the back porch it
N goes" said Molly. stanchly.
John rushed away then, but
Molly stayed to plan the arrange
mente of her newly uncrated house
,5S hold treasures. First she took the
old rocker to the back porch.
q Since she was alone she permit
ted an expression Of dismay to Is
cape. Against the spick-and-span
0 porch the old chair with It's
" grimy, cracked varnish and brok-
5 en- cane was certainly gTotesque.
My neighbors won't like look
ing at it." sighed Molly. IF only
with chintz-but John said the
# back porch. 1 nigh paint it
Z wh1te,' she added.
CHANGING up she gimpsed a
pink-Clad figure upon neighbor-
3. Ing porch.
{ Y-hoo-o!" she called gayly.
EtCome on overt"
Mrs. Startling, crisply dainty in
S her house frock. smilingly accept
& ed the invitation.
I'm Investigating this old
chair explained Molly. Looks
III like a mistake, doesn't it?"
I've always loved those high
81 backed rockers said Mrs. Star
n ling. "Ours at home was most com
II Portable. Ours did not have a
"a carved back che added thought
#4 fully II wonder" She tipped
:l the old chair over and looked at
u the unfinished wood beneath.
I thought sol" she cried, trium-
phantly. "Soid mahogany"
And it is ruined" mourned
. Molly.
Wait a minute said Mrs.
Startling and running back to her
own house, and reappearing pre-
TN sently with a bottle and handful
o of clean rags. ''Denatured alcohol.
# Watch me make a. magic!"
She dampened a rag with the
fluid then rubbed lightly a small
portion of the grayish, cracked
surface of the chair
"Look!'' she exclaimed
A spot an inch wide and two
inches long showed the clean
bare wood, the reddish brown of
unfinished mahogany lit is up
ss to u.s. she said cheerfully. Stay
for luncheon with me and we'll
I'D reclaim this old aristocrat.''
t was "a sticky messy task, and
it was late afternoon before the
XXI chair stood revealed, pure mahog-
S anyin its every stick.
Now it needs only refinish-
ing coat of varnish or wax" said
AIRS. Startling. Then recan1ng
will complete good job"
Wax, said Molly I've had
8 enou gil varnish to last the rest of
my life
still" Mrs. Startling spoke
WI thoughtfully, only the varnish
saved it from ruin through expos
Nv. ure.o the back porch. So there
you are! And it will take an hour
Ito restore our hands;"
Its very lines seem more grace
full, marveled Molly.
Naturally. 1t had a clowns
makeup; it couldn't look like it,
self
Molly nodded assent.
ION Chestnut street there is a
/. blind man who canes chairs" she
said. "I'll send it over there this
AZ afternoon and surprise John
Despite the hour spent upon
$ their hands John noticed that
ssss Molly's were not quite as usal
@ that evening. ..U
What have you been doing
with your hands?" he demanded
ooh, splitting kindling woods"
81 said Molly evasively.
That is my job said John.
Don't do it again. Shall We stroll
over to the bungalow"
Not this evening. am too tir-
ed" said Molly truthfully.
When they went to their pros
pective> home for their next inspec-
rion Molly was relieved that John
y did not remark upon the absence
of the chair.
Where's your kindling wood?''
de asked.
"Kindling wood?" repeated
Molly vaguely as she pulled open
a drawer in the secretary. Then ex-
citedly, ooh, John, look."
In her excitement over an ex-
quisite inlaid box she failed to
IS notice shadow upon Johns face,
and he had cleared it quite away
when he asked: