The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1922-04-12
TIE DAILY
SHORT STORY
TOM BRENT, HIKER
! .Lflaee MontOomery Mitchell

eyes and saw the brilliant
sinahine. She smiled and said
her sister, who was already
dressing:
Another lovely day sis"
And quite as suddenly as her
tace had wreathod itself In smiles
the mouth fell into a straight line,
was Easteri Easter Sunday and
the Hiking Club would go as usual
70 the woods With q packed lunch
con. Every other Sunday Kathleen
had been Joyous over the prospect
OF = day in the woods after the
} long week standing at the music
counter suggesting this song or
that. rolling countless little rolls
Of sheet music. taking countless
numbers Of nickies and pennies.
But every other Sunday had been
only q comon Sunday, go to speak,
Every other Sunday she had put
fresh, white collars and cuffs on
her ~tricotine frock and had freshly
glazed her fur choker so that II
cleaned like new after it's water
bath and brushing and she had
been as well off as any girl in the
fl Tom Brent had evidently
thought that she looked nicer than
any of the other girls, for he, as
hiker in chief, as he proudly called
himself, after he had been chosen
leader for the subsequent half
year had so far chosen Kathleen
Ivory time to bike with him and
lead the rest.
And now 1t was Easter Sunday,
The day that every one else in the
lab would have new clothes, a
new suit probably, new gloves, new
low shoes new hat, new very.
thing. And Kathleen alone was Inc
exception. She knew that Myra
the girl who sold music albums
d across the aisle from her, had a
new suit. II was a blue tr1cotine
With an open front filled in with
soft Lace rufa1es.
Her hat was taffeta with silk
ftlttles. Her shoes were strapped
slippers with wonderful heels Just
IKE the ones. in the rotogravure
section OF the Sunday paper. Kath-
leen conld have drawn with grea,
accuracy this outfit, for Myra had
told her about It In great detail
every time there was a slack mo.
ment in the music department. To
be sure, Myra had had to get most
Of the things at a time.payment
house, but, after ali, what did that
matter2 There was never enough
money to 20 around anyhow, and
what difference did It make where
4 was paid over?
For the moment Kathleen re-
Eretted her desire to keep her bills
all paid. Myra had already been
casting friendly eyes upon the tall
Tom Brent. Men loved good
clothes, reflected Kathleen. There
was no reason to suppose that Tom
Brent was any exception TO the
rule.
Kathleen Was late at the meet
ing OF the Hikers at 2o'clock. AS
she slipped in at the rear OF the
procession which was on Its way to
the railroad station which would
take them to Hubbard's Woods,
where they would start the long
walk Il seemed to her that every
member OF the club and every one
Who had ever been invited to be-
come a member must have turned
out on this beautiful Easter Sun
day 70 show all OF the new clothes
that had been acquired in the past
few weeks.
She saw HON Brent look about
him several times and then glance
at his watch but she kept we'll out
OF sight. He might feel that he
ought to ask her to accompany him
today. merely because he had done
SO every other Sunday and she did
not want to shame him by her old
winter coat that looked so out Of
place in the brilliant sunshine.
In the train she saw him start
through several times. evidently in
search Of some one but each time
heswas stopped by questions at to
route or tickets or time of return j..
was 4 o'clock in Hubbard's
Woods when the sun covered It's
face-the clouds that burst in
stantly and covered the mixers
With rain. Myra who was walking
near Kathleen, stopped short.
"What shall I do?" she cried In
dtsmay. "oh, Kathleen, you have
only your old tricotine on. Can't
you let me take your coat to cover
up my new suit?"
kathleen was already unbutton-
ingIthe coat when the voice of Tom
Brent cut in, miss Erickson, you
ough to bring proper wraps. I'm
sorry, but Kathleen needs her coat
herself. Come On Kathleen, I've
been loSking all over for you ever
since We started. What was the
big idea, sneaking along here at
the end? And then she found her
SELF being swept along toward the
head OF the procession.
aHut ] didn't have anything new
to wear" she was saying as they
turned into the entrance OF the
house where Kathleen and her sis.
ter lived that evening "and J
didn't want"
That's Just what I loved about
Souiw cut IN Tom Brent. "Hor
ridiculous It looks to wear high
heels and silk rufties on a hikink
trlpl Pretty clothes are all right
81 their place. but not hiking!"
sBut Il I'D had them" said Kath.
lssn honestly, rising her very blue
eyes TO his. II would have-worn
them.
well II that's the case" grinned
Tom Brent his hands in the pock-
ets or his coat you really need