The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1922-01-25
THE DAILY
SHORT STORY
The Girl jim Took to
The Game
lBrEHl LouIs RAYboLps

h1edged graduates under the strain
Of unprecedented demands. That
part Of 1t was all TO the mustard.
0nly-whonn to take? With Jim
The choice was not q narrow one.
Yet gradually 1t slmmered down to
two, Caroline Hemingway or Peg.
gy Curtiss, both lively girls-and
fair. For Jim could not visualize
himself as eseorting 10 that color.
9ul spectacle any but a pretty girl.
TO choose, then, either Caroiine's
dtsky 4ttractiyeness or Pegsy's
winsone blondness?
i've got III" said Jim. .Ill toss
up their telephone numbers and
abide By fate. Come seVenI"
"A moment later no snapped the
receiver hack on It's hook. at was
ever 80 nice OF him, thank you, but
Caroline had already planned to 70
with somebody else!"
Now for Peggy.
II peggy's soft voice over the
telephone carried with a bit more
OF o thrill than had GATHERINGS,
jim was scarcely aware OF the fact
as her words struck gradual die.
may 40 his soul.
The game? oh. Jim, I'd love to,
but Blaine Ashley asked me ages
aso But, Jim, I've got q simply
tremendous favor to ask you. Had
YOU any one else in mind? NO?
How splendid! You see, my cousin
here from Milldale, and Just dy.
Ing 10 zee the game. But you know
how IL IS about tickets. And-oh,
Jim, Il you would take her! She's
awtully bright and-did you say,
u she pretty? Why-oh, Central,
you've cut us otfi"
An ultimate reconnection and
lin, wondering why on earth he
had done II, presently found him.
sell pledged to take Peggy's Mil.
dale cousin 10 the season's great.
est contest.
Early In the afternoon on the day
OF the game, Jim drove his modest
little roadster up to he curb in
front of Peggy's home. Yes, there
stood the girls on the veranda. Be.
side them lowered young Ashley,
tall and superior.
Never had Jim seen Peggy look
more beautiful, her eyes glowing
and her cheeks whipped to a radi.
ant color by the crisp autumn
breeZes. Beside her, the little MIR.
dale cousin paled to insigniflcance.
And she wore huge tortoise shell
glasaeBt
Driving out the crowded boule-
ward thanked by laughing, chatter
ing streams Of people all flowing
10. one direction, Jim tried to do
his duty as an escort and a gentle.
man. But his most valiant CONVEX.
sational methods produced the
most meager OF responses, suhdued
little 'yeses" and noes" totally
lifeless.
Disguised, Jim lapsed into a
silence which lasted unbroken until,
he had parked his car and the two
OF them had entered the portal and
found their places in tho huge
structure gradually filling with a
vast animated throng.
Then once more he reused him.
sell, Ground In good condition"
he commented. II take It you're up
on football like all girls, Miss
grumley?" !,
Miss Crumley nodded timidly.
The side that kicks the ball often.
lest over those posts wins, does It
knptSn she wanted to know
Jim all but groaned. Imaginci
Then he forgot his companion,
even forgot that Peggy was sitting
somewhere with that arrogant
Blaine Ashley. forgot everything
hut that the team was coming on
THE field, shedding their blankets
as they ran.
yea! YEAH Veal"
For the greater part OF the game
Jim forgot his silent guest. Dur.
ing the intervals between periods
ne politely supplied her with the
offerings OF the peanut and pop.
corn boys and a minimum amount
q infocuous small talk. But when
the game was on, she vanished
stgatghtway into oblivion as far as
Jim was concerned.
Then, Just at the end, with the
score tied and five minutes to play.
the star OF the team, taking one Of
those desperate forward passes SO
often futilely tried near the finish,
started down the field. The crowd
went wild.
Touchdown! Touchdown"
And II was.
Jim became suddenly aware that
the gtrll at his side had grabbed his
arm with one hand and with the
other was franttcally waving her
score book. "He made It! Ho made
itt oh, boy!"
That night Peggy had a party to
celebrate the victory. Jim had been
invited when he deposited Miss
Crpmley on the Curtis steps and
had reluctantly consented. The
girls slipped away upstairs leaving
jim and Ashley to argue the fine
points OF tho game.
II was when the girls came back
that Jim got the shock Of his life.
Ina soft Ehimmery gown, her cur
" hair piled high, her face might,
her awful glasses gone, tho little
Mtlldale cousin was a peach!
But not until much later In the
eyening when Blaine Ashley left
I early to take her down to her train.
did Jim receive explanations from
the contrite Peggy.
And then she only explained be.
cause Jim, ~tantallzed beyond en-.
DURANGO by a certain sweet provo.
catiyeness, had seized her sudden
~ Ia his arms and all in one breath
toldlhe he loved her and begged.
her' 10 be his. It was after that lit.
re- matter was satisfactorily set:
He'd that Peggy confessed as fol.
lows