Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1925-05-21
The Dancer
Who Paid
By MARTIN Nj. CHESTER
q. 1895. western Newspaper Union.

no happier family than the judge, his
wife, and their adopted son, "Stubby."
OF course the Smiths were happy,
Lora retiected-with all that money.
Stubby was rich enough to go to the
State university for twenty years if
he so wanted, while she. Lora, poor
and an orphan, had no right even to
think of going.
Here Lora had an inspiration for
recklessness. Why not advertiSe-in
a city paper, and giving Chenille
post office box-that she would marry
any man who would first send her
through the State university. Before
the answers came she could confiae
in the postmaster.
Her advertisement brought Lora
several offers, only one of which
she thought sincere. j. Algernon
Macfadden wrote little and to the
point. He was preparing for the for
eign field. He suggested course of
pre-missionary study for Lora. If she
! felt called TO share his life, she would
for four years receive each month a
bank draft for one hundred dollars. A
personal interview was inconvenient
at this time, but when her education
was finished they could meet, pre-
liminary to their wedding, and ex-
change credentials.
"Tnc old mummy Lola csSoIaIaaes
and decided almost at once to accept
his offer When she sent him her
no oh 10 N
sheet little snapshot of herself.
Three weeks later, along with sew
eral girl friends and "Stubby" Smith,
Lora went up to college. j. Algernon
Macfadden was four long years away,
and this was life But with J.. Alger-
mons hundred swelling her monthly
pittance, she was-she knew 1t beyond
Notwithstanding and as gay as
"Stubby" Smith himself. And Stub
by" now registered as John M. Smith,
freshman, while nice to all the girls,
rather specialized on Lora. This
gave her an added thrill He had not
done that in Chenille.
In her sophomore year "Stubby"
tried to propose to her, but she would
MOI les MIN. Are Gi7nN want 20 zen
him about ]. .Algernon. In her junior
year, however, sStubby" definitely
asked her to marry him, and Lora,
conceallng all the particulars" Stub
by would despise her IL he knew
told him she was engaged to a mis-
slonary.
@Stubby" listened patiently. "Pooh
Pooh Y he said. The reverend hasn't
scored yet-isn't even in the game
and I'm going to be right here till the
last tinlsle Of the wedding bell"
As commencement day drew nearer
and nearer, she realized that her debt
would be exceedingly difficult to pay.
Her dance was at an end and she did
not want to face the piper When she
thought of life in Abyssnia the merry
smile of "Stubby" and the love in his
steady eyes blotted the picture. When
she read over the letters j. Algernon
had written She felt even more sorry
for herself
Then came the day when-though
she never intended it-she found her
self In "Stubby's' arms-admitting
she loved him and confessing all her
shameful bargain with ]. Algernon.
Again "Stubby" waved trouble
away Pooh, pooh!" he said EASY,
easy Just you watch u.s. You owe
thls Macfadden man, or viii when you
graduate, forty-eight hundred dollars.
Wen pay him five thousand-two hun
bred to the good for the emaciated lit
tie Abyssinlan babies"
"But, Stubby, Lora demonstrated.
There's interest, and it is compound
interest on debts like that Don't
think | haven't counted It up
wanted to earn the money and pay
it back; but it's almost thousand
dollars more, 'Stubby' it's too much.
I'll just have to marry him"
Whats a thousand dollars, when we
love each other, Lora? Wen pay the
man off. He'll be satisfied
But the money isn't everything,
'Stubby.' l owe more than that. He
risked his money and his faith on
strange girl just because she wanted
an education. He may be queer, but
I think he must be noble"
Noble" "Stubby's" voice had
scorn. "Lora, listen to me- I've
learned good deal about this ]. AL
gernon fellow, and the Chenille post
master knows what l know. This
Macfadden deceived girl he expect
ed to marry-made her believe that he
was holy-out to save souls-when in
fact he was planning to be an engi-
neer It's gospel truth. Now what
do you think of himT'
81 think you're all wrong, 'Stubby.'
l told the old postmaster everything.
He would have said so If J. Algernon
Macfadden is bad man. Anyway
promised to meet him after | gradu
ate and talk things over. It would be
cowardlv to let even you straighten
things out for me until I have seen
him
THAT settles it." said "Stubby"
gldomily IF you must see him. you