The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1912-07-04

was ,he only correct appraisal Of The
situation
They sat OF the sand during the
long forenoons under the shade Of the
big umbrella listening 10 the MEAN
choly monotone Of the sea and chuck
Ing sand into each others shoes
They paraced along the seas verge
under the same old. big old moon Of
al the ages
He didn't whisper anything 20 Der
about the state OF his feelings Yet
he couldn't help but glance 1t her with
q heap OF wistfulnesz as the two
weeks vacation drew 10 . close. and
once or twice he fancied tha. she re
turned the vtstful gaze.
But he wasn't going to take the
chance OF making the bad break OF de-
claring himself unless be knew posi-
lively that he had a. least little BIT
Of one In q hundred chance.
30 after the most delirious two
weeks OF his life he returned 10 New
York the most miserable hardware
clerk on the face OF the inhabitaSle
globe.
When he had parted from the girl
in q shadovy corner of the hotel piaz-
Ia on the night before his departure
he had been sorely tempted TO tell her
things. He refrained. however. by
gigantic effort, although he did pick
a long golden hair from the lapel OF
his blue serge coat when he got to his
room at that
She invited him upon parting TO be
sure to call upon her In Ne York
in the autumn, and he told her that
he sure would. and
But just moment, please.
Now, II this were one Of those HI
larious, made to order yarns there's
not doubt IN life that the average
reader would get a whole lot more
good out Of It
But it isn't one of those things. On
the contrary, it's a strictly veractous
narrative.
The professional funny men would
have the world believe that young
folks who meet each other at the sea-
shore never by the remostest chance
ever think of keeping up the acQuaint-
ance made down by the seas verge
when they get back home, and that
such seashore affairs never. never on
earth result In anything worth men
tioning.
But they DO.
They result, as a matter OF fact, IN
heap of marriages.
I1 1bap
would wind up the story in this man.
ner:
He'd have the girl drop into the
hardware store some gray day OF the
following October to look at pair Of
roller skates or to examine some and
irons for the hall fireplace at her rich
rome. and she'd come face to face with
re young hardware clerk, upon whose
blue serge lapel she'd left a couple.
f not more, of her golden hairs at the
&eashore a few months before.
The jokesmith would have the young
clerk start with an expression of acute
pleasure to greet the young woman,
addressing her with the phrase, "Oh,
Miss Gotgilt, how exceedingly we'll
you look! And don't you recall our
jolly times at the seashore a little
while ago." And then the young wom-
an would draw herself up to her full
height" in a most freezing manner and
address him as If he were a lightning
bug or German carp, asking him to
be good enough to show her a coal
scuttle and that would be the windup
of the seashore romance according to
the usual view of it.
This, however, is different, for real
life doesn't trot to pole with the joke
smiths gage.
Consequently, as simple matter OF
fact, when this young woman returned
to New York the hardware clerk called
upon her at her folks handsome home
almost Immediately, and he got
mighty pleasant reception from her.
and she looked mighty glad to see him.
She introduced him to her father
and mother and he made a prompt hit
with both of the old folks by his frank
and on the level manner. They may
and probably did have all sorts Of
other ideas for the girl, but when she
told them, a few months after the
young hardware clerk had called. that
he'd asked her to marry him and that
she'd fixed the date for the following
June-the June of 19OS-they accepted
the situation as 1t was framed up, and
the marriage came of exactly as per
program.
It's a prosaic sort OF finish and all
like that, maybe, but facts are facts
and not fancies. and so the prosaio
| windup really can't be helped bit