The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1920-06-18
Mother and the
Solomon Islands
By H. LOUIS RAYBOLD

ASS, We ann 10 90 the nrSt week
IN May" said Mother Burgess, smooth
ing her starched white apron with
wrinkled hands.
Christine, home for the Christmas
holidays, regarded her mother with
censternation. II don't believe It.
mother" she declared. "Of course
Al my life / have heard father say
nat when we children were grown
up he was going to sea again, but
nsver thought it would actually hap
Dsa."
Yes" continued her mother, "he's
sedng to take his money out of the
hank this week and buy the Mary
Lee that's down by the dock of
Nicholson's boat yard"
But the Solomon Islands I" groaned
Christine. "Why does he insist ON
going thereT
We'll, mostly" answered her moth
er. because it's about the only place
he's never BEEN"
Moved by sudden impulse, the girl
rose from her chair, went over to her
mother and placed two strong young
arms on the others thin shoulders.
"Tell me the truth, mother" she de-
manded fiercely. do you really want
to go, or are you doing it just to please
dad?"
For an instant her mother looked
at her with eyes that were defiantly
steadfast; then, beneath the girls
determined gaze, her own glance
wavered and fell.
christine" she said, 81 dread the
thought of it. l know I'll be seasick,
and I'm scared to death of the saw
ages, and l don't want to leave my
home and my white Wyandottes, and
the quilt I'm making for the county
fair and"
II understand" said Christine,
seothingly. won't you let me explain
to father?"
Don't you say word to him, not
word ~ insisted her mother. "Why.
/ should be so ashamed to have him
know / was afraid. Ever since he
had to give up going when you chill
dren were born, he planned to take
this trip, and it would simply break
his heart to give it up. Promisew
Christine did so reluctantly. Not
until bedtime, in the quiet of the low
eaved room which had been hers since
childhood, did she turn from contem-
plation of her mothers problem to
ct Of hnr Che had
agreed, when she returned to the city,
to say Eyes" or mo" to the middle
aged principal of the school where she
taught-and she didn't think she want
ed to say "yes."
But, on the other hand, neither did
she want TO watch the years creep
by, each one little gayer, bringing
with them no home of which she could
be mistress, no little children to wash
and dress, and, very, very occasionally.
scold. After all, wasn't a pleasant,
cultured, elderly husband better than
one room in boarding house, meals
out?
During the next few days Christine
managed several chats with her father.
And if at times 1t did seem that he
overemphasized the desirabilities of
the voyage and minimized its draw
backs, Christine at first accepted 1t
all as merely the enthusiasm of a man
who sees about to be accomplished a
project anticipated for many long
years.
ha nntfnnH a 1nntHn6
shadow cross the rugged face when
her mother asked what he proposed
to do with the experimental stand Of
alfalfa In the field next to the wood
lot. Also, when she remarked casu-
ally that for the first time in twenty
years the county fair prize for the
best thoroughbred heifer would go to
somebody else than Captain Eric Bur-
CESS.
"Have you bought the Mary Lee yet,
dadT she asked one morning.
"No-I haven't" said her father.
But I don't think there's any great
hurry"
"Mr. Nicholson owns it?" asked
Christine.
Eyes," replied the captain.
Christine remembered Mr.. NichOl-
son very well-a kindly old man. And
she remembered his son, too-a tall,
slim. young fellow with attractive eyes
who had graduated one class ahead
of her from the high school.
That afternoon Christine wandered
down by the river to look at the Mary
Lee. There she was, her gray bulk
moored out beyond the rise and fall
Of the tide, her gaunt masts silhouet-
ted against the somber winter sky.
Christine shuddered, picturing her
rheumatic father and her frail old
mother careening over the billowing
Pacific, bound for troplc isles and
coral-reefed lagoons. Such wanderings
were for the young and strong.
And yet she could not imagine her
father voluntarily turning back, once
ne had put his hand to the pillow. Only