Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1921-09-23
Randal's Great
Catch"
BY HAZEL SMITH
70. 1921. Western Newspaper Union.)

Uncle Seth. All the arrangements are
made. 1t is the happiest thought OF
my life. to realize that it Is my
power to show you some appreciation
of all you and your family have done
for me-"
boy, there lever was a truer, bet
ter man than you'll"
David Prescott walked slowly across
the Burton farm. His heart was pref
ty full. He loved the old man who
had been his best friend since he was
left an orphan at an early age. Inc
flush and thrill of a good deed, how
ever, were robbed of some of their
glamour as David thought of the per-
son most Observation-Disclosures Burton.
In his own mind David did not be
lieve the old mans son worthy Of the
sacrifice he was making for him.
Things were at a tight pinch at Bur
ton farm, with little or no cash re-
serves.
"YOu see," David had explained to
his uncle, there's a reclamation prob
act to drain Rock Valley, and no n
knows every crook and turn Of the old
river as l do. l have convinced the
commissioners of 1t, too. They have
offered me a two years position as
superintendent of the upper dam. !
am to get $500 a year. Half OF
that for two years will carry Randall
through the city law school.
SO 1t was settled. With a great
flourish of trumpets Randall Burton
departed for the city.
The best that was in David came
out. He had said that nc one knew
the river as he did, and David now
demonstrated the fact. Within a
month the engineers on the project
found his knowledge a valuable ad-
junct to their technical processes. At
the end of six months the engineers
reported that his discovery of a shale
obstruction had saved them ten thou
sand dollars. The commissioners
promptly advanced his salary twenty
FIVE per cent.
Time wore on. David found time to
take up engineering and study eve
nings. At the holidays Randall came
home. The next vacation David was
disappointed to see how little real
law education the boy was acquiring.
"C0nfidentiaIly, between me and
you" said Randall, 81 don't think as
much of the law as l did. A smat-
tering will be enough to help me put
up my single. Truth is Dave, I've
made a CATCH"
"What kind Of a catch?" inquired
his cousin.
Miss Dorothy Vance. Father a mil
~lionaire. You'll see her when she
c0mes.'
In due time vacation days came
around. and Randall returned to the
farm. MI. Burton was grieved, and
Dave disappointed. Randall went down
to the depot one morning to escort
Miss Dorothy to the home of the Del
cOmbes.
The little lady insisted on walking.
AS they crossed a bridge, her atten-
ton was called to a gang of workmen
sinking a hollow wooden tube in a mud
hole at the bank of the river. The
man who a guiding it stood below,
half sunk in the Shiny clay. 1t was
David Prescott. He waved his hand
In friendly greeting to his cousin.
"Come on" spoke Randall hurriedly.
''This is not at all interesting"
But that man waved his hand to
you"
ooh, some mudlark of the crew, l
suppose" responded Randall.
HE doesn't look like a mudlark,"
said Dorothy.
The irritated Randall managed to
draw his interested companion away
from the scene. He escorted his
charge to her friends. Randall called
at the Delcombes' home next morn
ing, primed for that Wanted proposal.
Mrs. Delcombe informed him that
Miss Vance had started away for a
walk along the river. Dorothy had
bilious striving idol she had made of
him. She learned of the noble sacri-
fee Of his cousin.
1.-THE deuce" exclaimed Randall Bur
ton, as he arrived at the bank Of the
river.
There was the truant lady. She
was %conversing with David.
Randall came up, brash and %braggart
as ever. He tried to take Miss Dor
othy under his own especial wing.
The willful little miss continued in
terested over the wonderful river prof.
ect.
81 suppose 1 can call this evening""
submitted Randall In rather a grum-
bling tone.
ooh, certainly" smiled the fascin-
ating little miss: "only be sur to
bring your cousin, Mr.. Prescott, with
you. He is the most delightful young
man | have aver met.
There is an end to everything, and
the end Of Randall Burton's careless
ambitions was a position In a city Of
flee as a second-rate s~tenographer.
The end Of David's acquaintance
with pretty Dorothy was q Wooing.