Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1921-12-01
A Gift From the
Sea
q
By MALCOLM BROWN.

CopSfisnl' 1871, Western Newspaper Union
4 don't believe that we are ever
going to be married, Frank" said
Maisle Lester, looking sadly at her
tlance. There were tears in her big
gray eyes, and Frank Rhodes felt
sudden sting of shame as he per-
ceived them.
he was twenty-eight and Maisie
twenty-five, and they had been en-
gagged four years. They ought to have
been married long before, but Frank
was what his folks called "ne'er-do-
we'll" He had never placed his foot
upon the first rung of the ladder Of
success. He had been a clerk in half
q dozen Offices, but he wholly lacked
the elements that make for financial
aff1uence.
Malsie was stenographer, and be-
tween them they made exactly forty
dollars a week. Frank would have
married her on that, but MaiSie had
enough worldly wisdom to refuse.
NO. my DEAR" she had said, "un-
less you can do something that will
enable us to get our little farm we
must remain unmarried.
Then Frank had had wonderful
idea. He would go west. And on the
following day he was to start for St.
Louis, which was as far as his money
would carry him. They had met on
the beach. 1t was to be their last
meeting for years-perhays forever.
II shall always be true to you,
Frank" Maisie whispered again, and
chung to him; and they kissed each
other as passionately as lovers do who
are to be sundered for an incalculable
age. They sat down side by side and
Maisie traced his initials in the sand
with the point of her umbrella.
F-R-A-N she had written, and
then the ferrule encountered a soft
and yielding substance that obliterated
the fourth letter as her umbrella point
dragged it forth from it's hiding place.
She looked curiously upon the shape
less substance. It was WaXy, some
thing like beeswaX. She flung it into
the air and turned to her sweetheart.
Crank, dear, if you are to get that
train home we had better be starting, "
she said.
He agreed, and they chung together
in one last embrace, to be the last for
goodness knew how long. Then they
turned their steps sadly toward the
station.
Frank turned and gripped Maisie's
arm fiercely.
Dear, I'm going to make good" he
said. eff can earn two thousand dol.
lars we will have our farm"
Poor Frank! Maisie looked at him
wistfully. Neither of them had ever
owned fifty dollars at time. And
Frank was close on thirty.
They were walking among the stray
Cling visitors to the little place. A
rse-girl wheeled two fat infants in
a baby carriage. A misunderstanding
little man with waxed muStaches was
approaching them. Maisie opened he1
umbrella and held it over Frank-the
action was instructive and demon
strated her unconscious maternal at.
titude toward him. He linked his
arm through hers, but he did not take
the umbrella; he was far away, com.
posing. Even Maisie was forgotten
for a moment
Maisie heard an exclamation behind
ipg toward her. She heard him blow
ing and painting. "Mees! Mees!" he
was calling. He was evidently a
Frenchman.
Maisie turned round. The little man
was standing before her, and in his
hand he held-that absurd mass of sea
growth which she had flung away upon
the beach. She must have let it fall
into her umbrella, and, when she
openedit, it had slipped out upon the
boardwalk. Maisie felt furious.
Eyes, dropped that" she said Jelly
"But it is of no value to me. Keep
it, monsieur, if it interests you
The fat little man looked quizzical-
ly at her.
"Mademoiselle is, without doubt, a
millionaire?" he inquired blandly.
Something in his tone arrested
Maisie's angry answer There was a
strange look In the little mans eye9
what is it," she asked
"Ambergris," said the fat little man
"The basis Of perfumes. The mos
valuable of the seas gifts. am a
perfumer, mademoiselle. 1 buy heem.'
"HOw much?" asked Maisie.
IT Civ you-t'ree t'ousan' dollars,
said the fat little man.
That was the only time Maisie ever
scolded Frank for whistling.