The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-10-05
E0ening Story
Thanks to Dear Old Bill.
BY H. LOUIS RAYBOLD.


TOO bad" said Charley Edwards,
shaking his head sadly.
"A darn shame" agreed Bill
French.
80 young" added Charley,
Just started in business and ALL"
lamented Bill.
Some friend of yours-dead?"
ueried an interested bystander.
oh no." said Bill. Not dead
Going to be married"
"Oh, I see" and the interested by
, stander withdrew into silence and out
of the story
You know" continued Bill, 81 hate
to stand by and see a nice chap like
Sam done for by tying himself up at
this stage of the game to girl and
never do a thing to save him. Sans
such fool where a skirt is concerned,
anyhow. Only up to now he's always
managed to cut loose before the final
| henedietion. But this time-you saw
the notice in the paper?"
y ep,' answered Charley, only
son Of Mrs. John Case, on Wednesday,
/ thing like that"
! There was a moments silence in the
all but deserted clubroom as Sans
| two chums pondered over his I'M
timely removal from their bachelor
midst.
Suddenly a CLEAN of something like
| inspiration lighted up Bills rugged
features. Il say, Charley, what about
| getting the old Seaweed out of dry
dock. stocking her up, greasing her
flywheel and taking Sam off for a
cruise"
Bully ideal" cried Charley. "One
last, fond. final fling. Call him up"
Bill departed, was gone some few
minutes and returned with a face that
was wreathed in smiles What do
1 In. oh hat hot RI
know about that" He repeated the
phrase over and over until Charley
exploded in evaporation.
Know about WHAT"
why. it seems that that notice in
| the papers was premature. oh yes.
Sam is-or was-engaged, all right, to
the girl, but strictly sub rosa. l gather
it leakerd out accidentally at dinner
Sans mother gave and some society
/ editor got hold Of it. The girls mother
the affair-and is whislking her
other plans for her"
And SAM" prompted Charley.
'Down in the dumps, poor chap.
Tumbled right off for our little trip.
| Didn't care if we went down to the
Maine coast, and he was undyingly
grateful Now, boys, here's our
| chance. Three weeks alone with Sam
| on the briny deepl Believe me, the
young lady's mother won't work any
| harder than we to break off the
match. The day will come when Sam
will thank US"
Sure thing Bill" approved Charley.
And now let's mosey down to the
| boatyaTd."
A few days later the Seaweed
plowed her way out into the wind
ruffled waters of the sound, her bow
| headed east. Aboard the craft were
Bill and Charley and Sam-the first
two as happy and carefree as Sam
was gloomy and sad.
| Above the steering wheel Bill
grinned at Charley, indicating with n
| jerk of his head the Respondent figure
of Sam slumped moodily down on n
seat IN the cockpit. He'll cheer up
! gradually" he promised
! But, as the days passed Bill proved
a false prophet. More and more into
melancholy sank Sam. Not once, on
cool moolight nights, did he life his
resonant bass to Charley's ambitious
tenor. Never, as in days gone by. did
he cap some earsplitting yarn of Bill's
with one more mirth-provoking. No,
seemingly the old Sam had vanished
Not until off the Maine coast. y hen
provisions had run low and it was
voted to run in somewhere and re-
plenish. did Sam rouse temporarily.
/ There's a little place off Mount
! Desert with a snug harbor," he volun-
| teered Heard somebody tell of it
once. Beech Cove or something
| And Bill and Charley, encouraged
at this glimmering spark of interest in
| one so stepped in gloom. pored over
/ the chart and found it.
Twenty-four hours later the Sea-
weed lay anchored in Beech Cove.
awaiting the return of Sam, who had
been dispatched with inst uctions to
buy up the town. Judging by the
time he had been gone, he had been
| faithful to orders.
For it was not until purple shadows