Fitzgerald leader enterprise and press. (Fitzgerald, Ben Hill County, Ga.) 1921-1964, 1922-02-23
"oh, l'm-l'm Not Saying Anything
Against Abe, Am |, Mama?"

Against Abe, Am |, Mama?"
what do you keep bringing him up
for?'
Because l got eyes what see. Be.
cause l got eyes what see if you go
the whole world over, another bow like
Abe you won't find. A fine Young
business man that would treat you like
queen. tell you, Esther, the quick.
er you get such a nonsense as meet.
ing the swells on trip to Europe out
of your head, the better. Abe maybe
amt so swell, but all / ever heard
you could say against him was his bic
ears and"
''Mama, please don't keep harpins
on-on him."
II amt, Esther, / amt. Like your
papa says. l should be the last one
ever to force my children to get mar
ried. But take my word, Esther; the
best thing what can happen to yor
on this trip is you should write hin
to meet us in Paris like he wants yor
should. l tell you. Esther, If you car
make up your mind to want him bad
enough to ask him to meet us in
Paris, that. l say, is the best thing
what can happen on this trip"
"Oh, mama, you-yOu make me SO
mad. If If 1 want to write to Abe
to meet us in Europe, II don't need
you to always keep telling me about
1t. II came away toto get away
from that crowd of boys at home. l.
ITO pick up with such sporty kind
Of men like this Danziger from Chi.
cago, guess. I tell you, Esther, ]
think"
II can't help what you think, mama
Papa and like him alrighty. He's
been all over. He knows more abOu,
the world than you and papa and Abe
and me put together. He's going ia
show US Switzerland and the RIVERS
if he can change his ticket"
"I-"
"And If you want to know 1t, Il
like him. 1 like him whether you like
him or not. Maybe If you and paps
would-would leave me alone with hin
for minute, he-he might get to like
me, too. II like him-So there!
just do"
Her voice slipped upward and she
sat down hard and suddenly on tn,
extension of the mothers steamer
chair, her lips quivering as If wounded
and her eyes with hint of tears II
them turned away from the mirth o
the promenade deck.
''If you want to know it, Il Xix,
him-so there"
Under the caves of the steame
hood, Mrs. Lefkovitch's face crumple,
into incredulity.
ESTHER, you! A little sporty nil
like him, what travels more as he at
tends to business. That's what neet
yet, my daughter what could have /.
man like Abe"
"You got to quit calling him a nix
mama. He's just prince, that's wha
he is. Papa says he spends more none,
in one day on this boat than all tn
other cheap skate fellows put together
Papa saw him with his own eyes Civ
away five dollar gold piece to poo
sick fellow in the steerage."
ia, l know, 1 know. But l neve
in my life thought much"
He'd let cards alone pretty quick
let me tell you, mama, if all the cheal
skates on this boat who lost their few
dollars that first night wouldn't Away
be after him trying to win them back
-Four hundred and eighty"
Look, mama, look Oh, mama, WI
we-we've been missing 1t. Oh Oh y
In sudden proximity green as sward
and as If a volcanic shudder hat
spewed it up through the sea, the isl,
Of Madeira, Tipped by waves and under
the luscious kiss of a southern sun, laJ
with its fertile TANKS to seward. vii
lagos, toy size, perched on the slopei
In an attitude of sliding off. Vine
yards and geometric truck GARDEN
lay to the sun. In the background a
mountain lost its head in mist.
"Oh, mama, isn't it-isn't it gor-
geous?"
"Ja. And you say, Esther, in Ma
deira is where we get the hand en-
broidery so cheap?"
Eyes, yes, and see, mama, that dar-
ling little white town."
ZACH, how 1 wish my boy Niche
could see it with me. 1 tell you a
mother amt got much pleasure if"
See, mama, see the beautiful way
the ocean sends the waves running up
on the banks"
II tell you, Esther, and please God
some day you'll need them, such re-
lief it would be to me If could get you
sheets and pillOw-cases here already
made up. That Mrs. Kron from Mil
waukee, who is on this boat, says she
got all her daughters trousseau right
here on"
"Oh, mama, mama, see that town
around the bend-look how big! bet
that's Funchal. Look, mama. just
around those beautiful hills"
"Sheets and pillow-cases already"
But her daughter was off toward the
captains bridge, stiff breeze lashing
her skirts back against her body, chin
tilted, hat clutched and lithesome
limbs outlined. A cloud Of flying fish
rose off the water, plotting the boat
landward. Beyond the bestirred deck,
its chatter and observations mingling,
and far beyond the approaching city
which nestled in the curving arm Of
the harbOr, the purple mountain faded
into cloud.
A city of romance, Of handmade
cobbled streets and ox-sledges with
bells jingling right merrily, Funchal
dreams in the sun like a many-tinted