The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1923-06-20
GOING TOO FAR
By ELEANOR x. BACON

l. deck of a channel steamer and
watched the white cliffs OF Dover melt
into the sky line.
Mrs. Winston threw back her fur
cape impatiently, and at the same mo-
ment Godfrey turned up his coat collar
and shiyered.
'Oh, there it goes. - cried Mrs. Win
ton suddenly. She made a frantic
clutch at Geoffrey's hat as, ~dislodged by
4 puff of wind, it skidded past her.
With her usual efficiency she recap
tured it with a well-timed movement.
Goodness, Godfrey! / believe YOU
would lose your head il it we're not
fastened on" she declared. And, in
deed, Geoffrey's chief characteristic.
with the exception of his absent-mind-
edness, seemed to be his talent for
dropping his belongings.
ut isn't a bit rough today" she said
presently. I'VE are going to have a
fine crossing"
The floor heaved under them. and
Godfrey turned a shade paler.
II think III sit down, Martha he
said a trifle uncertainty. He steered a
divided course eward his steamer
chair. A copy of Birrell's "Obita
Dicta" fell from his pocket, and Mrs.
Winton mechanically put it into his
hands, tucked him up in his steamer
rug, and handed him an apple from a
capacious bag on her arm.
II brought this because you always
like an apple between meals" she re-
marked solicitously. "Tll go down now
n see where Helen is. You feel all
right, don't you, Googoo?"
Godfrey wished his wife would not
call him, Googoo, even in strictest pri-
vacy. He had begged her earnestly
and affectionately to drop it, but with
the directness that distinguished all her
words and acts she told him it was a
tribute to the imperishable infant in
him, and she could not give it up.
You are an infant in SO many ways,
Godfrey" she used to say, with a sigh.
REALLY, at times you seem fitted for
nothing more advanced than bibs and
a perambulator. And if you don't try
to overcome your overwhelming absent
mindedness I'm truly afraid thai some
day you will go too far. Why, you are
as irresponsible as the proverbial new
born babe. l don't know what you
would do without me to look after
youI"
When she disappeared he sighed AMI
was about to open his book when, drift
ing across his vision. came his daugh-
ter Helen and THAT Young Idiot"
The young man so classified in Geof-
frey's mind, to an impartial eye, could
and did give pleasure. He was rather
short and slight, with blue eyes at
present brimming with devotion, and a
smile that could charm an all-day
sucker away from the greediest child.
Godfrey would have been the first to
yield to 1t if he had not so tiercely re-
sented its effect on his cherished and
only child.
The two absorbed young persons
stopped directly in front of Godfrey.
On the face of Helen's lover four let
tiers shone as If ~emblazoned in celes-
tial light.
young idiot p Godfrey silently ex-
ploded, returning to his book with an
impaired interest.
Half an hour slipped away. He fin
ished the chapter, Cambridge and the
Poets" and, looking down. became
aware of the ragged apple core in his
hand.
After a moment or two of inertia, his
legs began to agitate the steamer rug,
at first Intellectually, then more and
more violently.
Struggling h%eroically, he at last dis
entangled himself, and rose u~nsteadily
to his feet. He was very, very dizzy,
with a sort of Ducky-Daddles feeling
that the sky was about to fall at his
feet. He gazed wistfully toward Hell
ems unflial back. No thought of a
seasick parent disturbed her mind as
she inclined an exquisitely modelled lit
tie ear to her lovers litany.
Godfrey leaned over his chair and
busted himself with mysterious little
jerkings of the steamer rug. Very care
fully he put the apple core in his empty
seat. He changed its position several
times, each time becoming more dis
satisfied with the result. Finally he
threw the rug over ii, only half con-
cealing it, and began an unstudied toe
dance toward the rail.
His zigzag route led him away from
his daughters vicinity, so that when
he leaned on the rail he was still I'M
observed.
A moments pause. then, with almost
unbelievable grace and dexterity, Geef-
frey hurled himself over the rail.
Twenty minutes later Godfrey and
THAT Young Idiot" were lying on
deck, wrapped in blankets and solicit
tude. Godfrey opened his eyes. Mar
tha's face, white and strained from
suppressed emotion. bent over him.
Helen was tueking the rug around his
feet.
Geoffrey turned his head and his
eyes met the blue. friendly gaze of his
life preserver. whose persuasive smile
instantly shone upon him. =
Geoffrey's face tWitched. Then he
smiled warmly back, and two shining
and beautiful words took form in his
mind. MY SON.