Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1926-11-11
George and the
South Seas
-------
gy II. LOUIS RAYBOLD

| ~ much engaged young man. his
nancee, pretty Sarah Makepeace, had
her own loving ways of occupying his
evenings and his ONCE hours were
frequently punctuated by telephone
calls arranging to meet him for lunch
! or downtown after work on this err
rand and that And because George
really loved her and knew in advance
what a capable, thrifty little wife she
was some day going to be to him, he
never drought of protesting that her
apron strings were bit firing.
Never, that is, until that memoir
able night when thy read aloud to
each other fascinating story of the
overwhelming South seas.
When George had kissed Sarah
goodnight three times, he turned slow
ly homeward Thoughtfully, too. For
the first time it struck him that there
were distant lands to be seen.
He neither was free TO go nor had
the money, as far as that went. But
he and Sarah, who gave music lessons
in between being engaged TO him,
were saving every possible cent to-
wards nest egg on which to marry.
When George reached his room, he
found slipped under .his door white
envelope addressed to him in hand
writing only family familiar. Curl
ously, he opened it. and read the let
ter that was enclosed.
MY dear nephew'-so read the
letter
I'm not dead yet nor thinking of
dying. But I'm playing the dead aunt
TO my heirs. That is, I'm giving away
now what you'd probably get later,
each one Of you. Please spend it TO
crafty some secret wish.
"Affectionately, my dear boy etc"
Attached to the inner sheet by a
wire clip was Il folded check for
81 600.
1t is significant that George did
not at once telephone the good news.
In a way, it made their marriage an
immediate possibility and surely one
would expect that any engaged young
mans secret desire would lie in that
ulIecLlOn.
On the contrary, several days went
by and still George said nothing TO
Sarah of the windfall. If he appeared
distract the very next time he saw
her, she gave no outward sign of no
ticing the fact She even loaned
him the magazine containing the
South seas story without query as
to why he wanted it.
To tell the truth, George was an
enigma TO himself. Here for months
he had been longing to marry Sarah
and now, at the instance of a silly
yarn dealing largely with beating surf
and honeycolored moons and dusky
maiGens, he was yearning to take
little trip all by himself and postpone
settling down for a year or two. His
unexpected legacy seemed to render
legitimate this desire, yet how could
he explain to Sarah?
The obvious thing to do would be
to get married and then, if he must
blow the money in such a way, make
the journey in Sarah's company. He
if Sarah looked sidewise at anyone
else, and yet-how he wanted this
last mad fling of irresponsible youth
all by himself!
Suddenly he made up his mind to
get it over with. He opened his
mouth, shut it, cleared his throat and
was about to speak when Sarah, lay
ing down her work, leaned forward
and regarded him
George" she said solemnly, I've
something to tell you. It's hard to
say, but-well, I've changed my mind
about getting married. l feel-well,
before ! settle down, I'd like to go
somewhere, see somebody"
"See somebody" echoed George,
feeling as if the bottom of things were
falling out.
Yes nodded Sarah, and into her
eyes came faraway ecstatic express
sion. Sometimes dream of distant
lands where the off-shore surf beats
on the coral reefs, where honey
moons rise out of velvet ocean, and
strong bronzed men in spotless suits,
white helmets and Victoria crosses on
their chests"
SARAH" by this time George had
risen. Then with an effort to swallow
his indignation, "Just how would you
do all this?" he asked
Well" said Sarah. I've nearly
thousand dollars / was saving to-
wards the house and"
And you'd use that p
Perhaps when / come back" said
Sarah gently, 'I'll not mind marrying
you. But first-oh. | want one last
mad fiing!' Rising, while her work
fell to the floor unheeded, she threw
her slender arms towards the ceiling.
Then she found herself seized and
her arms, falling, fell on Georges
shoulders.
Sarah" he was saying sternly.
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