The Monmouth inquirer. [volume] (Freehold, N.J.) 1865-1933, 1926-11-11
George and the
South Seas
By II. LOUIS RAYBoLD


Omuch engaged young man. HIS
hancee, pretty Sarah Makepeace, had
her own loving ways of occupying his
evenings and his Office 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 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 tilat memoir
able night when they read aloud to-
each other fascinating story. of the
ever-alIuring 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 Pm playing the dead aunt
to my heirs. That is, Pm 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 Al
wire clip was a folded check for
$1,000.
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
direction.
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 a 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 honey-colored moons and dusky
maidens, he was yearning to take a
little trip all by himself and postpone
settling down for 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
loved Sarah, he was insanely jealous
If Sarah looked sidewise at anyone
else, and yet--how he wanted this
last mad fling of irresponsible youth
all by himselfl
Suddenly he made up his mind to
get it over with He opened his
mouth, shut 1t, cleared his throat and
was about to speak when Sarah, lay
ing down her work, leaned forward
and regarded him.
George" she said soIemnly, 1--WE
something to tell you. It's hard to
say, but-well, I've changed my mind
about getting married. l feel-wen
before l 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 a faraway ecstatic express
sion. Sometimes | dream of distant
lands where the off-shore surf beats
on the coral reefs, where honey-colored
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.
We'll" said Sarah, "Tve nearly
thousand dollars was saving to-
wards the house and"
"And you'd use that ~
Perhaps when / come back, said
Sarah gently, I'm not mind marrying
you But first-oh, want one last
mad fiingl" 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.
Enough Of this nonsensel I've just
been left $1,000 by an aunt who isn't
Inos7 NJ Y.1, <,4.., :.