Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1931-02-27
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"Maiden Lady" Was
Really a Goddess
By JANE OSBORN


NOopS''Nh1F
MORE than once Mrs. Hawkins
lNl had been asked much the same
question by some one or other OF her
boarders there at Cllff house. Now 1t
was George Kennedy's turn--as he
stopped In Mrs. Hawkins little office
off the main hall to ask her for his
mail. He had hestated as he stood
there with his mail. turned to go. and
then turned back again.
"By the way, Mrs. Hawkins" he
said rather suddenly, do you happen
to know who lives In the little white
cottage just east Of this houseT"
"Sarah Seabury," said Mrs. Haw-
kins. only she said something like
"Say-rie"-and then she added, lives
pretty much alone-a maiden lady"
George Kennedy was more dlsap-
pointed than he liked to admit even
to himself. OF course there was no
reason why a maiden lady with the
name of Sarah couldn't sing dlvinely,
George Kennedy was not particu'
larry interested in music. Even gay
music usually made him feel sad. But
the strains that had foated over from
the little white cottage the night be-
fore after he had gone early to his
room at the hotel had filled him with
a sort of joyousness that he could not
explain. For time he thought that
1t all came from some radio-and that
the voice was in fact that Of some
world-famous diva. But then rs he
heard the same voice practlcing scales
a little later and sometimes stop 10
sing the same bars of song over u
number of times, George was con-
WINGED that there was nothing radio
about 1t.
AS he had listened the night before
he had felt that he knew her that
he could see her-and now all he had
to satisfy him was the knowledge
that the musician was maiden lady
and that her name was Say-rle-Sarah
Seabury.
George Joined friends of his on the
beach, went gOlfing that afternoon
and idled an hour or so away with
girls at the country club. And all the
time he felt the semi-aweness that he
had been disappointed. He had lis
tened to tina, sweet, magnetic voice
with the assurance that he might ac-
tually know the woman who owned
it. And here he was listening to the
chatter OF two girls with voices that
seemed to him particularly irritating
and metallic. In his room he might
hear the enchanting voice again.
He was turning to go, amidst some
protest on the part Of the merry lit
tie party sitting in the clubhouse,
when they seemed to forget all about
him. There were cries of greeting
from the girls. Some one said: "IIel.
10 there Sukie." The men rose-and
a girl-or as 1t seemed to George d
goddess into the room from the
door through which he had intended
to leave. Seeing that George was not
so intent on leaving as he had ap.
peared TO be some one mumbled an
introduction. George made gesture
Of regarding his watch-nnd said
something about not knowing II was
so early. And as he sat looking nj
the girl he realized that he had fallen
In love-love at first sght--and only
little while ago he had fallen In
lOve-love n first sound. He marveled
at his own susceptibility.
Then some one suggested that the
girl sing for them, and without wait.
ing for the urging that would have
followed, she went to the piano. With
the first two or three notes George
sat up In his chair amazed. II was
the voice he had heard the night be-
fore. Abruptly the girl stopped sing
Ing. She said she had to hurry home
George looked at his watch again,
said something about going, and
started after her. They went Off In
the same direction. George said he
was going to ClIT house and the girl
who was going In the same direction
seemed willing enough to have George
walk with her.
81 live In the little cottage just be.
yond CHI house." she told him. ga.
ther and mother have gone to Europe
so I'm staying there for n while with
our old nanny"
"But | understood that there was
some one there named Sarah Sea-
bury"
"rm Sarah Seabury," said the girl,
"Only they all call me Sukie."
"But the woman at the hotel said
It was maiden lady," stammered
George
"Well, did you think was widow
or diyorcee2' asked the girl laugh.
ing. "Malden lady Is polite way of
saying I'm an old maid Pm TWEEN.
ty.Hye."
George fingered two weeks longer
than he had any right to do that sum.
mer- sent word TO his office that he
had found he needed longer rest.
Mrs. Hawkins looked little de-
pressed after he had gone. "Well,
he'll never come back here" she said.
~ counted on having him for reg.
ulnr after this-he liked II so much
but that maiden lady next door set
her cap for him. understand she ac.
tunlly got herself engaged to him I
suppose they'll he married soon and
next year they'll both be at the cot.
tnge."