The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1939-1949, 1939-08-10
THE MT WIT
g
By SARAH McCAHEY
Q Mcclure Newspaper Syndicate.
WNU Service.
YOU'D never guess that
Z among the 500 visitors at the

the mainland. one Of the richest oil
men in the United States mingled
with the other guests entirely UNI
known to them.
It was a banner year for the big
summer hotel. and one might well
lose himself in the crowd-and that
is just what had been prescribed
for the oil magnate.
'Cut into a new life for the next
few weeks and keep away from the
business crowd" had been his doc
tors advice, and Robert Stratton
had packed his grip for his old home
town. although no one could ever
believe that he was not born and
bred in the maelstrom Of New
York's commercial life.
Well he remembered the day he
had left the island! He had held a
sort of reception on the dock before
he boarded the Shinnecock bound
for New York.
Aren't you going to say .good-by'
to Arabella?" teased his chum, Lon
Littlefield.
Robert hadn't had very high re-
gard for Arabella's intellectual at
tainments; also the sun had been too
partial to her when he was scatter
ing his freckles around-moreover,
she ispedl
mot if I know fishes nit
will" the potential adventurer had
scoffed.
Now it is wen-known fact that
people say things among themselves
about another. they would never
want the object of their criticism to
know about.
So Robert Stratton. unconscious
that his flip remark had been over
heard. was shaken out Of the con-
ceit that his Is years Of conquest
had engendered, by encountering q
blaze of anger in the eyes Of a.
year-old girl who had come down
with the others to see him of.
''I'n show you'll show you If l
am fool!" she had cried. and then
had become inarticulate with NOR
LITIGATION.
For he had been her hero.
And now. after Is years, Robert
Stratton, a rich bachelor from the
metropolis. was guest at the finest
hotel, and was, so far. practically
unknown to the other guests at the
Ocean View. and was also realizing
that his strangest and strongest
memory in connection with the is
land, was the blaze of fury in the
eyes of Arabella Dodge the day he
left there.
The Sunday night following his ar
rival. the hotel management decid-
ed to give a concert to equip the
little island hospital with radios for
the dozen or more soldiers GONZALES
cling there.
The ballroom. the finest and big
gest on the island. was filed with
chairs and settees, and small plat
form covered with beautiful rugs
was raised at one end for the must
cal talent.
The high windows surrounding the
ballroom and leading out into the
piazza were opened. and Robert
Stratton seated himself comfortably
in one Of the large piazza chairs to
listen to the concert. unobserved
and unnoticed.
AS the opening number, two little
tots dressed in pink, with gauze
wing, huttered in noiselessly and
wordlessly on the tips Of their pink
toes, circled the platform, and then
futtered away again.
Then woman. in simple white
muslin, with a bright blue ribbon
around her waist, assembled the one
step of the platform and began to
sing Shubert's beautiful ave
Maria"
Robert Stratton had heard it sung
many times in his life, but never to
the accompaniment Of the waves lit
orally breaking beneath the lofty
piazza on which he sat.
He looked toward the sea-at the
golden path Of the moon on the wa
ter-and felt he had never expert
enced anything so beautifulEand
then he looked more -intently at the
singer! At Arabella Dodge!
Slender. Of medium height-not
one in so could wear that simple
gown so enchantingly-the sweet
high voice that rose and fell with
easy grace and perfect technique
filed the immense ballroom. and
Robert Stratton threw away his
cigar and drew his chair closer that
he might not miss any Of its sweet
ness.
Here was the answer to all his
wanderings-right here in his little
home town Of New Foreham. That
a woman as beautiful as Arabella
Dodge should still live here and be
able to sing so gloriously! Probably
some summer visitor had taught
her.
He thought he remembered her
parents as quite old-she had had
to stay with them on their little
farm, most likely, and 50 had had
no opportunity for meeting the man
who must be fine for her to mate
with. There was no island man at
So,. <h;c hoa,,tifiIl woman whO could