E-text prepared by Greg Weeks, Mary Meehan, and the Project Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading Team (http://www.pgdp.net) Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this file which includes the original illustrations. See 32266-h.htm or 32266-h.zip: (https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/32266/pg32266-images.html) or (https://www.gutenberg.org/files/32266/32266-h.zip) Transcriber's note: This etext was produced from _Galaxy Science Fiction_, November, 1952. Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed. SUGAR PLUM by R. BRETNOR Illustrated by ASHMAN [Sidenote: If not for two items, this would be a funny story--the Atomic Age brought back the 1925 vogue, and inhibition is not shatter-proof.] On a clear spring evening in 2189, Charles Edward Button came home half an hour late for his supper, tossed his hat to the robot butler who came out from behind the DoItAll, and announced that he had just bought a planet. [Illustration] His wife, Betty, was looking small and long-suffering on a plastic reproduction of a Victorian love-seat, and her cousin Aurelia, a large, handsome woman, was standing behind her protectively. "Of course," he informed them, "it's not a _big_ planet. But what a bargain! With real oceans, and two moons, and--" "Real estate, real estate, real estate!" Cousin Aurelia's tart voice cut him off in mid-sentence. "You know what's come of every one of your investments. Call the man _right now_ and tell him you want your money back!" "I'm afraid it's too late." Charles avoided her eye. "I bought it up at a tax-auction and--well, the government never refunds." "I _thought_ so. A planet nobody wants. Probably all run down, with swamps and deserts, and in some dreadful, shabby district where the neighbors have squirmy tentacles, or eyes on stalks, or big, nasty beaks!" "It isn't at all. It's in a good neighborhood--only two systems away from the Inchcapes' new summer planet. A little remote, but that means more privacy." He took a catalogue out of his pocket. "'Parcel 71,'" he read. "'Sugar Plum, a Class IV planet'--that means it's like Earth, only bigger--'claimed 8/12/85 by Space Captain Alexander Burgee, under Planetary Homestead Act of 2147 (amended.)' And here's his description of the place where he landed: 'Neat as a pin, fine climate, full of critters and fish, quite uninhabited.' He was lost in Deep Space, poor fellow. That's why they sold it." * * * * * Betty smiled faintly. "The Inchcapes call their planet Bide-A-Wee. I think Sugar Plum's ever so much nicer. But--but can we afford it?" "We certainly can't!" fumed Cousin Aurelia. "We'll put it back on the market and salvage whatever we can." "No, we won't," Charles said firmly. "And it's not just a summer resort. We're pulling up stakes to live there all year round." Betty gasped.