Courtship -- Fiction; Florida -- Fiction; Humorous stories; New York (N.Y.) -- Fiction; Treasure troves -- Fiction
Maybe that wasn't just the way to hire a reverend, but I was too rushed
to think up the proper frills. I had to attend to a lot of little
things, among 'em bein' this plant with Auntie's cruisin' friend, the
widow. She was in the habit, Mrs. Mumford was, of pickin' Auntie up
now and then for an evenin' drive in her limousine; and what I was
tryin' to suggest was that this would be a swell night for it.
"But I don't see how I can," says she, cooin' as usual. "Mrs.
Hemmingway is to be a guest at a going-away dinner, and may not be home
until late."
"Eh?" says I. "Why, that's fine--I mean, for Auntie. Ripping, eh,
what? Much obliged."
The foxy old girl. She'd never mentioned it. And if I hadn't found
out just as I-- But I did. It simplifies things a lot. That is, it
would unless-- Here I grabs the 'phone again and calls up Vee.
"Auntie's going out to dinner to-night," says I.
"Yes, I know," says Vee. "She has just told me. I am not included."
"Then whisper," says I. "Revise that wardrobe trunk of yours like you
expected a cold winter in Jamaica. Have a bag ready, too, and a
traveling dress handy."
"But why, Torchy?" she insists.
"Leave it to me," says I. "We'll be up about 8:30."
"We?" she asks.
"Now be good," says I, "and you may be happy. Also get busy."
You see, I figured that what she didn't know she couldn't worry about,
nor discuss with Auntie. Besides, it was all too hazy in my head for
me to sketch it out very clear to anyone.
Honest, I don't see now how I kept from gettin' things bugged, for I
sure was crashin' ahead reckless. I felt like I'd been monkeyin' with
a flyin' machine until I'd got it started and had been caught somewhere
in the riggin' with nobody at the wheel. But I was glad of it.
Mr. Robert helped out wonderful. When I stops packin' my suitcase long
enough to remark, "But say, if it does work, where am I headed for?"
he's right there with the useful information.
"Here!" says he. "Your tickets and drawing-room reservation. It's a
nice little place up in Vermont--quiet, refined, comfortable, all that
sort of thing. Train at 10:45."
"Oh!" says I. "Then that's all right. Lemme see, where's that other
sock?"
Say, I'd even forgot who all I'd asked to be on hand. That was what I
was checkin' up when I rode past Auntie's floor on the elevator. I
finds Vee some excited and more or less curious.
"Please," says she, "what is it all about?"
"It's a little game," says I, "entitled ditching Jamaica. There'll be
some of our friends here directly to join in."
"Torchy," says Vee, starin' a bit scared, "you--you mean that-- Anyway,
I should change my frock, I suppose?"
"If you do," says I, "couldn't you make it that pink one, with the
flimsy pink hat?"
"You goose!" says she. "If you like, though. Why, there is someone
now!"
"That'll be Mr. and Mrs. Robert Ellins," says I. "You'll have to show
speed."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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