Smyrna times., 1878-12-25
My First Guest.


had been housekeeping five days. my
help" was not due till the next Monday.
No matter why, but the fact is, | was as
ignorant of practical cooking as mortal
with common-sense could be. | did not
tell my husband that had ck-headache
that day when l went down to his Office in
the basement to take his orders for dinner.
He would like leg of mutton, he said,
baked potatoes and green corn. AS for
dessert he thought peach pudding would
taste good mother used to make de.
licious ones.
AS l was too sick TO think of food with
any liberation, | was to prepare dinner for
only one person. ! decided that three
potatoes would be all he could possibly eat,
hence there was no use in my washing and
wiping any more, land it isn't safe for him
to eat more than two ears of corn, these
cholera times" thought.
| spent hours that seemed countless over
that dinner. But at length got it on the
table, having added little dish of un-
cooked tomatoes. Then rang the bell at
the top of the stairs for one person to come
up and eat it.
He came running up the stairs-simple,
happy soul never dreaming what panic
he was about to create in my heart.
With a beaming face, he said, Mr.. S. is
down in my office; an old crony Of mine
a scientific friend from Cincinnati. have
persuaded him to stop to dinner"
We were in our honeymoon, SO did not
scold; but glanced in dismay at the two
ears of corn and the three potatoes.
| "Shall lead him in?' asked that young
| head of family.
"Wait one minute said, thankful that
the guest hadn't been ushered right in with
out moments warning, till cut some
more tomatoes" remembering, with graft
tude, peck in the cellar which he had
sent home for our dinner.
Determined that there should be an
abundance of one thing on the table,
heaped the largest dish in my cupboard
with sliced tomatoes. | was long time
about it. know not what visions Of grand
table may have visited Mr.. s, as he waited
for a repetition to the dinner-summons. But
before this was given | discussed the corr
and potatoes. Should | leave the stingy
looking dishes off the table, or say that
was sick, and the dinner prepared for one
1t was awkward, no matter how considered
There was no comfortable thing to be sale
or done.
We sat down to the table. | was very
distracted. My eyes and thoughts KEEP
wandering to those appalling dishes-thos
three potatoes and two ears of corn-bu
then, they would come back with sens
of comfort to the leg Of mutton. That wa
my rest-the one reassuring thing. | re
joced at the lavish plate of mutton m
husband was making ready for Mr.. S. "A
least, he needn't 90 away from my tabl
hungry" | thought, with another nervou
glance at the three potatoes and the tw
ears of corn.
Let me help you to some mutton,' sal
my husband, handing the guest bount,
Gus plate.
"No, thank you," said Mr. s., "yo
forget that ! am vegetarian"
"A vegetarian T. mentally commentet
with swooning feeling, "what is he
eat? ?"
81 had forgotten" my husband admitte,
Then he looked over the table in bewilde
ed way, utterly indescribable. lie was
simple.hearted soul, as incapable of conces
ment or evasion as a little child.
! He took up the dish with those thr
. dreadful potatoes rolling about in it, al
extended it to the guest, but looked as
he'd rather die, by good deal.
"Have potato ?" he asked, in a disp
ut tied tone.
Mr.. S. made movement to appropria
one of the trio, drew back his hand und
cided, as if afraid of it, made another div
and secured the smallest in the lot. HI
small, how lonesome, it did look in t
middle of that large dinner-platel
}. "Do you eat corn?" the host asked,
J deprecating voice.
"Thank you'll I'm very fond of it," 81
the guest, cordially. But when he 8
10 there were but two ears, his face becal
ay utterly blank, and he looked as though
at was going to run. But recovering hims,
he added, Z" believe l will not take a
today"
He was afraid of intruding; he thouI
he was taking my ear of corn. Shoul'
n laugh, or should | cry? Should expl
% that l was sick, and urge the corn VI
i'm him?
III, "You will take cup of coffee, Mr.. S
said, filling one for him.
81 never drink tea or coffee, thank yo
he answered. "Ill just take a glass
water"
l looked at my husband in speech
LII dismay, and found him staring in my f
se- the impersonation Of helplessness. If
had been asked for nectar, we could hal
have felt our incapacity more. At
GS moment, a man was cleaning out the
in our yard. barrel of stale river-w
at the hack door did not help us.
planned the condition of affairs, and
host, in spite of Mr.. SIS protest, went
noh' to a neighbor's, and brought a pitche
water. During his absence, essaye
G. help Mr.. S. to bread, which was fresh
the bakers. He involuntarily hesita
| discerned the trouble; he did not eat
bread. He laid slice by his plate;
''0re' sure he did it for polteness' sake; he W
not eat it, knew.
"You eat tomatoes, Mr.. ST." put
your question with fear and trembling.
Ice. al do, indeed" He seemed delig