Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-09-20
LOOKING BACKWARD.
A Romantic and Emotional Wife and a
Practical Husband.
From the New York Times.

Practical Husband.
From the New York Times.
ooh. Gregory, it's the very PLACED"
Mr.. Gregory Ffrench glanced in the direction
indicated by his wifes exclamation and saw
the wide windows. open doors and marble hall
beyond of q fashionable restaurant
"Well?" he said inquiringly.
'.Well," echoed Mrs. French with some sar-
casm, ''how like a man. Why. don't you see
it's the very place where we took dinner that
summer before VIC were married I came on
with mamma, you know. to shop, and you ran
down for the last day or two to fetch Us home"
II recall all of that, of course" replied Mr..
French, ''but this particular restaurant arouses
no faintest wave of "reminiscences concerning
that trip
'Oh, Gregory reproachfully now, "don't
you recall we had been down to the seashore,
and when we got back mamma was so tired we
put her in a cab at the ferry, to 20 directly to
the hotel. while You and / walked across the
city to this restaurant and had such q delight
full tete-a-tete dinner?''
Il remember the sea trip and your mothers
unlamented fatigue and the dinner asSeuted
Mr.. French. "but not this place at all. / doubt
Il 1t be the one."
"Oh it's sure to ber said bis wife eagerly.
II cannot be mistaken. Do. Gregory, let us
go in and renew our emotions Of ten years
ago."
with all my heart my DEAR" replied her
husband. II may find them inside-the emo
ions, ! mean, not the years"
Once within Mrs. French looked carefully
about her. waiter stepped forward and drew
chairs from table close by.
"Oh, no! not here" she dissented, and she
stood for a moment evidently in deep 1efec-
ton, before she crossed the room with a GER
tain pretty fussness of decision to covers laid
near a corner window. This is the actual
spot, think" she said delightedly, and they
sat down.
Mr.. French studied the menu, while his wife
.unfolded her napkin.
, ,.And now" he said, what will you have to
Mrs. French sazed thoush.fully out of the
window moment before she answered: II
should like it to be the same, but it couldn't
have been soft-shen crabs. You know"
e Mr.. French looked his perplexity.
Il mean, want some soft-sheii crabs, but ]
couldn't have ordered them that night. for we
bad been by the sea all day, and of course. we
had eaten that sort of thing"
Perhaps you had steak with mushrooms"
suggested Mr.. French. "You have always
been fond of it."
Possibly did, You see, we had been en-
gagged some time"
Mr.. French waited.
"Of course, in the first tenderness of con-
fessed love / could never have ordered steak
with mushrooms-no woman could-it would
have been tOO-too-solid you know" and
Mrs. French looked over at her husband as il
she had made everything plain.
Mr.. French hid his want of perception in a
swallow of ice water.
WELL" he said, wiping his mustache. ''shall
II be porterhouse tonight?'
Yes. believe SO, and rare, though think /
did not tako it before" she added. apologize
mr. n. Ala
of the order and went away-"barring the rare
porterhouse, everything 10 quite the same. It's
tho very month, you know-eary September
and warm for the season. as it was then, only"
she broke of ssuddeniy-...your clothes we're
two or three shades lighter"
"How in the world do you recall that9"
''Oh, l remember thinking that after we
were married l should advise you to choose
somewhst darker goods, which look we'll longer
than light ones"
Mr.. French found himself wondering in a
vague way, as he caught this glimpse Of his
wife's generalship. If possibly the advising pro-
cess had extended beyond his clothes, but be-
fore he had time to formulate mental opinion
Mrs. French was speaking again.
but, Gregory. she was saying, "what do
you suppose we talked about years and wears
ago?'
II really don't know--the weather possibly"
replied he, somewhat literally, land, though
this is actual. not reminiscent, it looks very
much IKE ram AT THIS mOmCnG
1t does, lndeed-a thunder storm. too" as
sented his wife; then. anxiousiy, Il do hope
your sister is afraid OF lightning"
Yes" submitted Mr.. Ffrench with q rising
infection.
because then she will be sure to close all
windows and doors and it is so much safer. l
ought to have asked her that'-her tone grew
full OF care-''oh, dear, it 10 such a RESPONSE
bility to leave children. l thought made ar
rangements for every possible emergency"
''You certainly did" her husband replied,
80 long as your strength and time listed You
called back directions until wo had turned the
corner and then You sank back In the carriage
bfeathless.' Don't worry; Belle will look after
everything, and" he continued, as her face re-
tanned its troubled look, Il don't think at that
other dinner we discussed my sister or the chill
dren, either"
Mrs. French laughed and the meal went on.
They were slipping their coffee, with the
waiter lingering at that discreet distance which
10 compatible in walters mind with coming
departure, when Mrs. French had another
'rvo been watching our waiter" she said
slowly, land, do you know, his face becomes
more and more familiar. Il hardly seems pos
sible-yet ho b not so very young either-and
iss only ten years sso-I do believe, Gregory"
she fnished with enthusiasm, 'he 10 the identi-
cal man who served us before. am going to
speak with him, and the waiter, who had seen
Mrs. Firench's look Of interest, approachs in
terrogatively:
"No," said the lady when he vas beside her,
i've want nothing more, but have you not been
here some timer" q
Ever since came to this country, madame"
wasthe reply.
Mrs. French glanced triumphsntly at her
husband. =
II thought co." she commented, confidently.
land that was how long ago?" -
."About tho time this place was opened,
madame, almost year COW. It was . church
before that" he explained, ssbut IL was sold
and built over into tins cafe.''s g
Mrs. French did not reply and her husband
RETAINED from glancing at hor. -
She vas still silent when they left the restau-
rant . few momsnts later: ~ the street thsy
"Ohr said Mrs. French, clinging 70 her
hueband's arm, II do hope Belle 4 sfrsid OF
!iehtning," and her husband knew that -