River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1897-04-01
AN 0MELET.
ny FREDERICK PALMER.

Copyright. Is9IJ
Prof. Hilsdrup tugged at the bell
rope for the second time and glared
more sayagely than ever at the beauti
full thing in crispy brown and yellow
lying between two sprigs of parsley
Such a frOs,n when aimed at such an
orleIct was unworthy OF any fair
minded man. AL of Mrs. HOdgsOn's
omeiets were wonderful, and this was
one of her best. IL looked 80 light as
10 enjoJn haste in eating IL lest a
draught should take il out Of the open
window into the garden as easily as il
1t were a thistle blow; 80 appetizing
as 10 pardon beforehand the breach Of
good manners in crying aloud for an
other as soon IS one had finished 4.
But the professor regarded IL as an
enemy which had treIcherOusly stolen
into his presence With murderOus in
tent. AggTa alton had followed aggra-
Nation ever since ne began the day an
hour ago with the headache which
promised Z bilious attack in the near
future.
When he had taken Mrs. Hodgson's
drawing-room fioO' with sitting-room
looking out ON delightful little gar
den and the bare nails OF the British
museum some three months before, just
as the winter Was breaking, and settled
down to work on his Isaac Newton
and His Compeers,' such an Omelet had
come up IN the company of well-IOad
al fruit stand for his nTst breakfast.
As he pushed his chair back from the
plate with only faint trace of yellow left
on il, he determined TO have that ONE
let's counterpart every morning. He
had it and enjoyed 1t with the leisurely
taste that euriches life for a man of
o.. until a friend who introduced him
TO mutton pie iuncheOns in the British
museum restaurant assured him that
eggs in any form whatever were the
making Of biIiousness.
In truth. between mutton pies and
hard work, the professors stomach was
quite out Of order. He imagined ii to
be worse than it was. thus making il
worse than It otherwise would have
been, and blamed all TO the ou-elet. To
send up an Omelet after he had ordered
a mutton chop appealed TO him on this
particular morning as downright mutt
ny Mrs. Ilodgson was getting him
altogether too much in her power, he
thought. lie rugged at the bell and
scUwled, and determined to have an
Understanding" at once
Good morning. professor" said Mrs.
uudgsOn herself. as she entered.
Don't you know" grow led the pro-
fessor, that | am of bilious temper
sment and omeIets are not good for
me?'
"Oue OF my omeIets?" she asked.
doubtfully. She had never seen the
professor in such a mood before.
-'All Omelets are alike. madam"
Mine are NO better than anybody's
eise!" she gasped-
Madam" continued the professor, in
n cold, hard voice. u told Harriet last
night that I most especially wanted
mutton chop for breakfast"
Then ate it,"
"You ate it?''
YES didn't know. Harriet didn't
say anything to the about H. ! sup
posed YOU would have an Omelet, as
You always have had"
Always. Always for three months.
It's wonder that / have anything in
my body except liVer!" He tried 10
Hunihilate the omelet with one glance
and Mrs. HodgsOu with another.
when / saw only ONE chop in the
larder.' said Airs. Hodgson. her natural
snap ana unity returning, Il suppose
il was for me. OF course, as usua..y
have a mutton chop tOr breakfast"
'Ah! lou don't eat your own ONE
lcts."
You don't eat your own manu-
scripts." she replied, with asperity. If
You will wait only q few minutes.
viii send ont for chop she added.
luore pleasantly.
NO" said ne professor, sitting down
at the table with the air Of a martyr.
NO I am busy man. Mrs. HOdgson-
] will eat this now that 1t is here.
Mud. Airs. IIodgsun, wish YOU would
not interfere with the papers on my
desk any more. Don't touch nay desk
arrange nothing. Threw away any
thing you find on the floor"
-'Iiut. sir. you showed me how TO fiN
them when YOU first came. and you
said did II 50 nicely and saved You
lot OF trouble"
That was too much. The professor
felt that his dignity was at stake.
Mrs. Ilodgsou." he Numbered, Il
shall leave " hen my wcck is up"
She tossed her head aud said: VERY
well!" with agSravatiug sweetness.
j he professor settled down to his break
last. mutterIus something about i'm
pudent womeu." Once out in the hall.
Mrs HOdgSon stamped her foot and eX-
claimed: the old fool."
The umeiet tasted uncommonly we'll.
a. il To tautaIize him. He ate il ali.
even To the last fragment. which tan
talIzed ntm still further. Then he went
over 10 his desk ~ write. His pen. his
paper, his notebook. were where Mrs
Iiodgsou bad placed them. which was
lust where they ought To lie. This also
was most tauIuIIziug. Yet. few min
utcs later, he fouad himself carving
his overcoat downstairs ON his arm as
usual. and haTbUring a faint notion
THAT he ought To forgive Mrs HoIgson
She was pruning the flowers on the
stand IN the ball. ard Harriet Was near
her receiving some order.
MIS- aloll>U4 NNAlu Aou-dlt - Ac
Hsked. politely.
Harriet" said Mrs. Hodgson. as she
continued TO snip of dead leaves. help
the gentleman ON with his overcoat"
As he went out tie professor slammed
the door 50 hard as fairly 10 make the
flower pots tremble. but Mrs. Hodgson
Only smiled. She had recovered her
dignity and her faith in her art. despite
sour criticism. The professor deter
mined never TO forgive her now. To
prove II he ats 'OraciOusiy Of the mu-
scum mutton pie for luncheon. The re-
tuit was indigestion. which he sttrib-
uted TO The omeiet.
He was rudyly awakened next morn
ing by Harriet. ~ no vas sweeping and
busting in has sitting-ruom. Hereto
fore Mrs. HOdgsou had made il a point
10 attend TO this herself. doing Il So
quietly thar the professor was never
disturbed. How ever. he had his chop
for breakfast: and everything else. even
TO the oyerc rat lying on the chair " here
he had thrown il the night before.
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