Bradford County telegraph. (Starke, Fla.) 1888-current, 1900-02-23


grin from q hideous Joss head above
the heavy Persian portieres.
Isn't it a beauty?" Nan had said.
Poor fellow needs civiIiziug, that's
ALL" he returned.
There were cushions everywhere.
The three-cornered divan was banked
with all sorts and conditions; they
were piled. pagoda style, in une1-
pected corners and trapped the feet of
the unwary. 1t was a week before
he rebelled against being posed for
an hour at time on the divan, while
: Nan tried the effect of each pillow as
a background, to see which was the
most becoming to his peculiar style
of beauty.
But the chatting dish was the
bird" as he loosely informed the
boys down town, when they COM
mented on his growing slenderness.
1t was fair to look upon, fair in
promise, asi it stood in state on quaint
old Empire table near the tabouret,
its surface shining as silvery moon
light, its business-like appearance
suggestive of delicious possibilities.
And Nan never looked more charming
than when she sat Turkish fashion be-
fore the tabouret, and played presid-
ing goddess Of the chatting dish, in a
wonderful robe, the tint of dead La
France roses, with a girdle of old
beaten silver set with uncut Jewels
about her slim waist, and her pretty
hands fussing over mysterious jars on
the tray beside her.
But there was something lacking
The chocolate and rolls in the morn
ing were delicious, the chatting dish
feasts at night were enchanting, but
it was not until he strolled guilty in
to the Rienzi and ordered q porter
house that his vague ideas took q
definite form and he knew that
the soul of man is not to DO
satisfied with an eternal menu of
lobster and oysters and heaven knows
what, with entrees of Welsh rarebit
and Judges, the latter being a revival
of Mans college days.
After the first day it was easier to
transgress the unwritten law of 10y
atty to the chatting dish, and the Rienzi
knew him frequently; but when he
reached the little flat at night and
/ confronted the goddess at her shrine,
his conscience smote him, and he
caught himself noting her appearance.
She would never survive such diet.
He fancied tho dainty color in her
| cheeks was fading. AMI one night he
counted the loops on the silver girdle
to see if it had been clasped closer,
and he thought of the inner man, not
exactly "capon lined" but pretty near
it, and he longed to smash the delusion
and snare ON the tabouret, and march
Nan of to the Ricnzi for good square
meal.
Then came the big Farnsworth case,
and he worked on it like Trojan all
day to get a scoop for the first edition,
and that day the Rienzi knew him not.
1t was very late when he reached the
Barracks. From Sixth avenue he had
seen desolate form kneeling at the
window watching the elevated station,
and he was glad he had not waited to
get dinner down town.
Poor, dear boy" she said, CT was
so sorry for you, working away"
"GCt anything to eat, Nam" he
asked, his eyes looking over her shout
der at his old enemy.
Something lovely" she said. "Sal-
mis- of quail with olives, and some
other things"
Slowly aud deliberately Nugent
seated himself on the divan, and
watched the preparations with calm,
desperate interest. There was q rich
looking sauce, whose highly seasoned
| fragrance tickled his nOstrils, but the
quails looked like humming birds in
the light of his present needs, and by
the time Nan reached tho olives his
whole soul rose in revolt, and he said,
pale, but firm:
Nan, this sort of thing can't go on
any more. I'm tired of it."
A couple of olives rolled on the rug
and she looked up, waiting.
I'm awfully sorry" he rose and
paced the floor nerVously, wishing
she would not look so white. "Pd
keep it up il could, but it's no use.
I've tried, honest, dear; I have tried
for your sake. and now I've got to tell
you. Why, Nan, it wouldn't be fair
to you if 1 didn't, would it now?"
The salmis was cooking too rapidly,
and mechanically she e1tinguished the
flame
'It's a month Tomorrow" she said
in a queer, low tone as she rose and
looked at him, "and you are tired Of
it."
Tom squared his shoulders reso-