Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1900-08-10

she broke on suddenly. Il sometimes
wish David wouldn't take so much In.
torcst in mixing my work easy"
Bat David's interest kept right up
TIC urged the use OF the code with I'M
firing zeal, aud one day when pretty,
black eyed Nora actually cane and
filled tho water glasses IN answer to
"three short riDgs' he glowcd with I'M
~rpeakabie pride and declared that they
must really give a dinner.
Eight is The pro~er number for u
table," lie told bis wife. And then he
Jegan to plan the menu.
Mrs. Blakey was a cheerful, gay lit
tie body az tire time Of her marriage.
aud the sparkle isn't entirely gone.
She looked vevy pretty on the night OF
the dinner. The table was perfect; the
cut glass bla2od with rainbow hucs.
the silver dazGlcd ntA the loral cen
terpiece was n credit to Mr.. Blakey's
taste. The feast a 10 be rather more
p%Totcntious than anything Mr.. Blakey
had heretofore planned, but he hal no
fears about The service. lie relied OH
TIE code. Mrs. Blakcy. on her part,
was determlned 10 please David by APP
penring quite UNCONSCIOUS whenever
she sigualed Nora. Tho consequence
was hat her smiles aud attention to
the man on hec left during the soup
course half tirncd his head.
How delightfully."- clever; do tell me
another Mrs. Blakey was saying to
him. brightly, as her small foot pressed
the button and tolegraphcd Nora TO
''clear table for next course"
Nora appcareJ-a dream Of delight IN
a black dress. an exquisite apron and
a brand new butterfly cap that Mr..
Blakey himself had selected aud
brought home for the occasion. She
waited for the cue. She never so much
as glanced at Mrs. Blakey, who in her
turn kept her eyes dctermincdly away
from the maid as she chatted en- with
The man at her left. Nora fitted about,
deftly removing soup plates.
Suddenly Mrs. Rlakey felt herself
pierced by her husbands gaze. Great
heavens! what was the girl doing2
Finger bowls after the soup! Had she
given her the wrong signal? The
guests were looking puzzled and
watching their hostess. Mrs. Blakcy
rose TO the occasion and desperately
dipped her fingers. while she peremp-
torlly gave the signal for next course.
Away went the finger bowls, and Nora,
with n wild lock Ia her pretty eyes,
began TO bring in black coffee.
"UorribiG!' calculated Mrs. Binkey
to the man IN her left, who had just
finished quoting her a little quatrain Of
his own. Then she a~pol0gized, with
one eye on him and another on Nora.
who was floating past her, all uncon-
scious OF appealing giances and furtive
clutches at her sleeve. The code of
signals was eddying like a whirlpool
In Mrs. Blaley's aind. The coffee was
finished and something must be done.
She gave one long, continuous ring.
and watched b~reathlcsSly to sec what
would turn w. y cold Precipitation
started upon her forehead. Another
refund OF nuger bowls! And while they
were using them, Nora. with n face
like n lobster, passed the bread.
II wa 4 long dinner-the largest and
most indigestiblc that either he or Mrs.
Blakcy lad ever eaten-but II came TO
an end at last, The guests had de-
parted, and Mr.. Blakey stood with his
hands in his pockets looking rcproach-
fully at his wife as she sobbed it out
on a sofa pillow.
Suddenly she sat up and gavc a
shrek Of laughter. Then another aud
another.
"Eleanor! E%leanor!" cried Mr.. Ola
key, in alurm. Whats the matter3 Is
lt-hysterics?"
"Hystcrics-no" she echoed. with
another burst of laughter. "It's-its
masculine brains and business meth
ods!'
And that was one time when Mr.,
Blakey spelled out a new page in his
primer of life.-Chicago Record.