Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1901-01-10
AT the RESTAURANT
By Lola Mitchell.


seeming to send forth an invitation for
all who passed to enter.
A woman sat at one Of the little ia
bles, waiting for her order to be filled,
when a man entered and, all the rest
being taken, was motioned into chair
opposite her. For a moment the wom-
an flushed, and the man bit his lip and
hesitated, as men do when fate has
played them an unpleasant trick, but
as he sat down her sense OF humOr
came to the rescue, and she laughed, a
low, ripping laugh, like the song Of
birds and the music of dancing waters.
To be sure, they had not met for
three years, and she had come to the
city to secure the divorce which she
knew he was all too anxious to grant,
and yet what a joke it was that she
should spend this first evening In res
taurant tete-a-tete with her husband.
for such he still was.
Hearing the slight sound of her
mirth, the man looked up, flushed and
embarrassed, but bowling formally.
She was surely a handsome woman.
of that rare type that improves after
the thirtieth milestone is passed, and
be found himself noticing, with touch
Of pride, the admiring chances cast
upon her.
1t was a table d'hote dinner, and the
woman glanced over the menu.
Chicken soup. Harry was always
fond Of it," thought she. 81 wonder if
he still puts in an extra bit of salt!
And she glanced across the table, only
to meet pair Of questioning eyes, and.
bIushing, bent resolutely over her plate.
The courses followed. Over her roast
pigeon there fell a most unreasonable
tear. Once, in the Clden days, she had
been i'll, and he had gone out with his
gun to shoot a bird for her, thinking
that it might tempt her tickle appetite,
but the gun had exploded, and when
they brought him home his hand was
wrapped in bloody bandages. She
wondered If the scar showed, but did
not dare look again.
AS for the man, there was a tighten
ing at his throat as he sat and watched
her while dish after dish was taken
away, scarcely tasted.
She used to make biscuit just like
those. and once when he had found her
in the kitchen and kissed her, with her
hands in the pan, she had powdered his
face, laughing as he had heard her for
an instant that evening.
What foolish children they were!
But what folly was that which prompt
| ed them to quarrel and her to go back
to her mother? Three years ago. He
had grown very old in that time, very
weary of life, and he wondered il she
had been happy.
At the table back of them little
child laughed, and both faces grew
| troubled There had been baby once
| in their home, but after the angels took
| it everything seemed to go wrong. He
looked up again but she was dividing
| a piece of chocolate cake and apparent
ly had not noticed the sound.
Carefully she slipped her fork into it,
| That was an old trick Of hers, and she
| always did it so daintily that one for
| got if it were correct form or not
Sometimes she used to slip mOrSe
thus impaled into his mouth. aud then
he gave her a kiss III payment. What
| if she should now?
How much happier they We're when
| they were childish and used to love
| each other Used to love each other,
| Why had they ever stopped loving: :
| Surely she seemed dearer tonight than
| ever before. His own little wife, for
week longer at least, and who could
| tell? Something might happen to bring
| them together again. If it only would
| then he could stay at home and give VI
| the Cuban trip. At home! How pleas
| ant the sound of the words. He felt q
| thrill of joy that the house had remain
| ed lust as it was when she went away
| Then he looked tenderly across the ia
| BILE, all his soul In his eyes, a yearning
eager glance in which were commin
gled the fires Of youth and the full
strength Of manhood.
She was still posing the bit of cake
| on her fork half medtatingly. Sudden
ly she looked up, with the old daring
mischievOus smile, and reached The
| dainty morsel across to him. Bending
down, he took it between his lips, anC
then rising, as if to go to her, he said:
"You know the penalty for that
Kate!'
She put up her hand and blushed
Not here; not here!' she exclaimed.
"Where, then?" he returned.
lets go home" she replied eagerly
"Never to leave it," he responded.
! You forgive me-?
81 was to blame, DEAR she answer
ed And they went out together.
AS they left the room an old man
near the door chuckled: honeymoon.
| ers, But who'd "a thought it at first?'
| What to Eat.