Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1901-02-28
AT n. RESTAURANT
BY Lola Mitchell.

1t was : O'Clock. and the lights glow.
ed brightly against the outer darkness
( seeia!ag TO send focthean Invitation Tor
| all who passed to enter.
A sat at one OF the little "a.
bles, waiting for her order to De tIled
when a MAI entered and, all the res,
being taken, was motioned into a chat,
| opposite her. For Il moment the won.
an flushed, and the man bit his LID and
hesitated, as men do when fate In
| played them an unpleasant trick. bur
as he sat down cher sense OF humv
came to the rescue, and she laughed, 4
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 1t was that she
should spend this first evening in a 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 md
embarrassed, but bowling formally.
She was surely a handsome woman. |
Of that rare type that improves after
the thirtieth milestone is passed. and
he found himself noticing, with n touch
Of pride, the admiring glances cas-
upon her.
1t was a table d'hote dinner, and the
woman glanced owe the menu.
Chicken soup. Harry was Away.
fond OF it," thought she. II wonder Il
he still puts in IN extra bit OF saltT
And she glanced across the table, only
to meet a pair Of questioning eyes, and
blushing. bent ~resolutely over her plate
The courses followed. over her roast
pigeon there fell a most unreasonable
tear. Once. in the olden days, she had
been i'll, and he had zone out with his
gun to shoot IL bird for her, thinkiu:
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. Sb
wondered if the scar showed. but did
not dare look again.
As for the man, there was a tighten.
her while dish after dish WAS taker
away, scarcely tasted.
She used to make biscuit just liz
those. and once when he bGd found he;
In the kitchen and kissed her. with be-
hands In the pan. she iaI powdered hi
fa,n a,,rhtrxv NO w, rt.1 hnar Al hnr ~
an instant that evening. -
What foolish chi dren they were
But what folly was that which prompt
ed them to- quarrel and her TO 60 bact
TO her mother? Three years ago, tie
had grown very old in that time, verv
weary of life, and he wondered if shs
had been happy.
AT the table back of them a litile
child laughed, and both faces gres
troubled There had been a baby ono
In their home. but after the angels too
1t everything seemed to go wrong. h
looked mp again, but she was dividn:
a piece of chocolate cake and apparen1
~ had not noticed the sound.
Carefully she slipped her fork into
That was an old trick OF hers, and sj
always did it SO daintilv that II fMI
got If it were correct form or mo-
Sometimes she used to slip n morsd
| thus impaled into his mouth, and the
| he gave her Il kiss in payment. Wha
IL she should now?
How much happier they were wbe
| they were childish and used to lew
| each other. Used to love each otbd
Why had they ever stoppfd loving
Surely she seemed dearer tonight thar
| ever before. His own little wife. for
| week longer at least, and who coub
tell? Something might happen to briH.
them together again. If 1t only would
| then he could stay at home and give W
the Cuban trip. At home. How pleas
| ant the sound Of the words. He felt
| thrill of joy that the house had remaIl
ed Just as II was when she went ava!
Then he looked tenderly across the Is
bic. all his soul in his eyes, a yearnini
eager glance in which were comIMh
gled the fires Of youth and the fh
strength Of manhood.
She was still posing the bit of cas-
on her fork half meditatingly. Suddel
ly she looked up, with the old darlns
mischieyous smile. and reached ts
dainty morsel across to him. Bendlbs
down. he took II between his lips. ans
then rising. as II TO 20 to her, he SAID
You know the penalty for ths'
Katet'
She put up her hand and hlushea
mot here: not here!" she exclaimed
where, them he returned.
Lets go home" she replied eagef!
'Never to leave it," he responde'
"You forgive me-"
II was to blame. dear" she aDs"V T.
ed And they went out together.
As they left the room nm old ns'
near the door chuckled: "Honeymoop
ers, But who'd "a thought ii at first
-What to Eat. TO-