The suburban citizen., 1902-05-24

y
pay for the prospective repast. When
she unfolded the bank note, which she
had taken for a five before leaving
the house that morning, she gave a
gasp of dismay-it was only a one! A
further search brought to light the
imposing sum of thlrty-five cents, and
Mrs. Whippleton, disconnected, won
dered how hearty an eater Miss Schu.
bert would prove herself to be. As
for herself, she felt hungry enough to
eat full dollars worth alone but she
resolved to curb this untimely appetite
and content herself with as little as
possible.
MY dear Miss Schubert where shall
we lunch:' she asked carelessly, in
wardly hoping that her friend might
say ii did not matter so she could CON
duct her to some modest cafetier.
why, 1 don't know, I'm sure" re-
piled the other; "suppOsing we go to
Purcelrs."
Purcells! One Of the most expensive
places in the city, where you pay fifty
cents for a glass of water and the priv
ilege of sitting down iirs. Whipple-
ton felt Il cold chill creep over her
body, and her own appetite vanished as
If by enchantment.
Yes, Purcell's is a good place." she
affirmed family She was commencing
% be somewhat suspicious of Miss
Schubert, and she recalled to mind
several stories which represented mu.
sicians as half-starved class who
could devour untold quantities of food
as often as they happened to have the
opportunity. But hoping for the best
she plucked up new courage-perhaps
Miss Schubert was an exception!
They were soon seated at a cozy
table, Mrs. Whippleton ut the head,
with her friend and Harold on either
side. On the way 10 the restaurant the
latter had pressed his stomach convul.
sively several times and informed his
mother how hungry be was Harold
was not one of those spiritual boys
who live on the simple diet of thought;
on the contrary, full plate OF sub.
stantial food usually disappeared with
amazing rapidity under the well di-
rected attacks of his knife and fork,
and he often wanted more. This ap-
petite, upon which his mother had pre-.
viously looked with pleasure, was now
liable ~ prove fatal so she despairing-
ly thought, but she did not dare TO say
anything to him for fear Of attracting
her friends attention.
II think | will take some lobster q la
Newburg," suddenly remarked Miss
Schubert, after consulting the bill Of
fare.
Mamma, what is that? l want
some, too said Harold, impatient to
begin.
Mrs. Whippletons heart sank within
her, AMI she made "A rapid mental cal
culatlon. The menu said: Lobster a
Ia Newburg, 70 cents. Three times 75
equals $2.25-no, that was impossible.
mo, Harold, that is bad for your
stomach" she said, turning to her son.
Il myself am not very hungry, so
will just take a chop and there viii
be enough for you, too, Harold"
But, mamma, l can eat two chops
alone; always do at home The
boys voice broke off suddenly as he
felt his mothers foot descend with
force upon his own under the table.
Wont you have anything else;" in
quired Mrs. Whippleton, addressing
her friend and not needing Harold's
walls.
7Why, yes; l think would like some
French peas" returned the other.
Another mental calculation: Lobst ter,
75 cents: chop, so; peas, 20; total, S1,5O
the Rubicon was passed. Mrs. Whip
yleton was desperate and she resolved
TO die eating bravely and trust to
Providence to pay the bill.
Il guess / viii take some French
peas also; and you had better have
some, too, Harold-tnree orders of
peas she said, turning to the waiter,
"and you might make it two portions
Of chops instead of one"
Throughout the meal Mrs. Whipple,
ton was apparently the gayest of the
gay, but while her lips smiled and her
eyes beamed benevolently On her friend
her heart was heavy, and she Won
dered how il was all to end II she |
could only, by some mental process
few of her husbands green. |
backs into her own little purse. how |
she would rejoice But, alas thai was
impossible, and the account was stead. |
lily mounting upward. Every few mo-
ments Miss Schubert would order |
else; she appeared to have |
been fasting for weeks just for this
occasion, and every time she sent for
Il supplement, Harold would conclude |
that he would like some of the same. |
His mother let him go on in his mad |
course, for she felt that the crash |
might as well be big one as a small |
one.
Finally, after finishing with peach |
Ice cream and charlotte russo, the time |
for settlement arrived and Mrs. Whip |
pleton prepared herself for the shock. |