The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1902-05-31

ed more. This appetite, upon which
his mother had previously looked
with pleasure, was now liable to prove
fatal, so she despairingly thought,
but she did not dare to say anything
to him for fear of attracting her
friends attention.
"I think 1 will take some lobster
a la Newburg," suddenly remarked
Miss Schubert, after consulting the
bill of fare.
Mamma, what is that? I want
some, too," said Harold, impatient
to begin.
Mrs. Whippleton's heart sank
within her, and she made rapid
mental calculation. The menu said !:
Lobster a la Newburg, IS cents.
Three times IS equals $2.25-no,
that was impossible.
"No, Harold, that is bad for your
stomach" she said, turning to her
son. "I myself am not very hungry,
so 1 will just take chop and there
will be enough for you, too, Harold. !"
But, mamma, can eat two chops
alone; Ialways do at home" The
boys voice broke off suddenly as he
felt his mothers foot descend with
force upon his own under the table.
"Won't you have anything else?"
inquired Mrs. Whippleton, address
ing her friend and not needing Har-
old's walls.
"Why, yes; I think l would like
some French peas" returned the
other.
Another mental calculation Lob
ster, IS cents, chop, so; peas, rs
total, 81. 5o-the Rubicon was passed.
Mrs. Whippleton was desperate and
she resolved to die eating bravely
and trust to Providence to pay the
bill.
II guess will take some French
peas also; and you had better have
some. too, Harold-three 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. Whip
pleton 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 wondered how it was all to end.
If she could only, by some mental
process, transfer a few of her hus-
bands greenbacks into her own little
purse, how she would rejoice. But,
alas that was impossible, and the
account was steadily mounting up
ward. Every few moments Miss
Schubert would order something else !;
she appeared to have been fasting for
weeks just for this occasion, and every
time she sent for supplement, Har-
old 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 we'll
be big one as small one.
Finally after finishing with peach
- ------- >.-1 oho~t-++e --.----, ill.,
time for settlement arrived, and Mrs.
Whippleton prepared herself for the
shock. But just as she was on the
verge of desperation, well known
voice sounded in her ears, and man S
hand was laid upon her shoulder.
With a cry she looked up and saw
her husband. Heaven had pitied her
and had sent messenger to release
her from her predicament.
As she arose and greeted him she
whispered softly in his ear:
Dear, dear, George; you have
come in the nick Of time. Here, pay
this bill, for I only have dollar and
thirty-fve cents"
Her husband looked at the account,
which had reached the Olympian
heights of $4.75, and with a side
glance at Miss Schubert, who was
standing a few feet away, engaged in
putting on her gloves, he asked in a
low voice:
''But what would you have done if
1 had not come?'
Mrs. Whippleton reflected for an
instant before replying, and then said,
calmly:
II guess 1 would have borrowed it
of Miss Schubert. But after inviting
her to lunch it would not have been
very nice to ask her to pay the bill,
would it
Hardly" responded her husband,
as he slowly walked up to the cashier S
desk.-W Exams Ba,nes, IN the Chi
oago Recotd-H Herald.