Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1903-11-10
SHORT STORY FOR
EVENING HOURS
The BORROWED DINNER

Mrs. Penhatchet was standing be- /
fore the mirror giving her hair and /
her costume the final tovChes before +.
leaving the house to make an after /
noon call when Elizabeth Ann, tried .
and true domestic of the Penhatchet
establishment. came dumping up the
stairs with a telegram.
THE boy is at the door, ma am,
said Elizabeth Ann. and he wants you
to sign on this line"
Mrs. PenhatChet did not become agi-
tated in the least degree at sight OF
the envelope because her better half
has cheerful habit of firing them at
her about once a week and she knows
they bring no news more terrifying
than the information that he will not
be home to dinner or that he could not
get the theater tickets she expected.
She signed on the proper line and
leisurely opened the envelope. Then
her brow clouded, for this was the
message:
viii bring home two friends from
England. Have a good dinner, be-
cause they have been knocking Amer
lean cooking TOM
Some women upon receipt of mes
sage like that would have abandoned
the afternoon call, changed their hap
py garments for a working costume
and thrown themselves earnestly into
the mad pleasures of the cuisine. But
Mrs. PenhatChet has acquired wisdom.
That afternoon call positively could
not be put of. Besides, II was unneC-
essary to do anything 50 desperate,
she reflected. She could trust Eliza
beth Ann. who was a wonder at the
gas range.
In two minutes Mrs. Penhatchet had
lp!anned the dinner and had written
out the order for the grocer and the
/ butcher The next question was to
| dispatch II TO those eminent trades
men and as Elizabeth Ann was in
THAT condition of domestic dishabille
which precluded her going into the
streets Mrs. Penhatchet drafted the
services of little Willie Winters from
1.-THE neighborinE yard. pressed dime
into his willing fingers, addressed him
earnestly upon the necessity for haste
III transmitting the order and sent him
upon his way. These things accom-
Iplished and Elizabeth Ann having re-
ceivcd detailed directions as to the
pI eparatiOn of the meal which was TO
show Mr.. PenhatChet's English friends
that Chicago people do not live upon
roots and herbs that gsntleman's wife
went bli,h"iv upon her way to make
her call.
The slow hours of the afternoon
dragged along without bringing any
thing 10 Elizabeth Ann down in the
hot kitchen. except haunting COnvic-
ton that something was wrong some
where. She did not become really wor.
ried until It was past o'clock and
there was nothing doing in the line OF
provisions from the groCer's. For all
her skill at the gas range, ii must be
admitted that Elizabeth Ann Is not
particularly resourceful. In the alb
senCe of the directing mind. which was
just then making an afternoon call.
Elizabeth Ann was helpless. She had
one brilliant thought wave, however,
She could boil the potatoes. Then she
could plead that she had done the best
she could with what was on hand.
The lonely potatoes were bubbling
merrily on the range and Elizabeth
Ann was vaguely wondering what
would happen next when Mrs. Pen
Ratchet came home.
The things didn't come yet" eX-
planned Elizabeth Ann, simply.
What" shrieked Mrs. PenhatChet.
And it's after O'Clock! How do you
IeXpeCt to get any dinner at this hour
of the night? That little wretch Of a
Winters boy must have gone to the
wrong store or forgotten to go at all or
something. Get your things on right
away, Elizabeth. We will have to have
some conned stuff"
Elizabeth Ann was stirred into a
,semblance Of normal life by the vivac-
ity of her mistress and within ten or
fifteen minutes had made herself pre-
.entable and disappeared in the diTec-
lion of the stores. Long before she re-
turned Mr.. Penhatchet and his two
guests arrived. Mr.. Penhatchet was
never so light and airy. He seemed
inclined to talk Of nothing but eating
and Mrs. Penhatchet struggled in vain
to turn the tide of the conversation &c
some safer topic
: IT'S most extraordinary thing,
said Mr.. simpson, the English visitor
what quantity of timed stuff you
! Americans eat--canned, ! believe yor
call it,"
! Mrs. Penhatchet heard the raspinl