The Cairo bulletin., 1906-05-14
THEIR FIRST COURSE

were enormous. They were planning
Che menu for a very special clut
luncheon.
This wouldn't worry me one bil
II we weren't inviting boys Helee
confessed, anxiously. Helen was tbs
one with smooth, yellow braids wound
round her head.
Il know; that makes us more par
ucular.' agreed Louise, of the wavy
black tresses. AS she spoke she liftec
Two small hands and widened, yet
nttle more, the tremendous loops Of
white ribbon, which stood out behind
her ears.
Bur Gertrude, whose goldy-red locks
we're done up in curly halo--distract
Ing 10 behold and impossible to imt
tate tapped sheet OF paper with heI
pencit a1d remarked:
Girls, every minute counts"
81 knnw it and SO does every pen
ny. Still. we want the boys to thins
we do things In style, Of course" II
gas Helen again.
do you think they'd like to begin
With oysters?" volunteered Louise.
"Cysters!" Helen's face took on a
remin scent smile. ION the half shell?
Wen, can swallow them now, thanks
to Auat Harriet's butler!"
aunt Harriet's butler?" 1t was
not Gertrude who asked She was
pointe1ly looking at her watch.
"Ipidnr / ever tell you, Louise?
never atn a ray oyster in my life un
til Aunt Harriet invited me to New
port. used to practice when ! was
al alcnr and it wasn't bit OF use
I've been at places where it was posi-
tye.y rude to refuse them, but it was
a physical impossibility to do any
thing else, until ] got into that New
port residence Of Aunt Harrlet's, and
her English butler fixed his eye on
me. There were six oysters, Just as
usual. knew | couldn't, but | knew
ne expected me to. It was an awful
feeling. / knew | couldn't, no mat
ter what he expected, but | felt him
looking-and then, to my own aston
ishment, ! took one of those oysters
on my fork and swallowed it, Since
then / can do 1t every tlmel"
"Hurrhh for you!" laughed Louise.
Il was 10 years old when | ate my
first and my father gave me dollar
for doing it. 1t was huge, too-like
Thaekeray's.'
~Thackeray's?"
Girls, we must get TO work. inter-
posed Gertrude. What's this study
hour worth If we don't get out lunch
con planned?"
"That's right, Gertrude, Helen con-
ceded. eve might as well waste the
time getting our lessons il we aren't
going TO do any real work. But just
let me hear about Thackeray first.
Go on Louise"
you've heard 1t, know. and so
has Gertrude. He doubted the stories
about the size of our oysters Fefore
he came to America. and so James T..
Fields and some other friends OF his
conspired and got the biggest ones
they could find anywhere-perfectly
mammoth, you know-snd had Them
served to Thackeray with all SORTS OF
apologies about their being so small"
yes smiled Gertrude, relaxing for
a minnie. "And Thackeray Just
gasped when he looked at them, !
remember what he said, too, after he
had disposed of one. Fields wits
pered 10 him to know how he telt
and Thackeray whispered back: PRO
foundry grateful, and as II | had sual-
lowed little baby"
Horrors" shivered Helen. Cant
we have 5oulilon for the first course"
enc. T'm in favor of blue points"
Louise Insisted. "And oh, girls, that
makes me think of a funny story"
There's no time for stories,
Louise"
ct went take a minute, Gertrude
It's 2 true one, too--about a woman
who has made LOT OF money keeping
a fashionable boarding house. she
knows Al about course dinners and
fancy dishes, but she isn't very strong
on schooling, and II worries her a
little. So Sues always trying TO cover
the lacF BIZ telling what grand edu
cation she's going TO give her son
Well. ore night some professors az her
liable we're discussing the merits Of
various universities and she brole In
and sad: Gentlemen. I'd like 70
know What you think of Blue Point
That's the school my boys going TO- "
ooh. che. meant West Point!"
Great brain. Helen! You guessed
right. G"strvle, yor might have
aurhee, toe made it short
II cclldnt." said Gertrude, solemn
". her transparent skin suddenly rosy.
1T waa too tender subject Won't
you tease me about it If I tel' you
Never" promised the duet
Eve always hated oysters tnd |
Knew I couldn't swallow one rev I'M
iii La wrence May look me TO lunch
con about a year ago. He BEGAN by
,skinr how liked blue poin's and
told him politely: Very mr.h, in
leed,'"
"Brt what for " demanded two
voice.
What for 40 you suppose. could
rave fallen off my chair wien the
raiter broraht them end : saw that