St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1909-07-03

j. b. Lpplncott CO.,
comforts in a home of his own than
when knocking around in hotels Dy
himself" and he invariably added II
doesn't cost so much"
Whipple, like many others, desired
to make a good appearance and enjoy
every comfort, while begrudging the
money it took to pay for it.
The comforts that he talked OF were
due to Lily's ingenuity, thrift and self
sacrifice, and not to his liberall w. aS
he so fondly imagined
"Sit here, Mr.. Sterling" said Lily'
when dinner was announced.
AS Sterling seated himself ne lei'
the chair sway under him. oonie
thing was evidently wrong with lts
underpinning. By slyly experimenting
he discovered that the chair was l"D.o
to collapse with any sudden move,
ment. SO he sat stiff and erect. scarce
ly daring to reach for his napkin.
The napkin had hole IN 1t, through
| which he put his hand and regaroeu ~
contemplatively. Whipple had one N
as bad condition, If not worse; SO nao~
mother and Lily. They quickly
dropped them from sight and began
to talk with embarrassed haste' al
except mother; she was as serene aS'
day in June.
Mary brought on the soup. Wnlpple
passed the crackers, sand discovered
that the cracker jar concealed large
patch on the tablecloth.
The cut-glass carafe stood over d.
hole, and Whipple dared not move tne
butter dish for fear of what ne might
expose.
Mary removed the soup plates and
brought in the covered vegetable
dishes.
81 tell you, Sterling, nothing ike
home cooking" said Whipple in ms
boastful voice, pleasantly anticipating
the piece de resistance for which Mary
had gone to the kitchen.
The corners of mothers mouth
twitched, and Sterling remarked po-
litely that 'he supposed not" IL
Mary came in bearing a platter upon.
which rolled, like so many marbles,
six hard balls of chopped meat, the
soup meat in disguise.
whats this we have?" inquired.
Whipple blankly.
|. Meat balls" replied mother in her
sweetest and suavest tones.
Sterling pinched himself under the
table to keep back the fiendish desire
he had to yell when Whipple, after
pursuing one of the little hard balls.
around and around the platter with a
spoon, finally captured it on the side
and tried to mash it. It few from
under the spoon like quicksilver, and
another exciting chase ensued before.
he finally got it on Sterlings plate.
In the covered dishes were boiled
turnips, onions and potatoes.
The conversation during the meal
was forced, except by mother. 1t was
hard to be gay on turnips, but mother
dubbed over with good humor, and
Whipple's silent prayer was that the
meat ball would choke her to death.
Every time Sterling thought of the
comforts of home" he had fit of
and fro till the chills crept up and
down MS spine.
Pass the coffee, Mary" said Lily,
with sigh of relief that the end was
in sight. A hectic flush had risen on
Whipple's cheek Bones. AS he raised
the after-dinner cup to his lips, looking
fearfully about, as If wondering if
there was anything more that could
happen, the cup dropped off the han
die. Lily gave cry and Whipple exc.
cuted war-dance as the scalding cof-
fee burned him. Sterling started vio-
, lently as he heard the crash. His
chair collapsed and he fell in heap.
striking his head against the side
board with force that made him see
stars.
: Mother rushed around to see If he
had "hurt his spine" while Lily wiped
coffee from the wrathful Whipple's
waistcoat.
why, that must have been the cup
that I noticed had the handle glued
on" said mother innocently, and
Whipple glared at her with dark suspi-
cion.
That night, while Sterling was
vending his way to his hotel, ponder
ing upon the "whichness of the what
ness" of some people, and Of Whipple
:, in particular, that person was search
ing his pockets for greenbacks, which
he turned over to Lily with an air of
> righteous indignation and the en-
phatic remark that if she didn't open
an account with the butcher and baker
and buy some new table-linen, dishes,
] and chairs, and whatever she needed,
they'd shut up the whole Shooting
: match" and board
J Lily, who was wise woman, said
: nothing, but slipped upstairs later and
: Rugged her mother,