Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-06-16

ne ecstatically curled his bare toes and
exclaimed Never, never shall ! forget
this shortcake" We allow him the toes;
the remark we refuse to accept.
When he was iftv-five-we realize that
from fifteen TO ffty-fve is an unfor-
givable jump in the life of hero, but
this tale is ungarnished in its truth-he
suddenly remembered his aunt's short
cake and ii rounded out his life with
gratifying completeness. His period OF
forgetfulness is, though at first tneXplica-
BILE, really not so strange when one eX-
plains that he had been occupied in earn
ing his living, acquiring habits and taking
on flesh. These are all important things,
they all require time. and to an old gen
tleruan Of any pretensions whatever they
are absolutely necessary; at tifty-flve ne
had an income. a fair amount OF time on
his hands and the memory of that hfst
stra berry shortcake was berehcently
sent him. AT once he was on the alert
he cultivated new acquaintances for the
purpose of pumping them; he refused
nner invitations for the purpose OF try
ing new restaurants where there lurked
possibility of the existence of the one ana
only kind OF shortcake. He became III
time an authority on strawberry short
cake: he knew every deceiving menu thdt
bore old fashioned Shortcake' in shame
less black letters on its front; ne had IN
terviewed managers, lectured waters.
dragged chefs from their rightful places
into the embarrassing glare Of the dining
room. once he had even made tour OIL
the smaller New England towns IN hopes
that honesty and shortcake would remain
intact amid simple. bucolic surroundings.
At another time he had eaten two dinners
in one evening for fear that change
would be made in COOKS at one or other
of the restaurants II he waited even I
day. yet never, and here appears the I'M
believable tragedy of our tale. had he
found the shortcake of which he was IN
search. yet he was not discouraged nor
had ne been made bitter: it is possible
that his nature lacked a certain sweet
ness, a calm that it would have had If he
had met with success earlier in life, but
otherwise the only difference was an ar
dor that increased with every year and a
stanch philosophy that enabled him 10
continue his search in spite of nightly
diSappointments.
The old gentleman now sat drumming
his fingers on the table and bracing him
self for the walters return. He knew
he was not to receive anything fit to eat
has it been mentioned that he always
spoke so of the shortcake offered him and
after the first damning taste bore out
his words by refusing to eat more and
insisting that every one else follow his
example-so he got out his overcoat, pull
ed on one glove. and, sitting on the edge
of the chair with his hat on his knee,
would almost have gone home if it had
not been that the bill was still unpaid
and that an emphatic Bah" would GER
tainly be necessary. 1t was; connection
of such messiness was put before him that
he gave his customary snort followed
by the BAH and, declining to descend
to a taste, he slapped down some money
with such violence that the waiter upset
the shortcake on the floor. and staiked
from the place. Now stalk is invariably
impressive. especially from the side ana
rear views, but it is seldom comforting
to the stalker. 1t leaves him with hol-
low feeling in the small of his back-a
sense of damp misery that II extreme
drives one to immediate and opposite ac-
ton. That is why, after having slammed
door (even if you only do it mentality
and stalked from the house, you are so
apt to give a coin to the first beggar
you meet. This is purely selfish and is
merely done to take the tasteof the stalk
from your back. The old gentleman, hav-
ing stalked with great earnestness. felt
the need of making some one instantly
and not!ceably happy, and. being the old
gentleman he was, he decided to limit
his comfort 10 hlmSelI. II mao started "
rain while he was in the restaurant, and
he now stood on the corner peering dis
out from under his umbrella
and wondering how he could best wipe
out the stalk. He looked up the street
and the glistening wet pavement only
made him think of possible rheumatism.
He looked down and caught glimpse
of his club, which added to his misery.
as ii was only last night that he had
struggled unsuccessfully with the club
chef. The resultant shortcane had aged
the old gentleman considerably. Really
there seemed nothing to do; wind had