The Palatka news and advertiser. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1908-19??, 1912-02-16

It was. The steak was broiled t.
perfection, the biscuits were so flaky
that even Mrs. Wilton was astounded
The coffee had percolated itself into
some sort Of nectar.
"say, young lady," Wilton remark
ed as he buttered his fifth biscuit
"this is dinner that must have beer
inspired. Why" helping himself tc
more steak and mushrooms, cts 8
regular poem!"
ooh, this isn't what I call q regular
dinner" declared Mrs. Wilton, dim
ping. 81 got in rather late from Mrs
Bentley's this afternoon and so
didn't fuss. But tomorrow we are
going to have dinner that will take
your breath away. I have the outline
of 1t already in my mind, and you
may bring that Mr.. Ridgely home
with you if you want to-"
"Well, If you can beat this dinner
you're a wonder. OF course, I'll
bring Ridgely. I've ben advising him
to get married when he's kicked about
boarding house meals, and a meal
like this one will certainly clinch my
arguments"
Directly after Wilton's departure
the next morning Mrs. Wilton sat
down and put the outline of the din
ner on paper. Everything worked out
so smoothly and looked so we'll when
written down that she felt as If the
dinner was already half prepared.
Her mind was easy when she pick
ed up one Of the new magazines. The
stories were interesting. When final
ly she turned from them she discov:
cred that 1t was too late to get sew.
eral of the dinner essentials in time
for them to be prepared properly.
With good deal Of reluctance she
rearranged the dinner. AS she was
on her way to the telephone to order
the new dinner materials the door
opened and Mary Powers ran in, daz.
zIing in her bridal finery and fresh
from a European honeymoon.
The sunny afternoon melted away
and when Mary Powers had vanished
young Mrs. Wilton stood in the mid
die of the floor and an awful forebod-
ing flooded her soul. She had forgot
ten for the second time to order the
makings Of that dinner!
One wild look at the clock told her
that the last delivery boy had gone
on his last round. There wasn't even
time for her to dress and run out aft
er the necessary things.
A sick fear came upon her and she
whispered hoarsely: There's not
thing in the housed"
Her feet were dead weights, her
head was incapable of thought and
her hands moved necessarily in mad.
dening purposelessness.
Away up on the emergency shelf,
where in a spirit Of joking security
her husband had put them, was the
can of salmon and the
pound of prunes. In the icebox were
four sad little chops. And she baked
sad little biscuits, and cake,
a pitiful-looking cake. 1t was then
past dinner time.
She arranged this narrowing feast,
turned the lights low and waited.
When an hour that seemed eternity
had slipped away and her head was
like a dynamo the door
opened gently and conscience
stricken Wilton appeared-alone.
Where's Mr.. Ridgelv?" asked Mrs.
Wilton in a far-away voice.
"Why, you see, Bess, well, I'm
sorry that I forgot about
your magnificent spread tonight, but
I had an out-of-town caller-Cheney,
you know, my best customer-and I
forgot about time. We missed my
regular train, and Cheney couldn't
stay over, so I didn't try to get home.
We had supper in restaurant. I'm
awfully sorry, girl, but"
Mrs. Wilton began to clear the ia.
BILE with cheerful rapidity.
Never mind" she said, "T worked
pretty hard over this dinner, but it
can't exactly be called an inspired re-
nasto