Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1912-06-13
Dinner
Adventures

through the DUSK. THIS was the tniru
time within q week that she had at
tended a reception and remained 80
long that her conscience, II not her
husband, reproached her.
I'll stay at home tomorrow and get
up q regular dinner. frills and al"
she promised herself, penitently.
The dining room clock chimed half
past s as she opened her door. There
was no time to change her dress, 30,
slipping q big apron over her fnery'
she few into the kitchen. There she
put on the kettle, turned the heat on
full blast under the oven and In ten
minutes more was Hopping biscuits
into buttered pans.
She few in and out Of the kitchen
and the dining room with the beauti'
full Quickness and sureness that some
times comes as q result Of a happy
restful, worry free day. She felt
somehow that dinner would be good,
even though It was hurriedly pre-
pared.
It was. The steak was brolled to
perfection, the biscuits were 80 faky
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 a dinner that must have been
inspired. Why" helping himself to
more steak and mushrooms, ITS a
regular poem!"
"oh, this isn't what call a regular
dinner" declared Mrs. Wilton, dim
pling. IT got in rather late from Mrs.
Bentley's this afternoon and 30 !
didn't fuss. But tomorrow We are
going to have a dinner that will take
your breath away. have the outline
Of It already in my mind. and you
may bring that Mr.. Ridgely home
with you II you want to-"
well, II 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 Wllton's departure
the next morning Mrs. Wilton sat
down and put the outline Of the din
ner on paper. Everything worked out
80 smoothly and looked so we'll when
written down that she felt as II 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
" she turned from them she discov-
cred that It was too late. to get sew.
eral Of the dinner essentials in time
for them to be prepared properly.
With a 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, DAG
cling in her bridal flnery 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 q
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 q spirit Of joking security
her husband had put them, was the
proverbial can Of salmon and the
pound Of prunes. In the icebox were
four sad little chops. And she baked
biscuits, sad little biscuits, and q cake,
O pitiful-looking cake. II 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
thtobbing like q dynamo the door
opened gently and q conscience
stricken Wilton approximations.
where's Mr.. RidgelY7" asked Mrs..
Wilton in q PARKWAY voice.
why, you see, Bess, E-well. I'm
sorry that / forgot about
your magnificent spread tonight, but
I had an out-of-town caller-Cheney,
you know, my best cnstomer-and I
forgot about time. We missed my
regular train, and Cheney couldn't
stay over, 30 didn't try to get home.
We had supper in . restaurant I'm
awfully sorry, girl. but
Mrs. Wilton began to clear the tn
bic with cheerful rapidity.
Never mind" Shs said, II worked
pretty hard over this dinner, but Il