The daily Alaskan., 1917-07-24

coffee in the morning, ana the CnouSuI of the inhuman way was about to treat my "tummie" depressed me more than usual The table was ghastly white, unbroken by the usual cheerful array of steaming hot dishes, At each place was large glass of water and q napkin. What the napkin Was for ] failed to discover. imagine it was what the anthropologists would can "a survival of culture"
 I've have ffty-eIght five gallon bot ties of distilled water" Lucille in- formed us. "I wonder if that will De enough. It amounts to nearly a hun dred gallons apiece"
 I made a nasty calculation and de- cided that a hundred gallons of drink ing water would last me the rest of my life.
 Mrs. Green, Lucile's mother, was, pa- tiently cheerful and drank three glasses of water like a sponge. I didn't care much for mine. had previously had no Idea that water was so flat and taste less. It is also an. extraordinarily elus- i've and clammy thing to put into anr empty stomach which is eagerly eI- pecting bacon and eggs, mufins and coffee.
 T feel better already" Lpcile said gayly as we left the table. My mind is clear-I have wasted none of my vital energy in merely digesting food"
 knew that she was quoting .Llpton S. Clair, whom I was beginning to re- gard with dlsfaYor, to say the least, but I refrained from voiclng my optn- ion of a man who will help women to get even more fool ideas than they can think up by themselves.
 I took a cigar from my pocket cut the tip off carefully with silver cut ter Lucille had given me the previous Christmas and was about to light 1t when she stopped me.
 "No, no, no; you mustn't Did l for get to tell you that while We are fast ing we have to give up all sttmulRntS and narcotics, such as alcohol and to- baccoT
 "What-cut out smoking for week Y
 Certainly" she replied firmly. "In the first place, if you don't you will he deathly i'll; in the second place, the whole object of the fast is to rid the body of all toxic poisons, such as nicO- tine, alcohol and so forth. By the time you have done without tobacco for week I should not be surprised if you never smoked again"
 "Nor me either" reflected giOomly out loud. "I'u be dead"
 "Of course if you don't caresto make | the experiment" Lucille said Jelly, 'I'n put off tie fasting for another week until Frank Bopp is here. I'm sure he will be willing to try it."
 This was waving a red flag at me Frank Bopp was my rival After her reference to him would have gone without breathing for a week if she had suggested it Bopp Is thin, con- versational insect who can perch on the arm of a girls chair and chirp by the hour. Sometimes regret that for architectural and educational reasons can't do that, and then l remember what other men would think of me if I could, and am solaced l refrain from saying what think of the name "Bopp."
 Thus through my love and Jealousy I was led into deeper water or, shall I say. more water because somebody handed me a glass of the stun every few minutes. 1 drank 1t in the vain hope that l could drown the inner man, who seemed to be yelling for help all the time and kicking ne just below the belt buckle when. he didn't get it.
 That morning we went for a, walk.
 "Walklng is the best exercise In the world" Lucille stated. "It is excellent for reducing surplus flesh around the abdominal region"
 Invariably she had little stinger for me concealed in any remark she might make. I have since learned that this is sign that a woman takes proprie- tary interest in aman.
 Before we went she fed TDotles, her long haired pup. Tootles is Onegof those dogs so constructed by nature that when you want to look them in the face you don't know where to look often wonder If Tootles herself isp't5in doubt as to which end to wag.
 Isn't Tootles going to fast, SooI" I protested. Cant she stand 1t ss well as camp
 Possibly she could do, it, Lucille said as she gave her a, dog biscuit, "but she hasn't intelligence enough to understand why she should go without food"
 I'm not far above Tootles in .intelli- gence, then" I remarked, but under my breath this time, so she could not hear
 After watching Tootles eat we went walking. Whenever go Walking tn the city hire a taxic4b. If I want to see nature in all her grandeur do l go tramping through the woodBS,s I dc not. buy seat at a'mOVtng picture show where they are running west ern outlaw film. Mature for ntckel' IL is my motto. Fatigue is. eliminated