The Washington herald., 1917-09-03

er that runs IL is regular hay
| seed-but he's put that place on
the map. Picks his vegetables for
every order. You wait an hour for
a meal-but it's worth it,"
"Jove, that sounds like the real
thing" approved Warren. always
an enthusiast over freshly cooked
food.
Hes an independent old cuss.
Won't serve large parties-and MOTH
ing to drink. But with that food you
don't miss 1t. Never saw such vege-
| tables-and no demi-tasse portions.
They brought in a huge plate OF corn,
piled up-and we put away every ear.
Best corn 1 ever ate. And the string
beansr'
Helen, thinking OF the peas, shot a
resentful glance at the genial Mr..
Clawson. Why must he talk about
vegetables and bountiful portions?
She tried to change the subject, but
stimulated by Warren's responsive in
terest, he launched into a glowing de-
scription of the mixed green salad
served in a huge punch bowl.
Helen visualized the portions from
the solitary head of lettuce-about
four leaves each-and her antagonism
LOT MT. ClaWSOn increased.
The appearance of the roast was
greeted with relief. 1t was the only
thing OF which there was enough. She
had bought that roast intending to
have IT cold tomorrow and hashed the
next day. What IL they had come on
the day scheduled for the hash!
oh, dear, not half that for me-"
protestingly, as Warren carved her
two liberal slices. You know I'm on
diet"
"Eh? Diet?" Then her warning
glance silenced him.
Since she would have to take very
sparingly OF the vegetables, Helen
felt her dieting would seem more
plausible II she began with the roast
of which there was an abundance.
But this feminine finesse Warren
failed TO grasp.
When a moment later Nora
passed the peas. the small mound
looked lost in the large vegetable dish.
Helen. as the hastess, was served
hrst. With murmured reference to
her diet" she took barely a thimbie-
You can't have vegetabIes?'' in
quired Mr.. Reed with surprised SYM
pathy. why, that's hard"
oh, it's only for a few days" won
dering desperately IL there were a
diet which allowed meat and barred
vegetables.
Both Mr.. Clawson and Mr. Reed,
genially unconscious. helped them
selves literally. Then the much de-
pletcd dish came TO warren's elbow.
Arguing with Mr.. Reed on the
future of the Russian government,
and absorbedly blind to HeIen's
Geographic glances. he scooped up
the last of the peasl
In tragic despair Helen now
watched the fate Of the potatoes.
nora mad riced them to make them
appear more-but the flaky mound
was pathetically diminutive. OF
Ihese Two warren took unsparing-
~: Ihere was not enough left of
either vegetable to be passed again ,
With nervous tension Helen mo.
tloned Nora to pass the pickles and
jelly. But their masculine appetites
were not to be diverted bv condi-
ments, which they refused with a
polite. mo. thank you"
The crucial moment came when
warren helped both guests to a sec
ond generous slice of roast-neces-
sltatlng more vegetables. Again
Helen passed the bread, pickles and
Jelly' not daring TO ring for those
almost empty vegetable dishes.
IL was when Nora came in to re
MI the wine glasses that Warren
made the ineXcusable break. AS
she replenished his glass, he paused
long enough to say quite audibly.
The vegetables"
Nora'S expression and the rush Of
scarlet to Helen's face seemed To
electrify the air. There was a tense.
awkward pause. Then Warren
threw back his head and roared-
deep. infectious laugh.
love. I forgot! The jokes on
me. 1t was case of {. z. l."
IF: g. IL" puzzled Mr.. Clawson.
Family go light Never hear
that? Mrs. Curtis warned me to go
light on those vegetables-but I
forgot and pitched in
fortunately most men have a
wholesome sense of humor. and the
iaugh was long and hearty. Even
IN her confusion Helen was con-
scious of a throb of gratitude that
her guests were not women. for a
woman's attitude towards such a
situation would have been more ef-
fusive and less sincere.
TT really was an imposition" Mr.
Reed turned to Helen. 1--WE told
curtis 1t wasn't fair to ring us in
like this"
'oh, mono, not at all-that is. IL
you don't mind very neager dinner.
You see I'm trying to comply with
the new economies-to cook only what
we need"
That's quite right, Mrs. Curtis.
days"
Here, Clawson. have another slab
OF roast" urged Warren. There's
plenty of this, anyway"
The size of the roast seemed a con-
trad1ction to the economical regime,
SO Helen, falling into spirit CT frank
ness, confessed shyly,
You're fortunate in cornins this
evening. Tomorrow wen. have cold
roast, and the next day-Pm afraid
it'll be hashr'
We'll, that would make a hit with
me-" Mr.. Reed assured her. There's
nothing like better than homemade
roast HASH
Before this frank. humorous accept
ance of the situation, Helen's con-
strained embarrassment was swept
away. Even the appearance of the
salad. conspicuously skimpy, failed to
disconcert her.
"Clawson, your story of the road
house couldn't have been very nopl-
lar with Mrs. Curtis laughed Mr..
Reed.
That was rather raw, wasn't #?
But they didn't have anything better
than this homemade bread. No, I'm
mt sa ,rins that ~ h. ...slia. % 49,