The Tucumcari news and Tucumcari times., 1918-06-06

| uuOru IL, L IN surprised tnnt you use
Il, knowing how active Lollabelle was
In food conservation"
A gloom spread over the party with
these words. and although Mrs. Keen
| did manage to eat all of the refresh
ments, and apparently with relish. she
said she did so because It was Just as
wicked to waste them as II was to vio-
late any of the other regulations Of
the food administration. and then.
turning to one of the guests: "Mr.
Blank, don't you think that the clean
plate idea IL splendld?"
Taylor remembered later that he had
heard of wheatless day before and that
he had also heard of meatless day.
But he had left those things to Lola
belle and he imagined that she had In
structed Dinah to make any necessary
restrictions of that sort. Now he
thought OF II, they had been having
meat every day--sometimes twice and
three times day. and there had been
bacon every day.
II was the day after his guests had
gone and he was hurying to his
bnck-cut. when he beheld Mrs. Keen
lowering in his back yard. He paused
and shielding himself behind n lilac
thicket. watched her as she went GIN
gerly up to the large covered pals In
which Dinah deposited refuse from the
kitchen. Mrs. Keen removed the cover
and, with stick, poked about with
critical gnze. Presently she brought
up the stick with piece of bread
almost quarter of loaf-Jabbed on
the end. She examined this mlnutely
and for five minutes more examined
various trophies that she brought to
light In this way with equal attention.
well, Tn comparatively In the dark"
thought Taylor as he took to Jog trot
so as to be able to catch his accus-
toned train. AS he was hurrying on
he met Patricia. Patricia seemed to
blush as he spoke TO her and, for some
reason that Taylor did not wish to an.
alyze. he felt the color rise to his own
cheeks just little. and he went to
town that day with an annoying re.
currence of the image Of the pretty
Patricia as she had looked when she
passed him.
Before another week had passed
Perry was frankly alone. His engaged
friend could not spend another week.
end, rs he had to visit his fiancee and
the dancing friend had announced his
engagement. He actually thought Of
seeking Patricia's society for consola.
tIon. but Patricia was unaccountably
cool TO him. Mrs. Keen had called one
day and delivered long lecture to old
Dinah, which D!nah did not under.
stand. and had left little card which
she wanted Dinah to read and then put
up In her kitchen window. But Dinah
only muttered to herself after she had
told Taylor Of the proceedings and said
something about ''reckoning she'd
never sklmp for no one-least wise not
when she was cooking for Mr.. Perry"
Once or twice after that Mr.. Perry
noticed that Mrs. Keen. who must have
suddenly become exceedingly eccen.
trio, was poklng around In the refuse
pals In his back yard. Once he met
Mrs. Keen and some other women Of
her following on the station platform
and he felt that they all looked upon
him with something like coolness.
For two or three evenings In sue
cesslon he telephoned to Patricia to
ask whether he could not come to see
her, for he was lonely, but always
Mrs. Keen answered the phone and
made some excuse for Patricia. Then
one warm night as Taylor was sitting
deJectedly smoking in little summer
house in Lollabelle's garden, Patricia
stole through the hedge md came and
sat down by him. ~ just had to ex-
plain" she told him. Mother hasn't
let me see you. She's so unreasonable.
And-now-E)w )w she says she'll report
You to the food administration officer
and she would-only she found that
Lollabelle Is the food administration
officer In this district. But she says
You let Dinah throw away lots Of
bread and things, ana she got the
butcher boy to tell her that you have
meat every day-and you know the
cake. But I know you can't help it.
You don't mean TO be unpatriotic, do
you, Mr.. Perry7"
And then after Mr. Perry had with
almost unnecessary fervor assured her
of his perfect loyalty and thanked her
for coming to explain to him, she
asked: 'IIow much longer will Miss
Lollabelle be gone?"
"Two months" sighed Perry. you
don't mean to tell me I've got to keep
track Of all those meatless and pork
less and wheatless days all the rest
OF the summer. do your"
~ don't believe Dinah could
so there isn't anything else 10 do. is
there"
mot unless you took pity on me and
married me. Patty-Patty, It is your
patriotic duty-put It to your mother
that way and maybe she'll consent"
"What perfectly wonderful idea"
sighed Patricia. ~ suppose 1t would
have to-to happen pretty soon."
Coaua NaitIs xn Aun.aaiS,,