The Columbus courier. [volume] (Columbus, Luna County, N.M.) 1911-1920, 1918-06-07

AFFORD II, I'm surprised that you use
II, knowing how active Lollnbclle was
In food conservation"
A gloom spread oyer the party with
these words, and although Mrs. Keen
did manage 10 eat MI OF the refresh
ments, and apparently with relish. she
said she did 10 because II wns lust as
wicked TO waste them as II was TO vio-
late any OF the other regulations %
the food administration, and then,
turning 10 n Of the guests; "Atr.
Blink, don't you think that the Glenn
plate idea Is splendidf'
Taylor remembered Inter that he had
heard Of wheatless day before and that
he had also heard OF mcntlcss day.
But he had left those things 20 Lolln.
belle and he imagined that she had In.
structcd Dlnlh 10 make my necessary
restrictions Of that sort. Now h.
thought Of Il. they had been having
meat every dny-s0mctlmes twice and
three times n day. and there had been
bacon every day.
II was the day after his guests had
one and he was h%urrylng to his
commuters train. through the short
bnck-cut. when he beheld Mrs. Keen
lowering In his bnck yard. lie paused
and shielding himself behind a lilac
thlcket, watched her as she went gin.
rerly M 10 the large covered pals In
which Dinnh deposited refuse from the
kitchen. Mrs. Keen removed the cover
and, with a stick. poked about with n
critical gnze. Presently she brought
M the stick with n piece of bread
almost n quarter Of n lonf-jnbbed on
the end. She examined this infinitely
and for 1--WE minutes more examined
various trophies that she brought 90
HIGHT In this way with equal attention.
"well. I'm comparatively In the dark"
thought Taylor as he took 10 n jog trot
80 II 10 be able 20 catch his nccus.
toned train. As he was hurrying ON
he met Patricia. Patricia seemed 20
blush M he spoke TO her and. for some
reason that Taylor did not wish to nn-
ulyze. he felt the color rise 10 his own
checks Just n little. and he went to
town that day with m 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, M he had 10 visit his nnncee and
the dancing friend had announced his
engagement. He actually thought OF
seeking Pntrlcin's society for consoln-
tlon. but Patricia was unnccountnbly
cool 10 him. Mrs. Keen had called one
day and delivered n long lecture 10 old
Dinah. which Dlnnh did not under.
stand, and had left n little card which
she wanted Dlnnh 90 read and then put
up In her kitchen window. But Dlnnh
only muttcred to herself after she had
told Taylor OF the proceedings and said
something about reckoning she'd
skimp for no one-lcnst 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 sccen.
trlc. was poklng around In the refuse
pals In his back yard. Once he met
Mrs. Keen and some other women ~
her following on the station platform
and he felt that they all looked upon
him with something like GOODNESS.
For two or three evenings In sue
cesslon he telephoned TO Patricia 20
ask whether he could not come 20 see
her, for he was lonely, but always
Mrs. Keen answered the phone and
made some excuse for Patricia. Then
one warm night ns Taylor was sitting
dejectedly smoking In n little summer
house In Lollnbelle's garden. Patricia
stole through the hedge and came and
sat down by him. II Just had to ex-
plain" she told him. Mother hasn't
let mo see you. She's so unreasonable.
And-now-now she says she'll report
you 10 the food administration officer
and she would-only she found that
Lnllnbelle Is the food administration
officer In this district. but she snys
you let Dinnh throw away lots ~
bread and things. ana she got the
butcher boy TO tell her that you have
meat every day--and you know the
cake. But ! know you emit help II.
You don't mean 10 be unpatriotic, do
you, Mr.. perryf'
And then after Mr.. Perry had with
almost unnecessary fervor assured her
Of his perfect loyalty aud thanked her
for coming TO explain TO him, she
nsked: How much longer win Miss
Lollnbelle be gomez"
1.-TWO months" sighed Perry. "You
don't mean TO tell me I've got 10 keep
track Of all those mentless and pork
less and wheatless days all the rest
OF the summer. do your
II don't believe Dlnah could
so there isn't anything else to do, Is
therei"
"Not unless you took pity on me and
married me. Patty-Patty. Il Is your
patriotic duty-put II TO your mother
that way and maybe she'll consent"
what a perfectly wonderful idea"
sighed Patricia. IL suppose II would