The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1918-01-01
Where Did
You Lunch2
By Annabel Wade
By Annabel Wade

Es~~~~~~~~~~~~~
(Copyright. 1917, by the Mcclure Newspa-
per Syndicate.l
"Hello, Bob"
"Oh, hello, Jane"
"Bob, mother just telephoned from
the country that she's coming to town
for the day, and I'm going to meet
her. Can't you have lunch with usY'
why, yes, I guess so. WhereT
cat the Ivey Lane tearoom-you
know, In Thirty-ninth street. We've
been there"
"Oh, yes; one of those frothy'
whipped-cream places-I know!"
swell, it's all right, Bob--and moth
er loves their chicken pies
I'm awfully sorry, Jane. but I've
thought of something. I'm afraid l
can't make it. I've just thought OF
something-an engagement, you know.
A business engagement, dear, that L
can't very well break"
sWhy, Bob. how funny! First you
said yes and then you said no. You
have to have some lunch. don't your
"Yes, but I'll just run in my usual
place. It's right In this block, you
know"
"But. Bob, please comet"
II tell you can't"
81 think you're perfectly horrid. to
spoil my day like that"
"Oh, for goodness sake. don't begin
] that. don't see what difference lunch
| makes. If you're crazy to have me
lunch with you, why don't you come
down to my placer
81 wouldn't have lunch with you for
anything, Bob Lane. Crazy to lunch
with you! l should say not! Not 10
that greasy little Italian table d'hote
place, anyway"
snow, Jane. don't go and get all
excited"
I But Jane had snapped back the re
clever on the hook and she heard nc
more. With wrathful thoughts she
hurried into her coat and furs and left
the little apartment, where, as she
thought sadly. Bob and she had sc
lately had delightful breakfast. She
hurried downtown to meet her mother
It was a preoccupied Jane who
shopped that morning, and usually
Jane liked shopping. That was why
Mrs. Carter, her mother, had teie
phoned that she wanted to buy new
furnishings for the living room In hel
country house and wanted Jane t.
help In selecting them.
whats the matter, janet" asked
Mrs. Carter, as they made their wal
from one Of the shops to the Ivy Lane
You haven't taken bit Of iDferes
in anything we've DONE"
| I'm Just upset about Bob. He''
acting so strange, mother. He woult
not have lunch with us today"
| Maybe he had an engagement. Yol
know the Ivy Lane is mile or 81
from his Office"
"But first he said he would and theI
he said he wouldn't, and he never act
ed that way before"
| Probably the poor boy is rushed t.
death and just can't take time. d.
be sensible, Jane"
| "But, mother" explained Jane. ''h'
called the Ivy Lane a horrid, old
frothy, frivolous place. or somethin;
like that. 1 think that was hateful"
Mrs. Carter laughed. "Men neve
like tea rooms" she said. "Wher'
does he usually got"
"Oh, to a grubby little Italian table
d'hote down In Eighteenth street"
"well, let's go down there and sur
prise him. He probably just couldn'
stand the thought of lunching In I
tea room, crowded with lot Of shop
pers. There aren't many men usually
at the Ivy Lane. you know"
$50 you suppose that was it?' Jane:
face cleared a little. II thought HI
just didn't want to lunch with me
But maybe that 1t is. Oh, mother
you're wonderful. Let's go right dowr
to Eighteenth street."
Jane was buoyant. Bob himself hat
suggested that they meet him at the
table d'hote, she remembered. Yet fol
a little while she had almost felt jeal
GUS Of Bob. Jealous! OF Bobi The
idea was absurd. And. anyway, what
was there to make her jealous because
Bob hadn't wanted to lunch with her.
A few minutes later Jane with
spirits restored to their usual cheerful
| pitch walked down the two or three
| steps that led from the sidewalk level
to the italian table d'hote where BOZ
| lunched daily. Jane had been there
before, and as the savory odor Of the
| stew on which the chef of the little
place specialized met her nostrils she
suddenly saw Bob's objection to the
| whipped-cream sort of lunch she usual
ly got when shopping. A good sub
stantial meat dish-that did make q
more staying lunch for man. And
as she served corn bread and whole
wheat mullins for breakfast and tried
| to have fish several times week for
| dinner, she couldn't blame Bob for
indulging In luncheon each day that
could make him forget wartime re-
strictions.
Jane smilingly bowed to the pro-
prietor.
I'm Mrs. Lane" she said. "Will
you show us Mr.. Lanes tablet"
The proprietor graciously bowed
them to a corner table, where Bob al
ways lunched. But Bob was not there.
They sat down and waited. But Bob
didn't come. At last they ordered
lunch and ate 1t.
1nat is, Mrs. Carter ate 1t. Jane
did not. She toyed with a roll and
crumbled 1t with her nervous fingers.
And she did not even taste the Won
derful stew.
"Jane, you're the silliest girl ever
saw" commented Mrs. Carter, as she
ate the good things provided by their
Italian host with q relish. IL really
think that. with as good husband as
you have, Jane, you ought to show a
little self-control and confidence. You
are jealous now, aren't your
II am not Jealous" fiarei Jane.
"Only why on earth did Bob tell me
he was coming here when he didn't
intend to at all. He knew / wouldn't
come here-I never would ha re, If 1t
hadn't been for you. All the time he
intended to have lunch SON E place
else"
"Of course. what you're thinking,
Jane, is that he is having lun h some
where else with somebody ellie. isn't
itT
"Well, I'd like to know how I can
help thinking that ~