South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-04-21
Us JACk CHANGED?

TO take a good look at this cousin
brother Of mine after his years alb
sence. Every time I had attempted
il ! had met his eyes fixed upor me
with an inscrutable look that puz-
lied and EN- EMBARRASSED me. Now,
however. ne was occupied with the
menu card. and 1 stared openly at
him.
He had changed very little, / told
myself. OF course, ne was terribly
Drowned by his year in the ,ropics,
but otherwise he was the same
handsome. well-set-up chap / re-
membered 50 well.
He looked up caught my gaze,
and into his blue eyes flashed the
old merry teasing look that knew.
Giving me the once over?" he
asked in a low tone, mindful Of the
waiter: then in his ordinary voice,
Made up your mind yet what you
want2"
"Oh. won't you order, please
Jack2" j asked.
Cant be done" he returned
merrily. This is your party. My
only part is TO show that / remem-
Der your ldNOIllEss VI EOuIEts you
want some escargots."
We both smiled at the recollec-
ton the name called up. In the
days when "A dinner with Jack was
the one recreation my Flooding life
afforded me, he had once per
suaded me 10 eat some escargots.
When they were served, and 1 dis
covered they were snails, / had Or
dered them taken away at once, the
very idea Of them upsetting me
Later. 10 please Jack. who was very
fond of them, / had tried one then
another. and after a number Of
dinners had become IS great a
lover of them as ne was.
oh, surely" 1 said. cot course,
escargOts."
The waiter heard me. and bent
deferentially toward me.
1T is to, bad" he said in care
ful English. but il is impossible
for us TO get the escaTgOts on ac-
count OF the war"
That's too bad" said Jack. 4
suppose there will be a number Of
our favorites we can't have. can't
realize yet there is a war. You see,
j didn't hear of il unit! a few weeks
ago when we first got out OF the
wilderness"
The waiter waXed confidential.
You'd know II if you were here,
sir" he said respectfully. Almost
all our boys have gone back to
tight for France. I wish L were
only young enough TO go"
We looked around the restauran:
and confirmed his words. The wait
ers were all men over middle age,
not a young man among them. L
gave little shiver at the thought
of what il all meant Jack saw IT,.
MEMORIES AND DANGER.
Wen not talk of IL any more. %
ne said. How would you like oys-
tiers instead of escargots?"
Those will be very nice" I
smiled at him. In reality 1 was far
from hungry. But 1 would not spoil
Jacks pleasure by telling him so.
What next. consomme. or isn't it
here YOU used TO get that chicken
broth you liked so well?"
How wcll YOU remember. Jack, %
I exclaimed in establishment.
do YOU think I could forget e''
he asked quickly. Something i'm his
tone gave me that vague uucomfor-
table fear again.
The chicken broth here is very
good" 1 said hastily. Let us have
some"
All right, 7 know you don't like
fish SO what shall be the grand
centerpiece
I knew Jacks favorite dish. for
tunately- If he coui5 sit down in
front Of Just the right kind of steak,
thick. juicy. brCiled just right. ne
was happy.
"A steak. By all means" 7 an
swercd. II haven't had "a good one
In ages"
I'm sure you're saying that to
please me-" Jack protested, but ]
haven't the heart 10 say no You
an imagine the food I've lived or
ia South America. But YOU must
order the rest Of the meal"
Surely will" ] said. for knew
The things he liked. Baked pota-
toes. new asparagus, buttered beets
RENAME salad. and We'll talk about
the dessert later.
The waiter bowed and hurried
away. You're either clairvoyant
Margaret Or
Perhaps 7. too. have a memory
returned gayly. and then regret.
ted the speech as I saw the lcol
that Ieaped into Jacks eyes.
II wish / was sure" he begaH
inpetuously. then he checked him
self L wonder whether we are 10,
early for any music he finished
lamely.
Il am afraid So" 7 said.
1T doesn't matter anyway W,
want 20 talk. not 20 listen. I've go
something 20 tell YOU my dear. tina
I've been thinking about ali thi
year I've been gone"
GIVE ME TIME"
7 did not realize the impulse tina
made me stretch out my hand. la,
IL upon his. and ask gently.
Please. Jack, don't tell me any
thing important until after dinner
feel rather upset anyway. Let