South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-03-01
TETE- BEFORE THE
GATE ONCE MORE.

Wen, well. a regular drunkard' s
breakfast. Madge, is this your idea,
or do / recognize Katie's fine Ital-
ian hand 2'
Dicky surveyed the dinner Katie
had just served with a whimsical
look, We were taking a combina
ton breakfast. lunch and dinner,
the first food either Of us had touch
ed since Dicky had ushered in A
most exciting p hours by slamming
out Of the apartment the night be-
fore in a towering rage.
Having repented and been shriven
only a few moments before, Dicky,
like most penitents. appeared To
have forgotten his sins completely.
The memory Of the long hours OF
the night when I had been frighten-
ed by the sight Of Dicky intoxicated,
and worried by his failure to come
home; the thought of the day just
passed, when Dicky in one room
slept off bis intoxicatiOn, and / IN
another mad suffered terribly with
a headache. Swallowed my Joy in our
reconciliation. But Dicky was in
royal good humor.
This is Katie's idea entirely" |
replied. II really have had no ex-
perience in this sort of thing" /
added demureiy.
Dicky made a face at me. An
answer 7 knew was on the tip os
his tongue. but Katie's indignant
voice interrupted:
'Meester Graham. why YOU say
me Italian. Me no dago, me Polish
girl. / tell you dot odder place, but
YOU say always, Katie's Italian hand.
Why you do dot?"
Dick threw back his head and
laughed uproariOusly. Then he put
his hand in his pocket. As he drew
it out l saw that it held a bill.
See what this will do toward
soothing your wounded feelings" he
said as he held it out.
Katie put her hands behind her.
NO. no, cot too mooch." she said,
but / saw her eyes fixed greedily up
on the money.
Nonsense" Dic1y answered.
throwing the bill on the table. "a
dollar isn't too much for this life
saver and being called an Italian to
boot"
He lifted TO his lips as he spoke
the cup of steaming clam broth
which Katie had served us as a
first course. l already had drained
mine. 1t was indeed delicious, but
dollar tip seemed ridiculous TO
my frugal mind.
Take il. Katie" His voice held
a note of command, and Katie pick
ed up the dollar.
you can call me vat you pleesc
for dis" she giggled. as she put the
empty cups on the tray. "You try
dis salt macker-el. Dot is goot
for she hesitated for a word.
For what ails me-" suggested
Oicky mischievously. to Katie's con-
fusion
II no mean noting" she said. as
she hurried into the kitchen.
/. looked critically at the dishes
ready for Dicky's serving. If this
were a "drunkard's breakfast"
told myself, it certainly was an in
centive TO a man TO indulge in too
much liquor. l never had known
that salt mackerel could look 81
inviting. Katie had soaked them
all day until they were like fresh
fish. Then she had plunged them
in boiling water, and 8ad seen
her watching them anxiOusly so that
they should not remain in the water
an instant after they were cooked
sufficiently. She had drained them,
laid them on a hot platter garnish
ed with parsley and poured over
them a most inviting looking thin
sauce. the principal ingredients Of
which / recognized as hot milk and
melted butter.
Boiled potatoes. piping hot. and
a salad that gave "a forecast of
spring. 90. crisp watercress sprinkled
thickly with chopped chives. and
a plate of hot buttered toast COM
pleted the meal. which even il
had not been as ravenonsly hungry
as / was would have tempted me TO
eat heartily
DicLxv did NOT apppar as hungry