The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1918-03-14

porch.
I'VE certainly do" | assented idly.
why not give our digestive appa-
ratus rest2" she propounded.
why notT l rushed to my doom. l
was having my two weeks vacation
and was too happy at being able to
spend 1t on the island to care any
thing about an argument.
Il suggest that we fast for a week"
A suggestion like that put me in q
nice fix. don't mind stating that at
that time l was about 210 pounds of
eligible bachelor, aged thirty-five, COM
fortably in love with Lucille, but too
old and set In the complacent selfish
ness Of single blessedness ever to pre-
tend to be a Romeo. The idea of fast
ing gave me a sinking sensation right
where there was the most room to
sink.
"What?" calculated, forgetting for
the moment that l had reputation for
ready repartee.
Il said, why not fast. for a weekr
read an article by Upton S. Clair
about it just this morning. He claims
that fasting thoroughly rebuilds the
system, gets rid of all toxins and in
creaseS the mental efficiency so per
cent"
She picked up magazine which was
propped open face downward on the
lower shelf of the porch table.
Listen to this" she continued. Eat
ing three meals day is simply hab-
1t. We have made tyrants Of our stom-
achs. They demand to be fed every
few hours, and if we answer that de-
mand we are slaves There, that
sounds like the reasoning of Il thinker,
doesn't it?"
1T sounds more like the reasoning of
thinker than Of an eater"
Lucille reproved my dippancy. II think
1t would do us all good
But feel all right now" l called
her attention to an obvious fact.
She dismissed my objection. You
can't be healthy unless you fast for
week at least once year. Upton S.
Clair says so. Mother. you'll try it.
won't your
TRY what"
Fasting for a week.
why. yes, if you want to-" Her
mother picked up book as if she had
decided nothing more momentouS than
a question as to whether she preferred
cream or lemon in her tea. She had
been used as an experiment station for
SO many years that nothing surprised
her.
l got up casually and tried to slip in
doors. but Lucille stopped me. Don't
you think it will be lovely, Montmo-
rency?"
collapsed into a chair. which col
lapsed Immediately after l did. She
had called me by my first name! Yes:
is my first name. 1t
sounds like several names, but it Is
only my first. That first name thing
made it very hard to refuse. As l sat
there on the porch surrounded by legs,
rung and other parts of a chair ter
rife struggle went on in my being be-
tween my heart and my stomach. and
the weaker party won. Possibly my
mind was stunned by my fall, although
have no recollection of hitting my
head. felt that Lucille was putting
me to the test. From the look in her
eye | knew that she was asking me to
choose between love and beefsteak.
So rising phoenix like l answered
bravely, Yes; l think fasting would
be delightful"
So that was how we began.
As you can easily see. the cause of |.
the trouble was that Lucille is one of |
those persons who take the magazine !
health and hygienic writers in good |
faith. 1t is impossible TO convince her |
that those fellows have to make q liv- |
ing by their pens the same as other |
human authors and that every bizarre |
idea they can pounce on means just |
so much more copy at regular rate
per word. No, Lucille must needs try !
by experiment every new theory. using /
herself or any convenient relative or
friend rs n laboratory.
The absurdity Of Lucile's attempt to |
improve upon her health and looks is
apparent to any one who has ever been |
blessed with a sight of her. You can't !
make slim young body like hers by .
simply rolling ON the floor for an hour .
every day, nor are soft brown eyes
with long. curly lasheS the result OF .
chewing any particular number of |
times upon piece of stea'-. Nature
must have been experimenting a good .
many centuries before she got lust
that particular texture for hair and |
that peculiar shade Of cream velvet for
compilations.
at this particular time for nearly
twenty-five years she and nature had
been uninterrupted by matrimony in
their job Of decorating. so that it is not |
TO be wondered at that they had turned
out well nigh perfect product. There |
is nothing unfinished about her.
One of her early spasms was Fletch.
erism; then she struck the nuts and |
berries icea. / was guest at her home |
the summer Ehe tried both of these |
things out. II you are gOirg to Fletch-
erie, a piece of old boot tastes Just as /
good as steak, and it is more econOm. !