The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1921-05-25
Felicia's "Quick
Lunch Room"
BY CLARISSA MACKIE

tOh0 ACdu POCtly tO5CtHNhss ASAs
would be so little time to do that
when they were settled down and
James had to hurry SO much. And 80,
turing this blissful period. jaime:
Newton frequently reminded hi
charming wife that to him food was |
mere incident Of life. Had not elt
omar said:
Here, with a Loaf Of Bread beneath |
the BOugh.
4 Flask of Wine, q Book of Verse
and Thou
Beside me singing in the Wilderness
And Wilderness is Paradise enOw."
Felicia Newton listened and loved |
her lord all the more for his indiffer-
snce to the material pleasures of eat
ing and drinking. But Of course there
came an end to the honeymoon, and
here was the exquisite pleasure OF
the return home to the new house in
The suburbs, the little round Of social
events, the novelty Of getting a hus-
band of to catch the 8 10 train to
town every morning, and wrestling
with the vagaries OF an Incompetent
cook.
Within one short week after their
return home James Newton had
ceased to quote Omar Khayyam, and
Felicia suspected tearfully that he
Was yearning for the flesh pots Of his
! bachelor days. To tell the truth,
James was plainly dissatisfied. Com
pared to the ruinous food that Biddy
served even the memory Of downtown
white-tiled lunchrooms became endear-
ing. There followed days when he
quoted from the menus Of his quick
lunch palace amid the skyscrapers,
| and Felicia for the nrst time learned
that corned beef hash and griddle
cakes, well cooked, were esteemed by
her husband even above the peace and
refinement Of his own home, where
the table was spread with fine damask,
wedding silver and q centerpiece Of
rut flowers.
Dear heart" sighed Felicia, who
looked ravishing in silk negligee with
4 eobwebby lace cap on her sunny
head. isn't this heaps and heaps bet
ter than a lunchroom which looks like
the inside Of a refrigerator and all
kinds of smelly things cooking
lroundT'
James peered into his cup Of weak
coffee, stared at the petrified hot Ibis
cults" shifted at the greasy platter OF
blackened bacon and pushed back his
chair.
I'm hungry, Felicia" he said in a
strained tone "HOneSt-tO-gOodneS
hungry for food. Can't you fire the
cook and get another one, darlings"
II will send her away today, jim
N.Y." said Felicia meekly; ''but l an
afraid I cannot get another one.
tried the other day and Miss Minchin
said all she had was girl who hae
worked in lunchroom-James New
ton," as his face frightened, "woult
YOU rather eat in that horrible Whit
p-pl- pla-place than in our lovely din
ing room?' Mss
1--WE got To eat somewhere, some
how, dear! I cannot eat Biddy'
burned stuff. I cannot survive lon!
on the lovely table appointments o
browse on the bunch Of flowers, cal
L? OF course not-good-by honey; II
have to race for that train after all.
So Jim raced for the train as h
did. every morning, and Felicia stoo'
on the front porch and waved he
hand until he was out of sight. The
she turned back into the house an
sank down on the couch in the Twin
room. Hurry! Hurry! Hurry! al
the time" she groaned. flames want
his food prepared here so he can ca
and run in the morning and eat an
sit down and read at night-and-rr
going to give it to him."
First, she cried, which cleared tn
atmosphere considerably. Then sh
went into the kitchen. paid Biddy 1
lieu Of q months notice and let tina
damsel 60. Then she telephoned t
Miss Minchin to send along the gil
who had worked In a lunchr0om. III
rest Of the day she spent shopping 1
town and working feverishly In tn
, pretty, white-enameled kitchen wit
lu0 hCW FILL WAAVoC VAAA~AS&4Sy " q
: somewhat daxed BY her young mi
, tress' astounding proposition.
i Meanwhile. James has reached Ii
, lunchroom Of his choice and entel
, 20 eat griddle cakes and coffee an
} 1acon and eggs. From the bottom I
his heart he loathes the whole trit
! Of griddle cake bakers. During h
. bachelorhood he had snatched hast
, breakfasts and luncheons from thes
/ white tables and he had hoped tn,
he was done with them forever. No
he braced himself for the ordeal, e
. tered and enjoyed a hearty meal.
Beside Biddy's wreckage Of foe
, this was nectar and ambrosia.
: noon he bottled down another me
with less enthusiasm. and he begs
: to look forward to the evening vii
Its ,daintiiy-appointed dinner tab
and questionable viands. The roa
would be overdone and the pie unde
done, but there was Felicia and hon
. and quiet.
r..ousr- aocnn ara