The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1921-06-09
Felicia's Quick
Lunch Room"
sy CLARIsSA MACKIE

IONS rehu poetry tosetner. Ahcts
would be so little time to do that
when they We're settled down and
James had to hurry so much. And so,
during this blissful period. James
Newton frequently reminded hi
charming wife that to him food was
a mere incident OF life. Had not ole
Omar said:
Here, with u Loaf of Bread beneath
the Bough,
A Flask OF Wine, y 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-
ence TO the material pleasures of eat
ing and drinking. But Of course there
came an end to the honeymoon, and
there 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 n hus-
band of to catch the S:lo 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 y%earDing for the flesh pots of his
bachelor days. To tell the truth,
James was plainly dissatisfied. Com
pared TO the rulnous 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 first 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 a centerpiece of
cut flowers.
"Dear heart" sighed Felicia, who
looked ravishing in a silk negligee with
a cobwebby 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 al
kinds OF smelly things cooking
aroundr
James peered into his cup OF veal
coffee, stared ut the petrifiej hot ibis
cults" shifted at the greasy platter o.
blackened bacon and pushed back hi
chair.
I'm hungry, Felicia" he said In
strained tone. "Honest-to-goodnes
hungry for foodi Can't You fire tn
cook aud get another one. d%arlingf"
~ will send her away today. Jim
N.Y." said Felicia meekly; "but l an
afraid l cannot get another one.
tried the other day and Miss MinchiI
said all she had was a girl who hat
worked In a lunchroom-James New
ton" as his face frightened, "woul,
you rather eat In that horrible whit
p-pl-pla-place than In our lovely din
ing roomf"
"Tve got to eat somewhere, some
how, dearl I cannot eat Biddy'
burned stun. I cannot survive Ion
on the lovely table appointments o
browse on the bunch OF flowers, ca
l? OF course n~ot-good-by, honey l.
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 llvin
room. Hurry Hurry Hurry! a
the time" she groaned. James want
his food prepared here so he can ef
and run In the morning and eat an
sit down and read at night-and-ri
going to give II to him."
First, she cried, which cleared III
atmosphere considerably. Then sh
went into the kitchen, paid Biddy
lieu Of q months notice and let thu
damsel go. Then she telephoned
Miss MInchin to send along the 81
who had worked In a lunchroom. II
!, rest Of the day she spent shopping
, town and working feverishly In Il
I pretty, white-enameled kitchen wit
Inc new girl, WHo5c cihcichcy WI
!, somewhat dazed by her young mi
: tress' astounding proposition.
y Meanwhile, James has reached Il
lunchroom Of his choice and ente
!. to eat griddle cakes and coffee al
bacon and eggs. From the bottom
his heart he loathes the whole tril
y Of griddle cake bakers. During h
y bachelorhood he had snatched has
, breakfasts and luncheons from the
. white tables and he had hoped tn
! he was done with them forever. No
y he braced himself for the ordeal, e
p tered and enjoyed a hearty meal.
Beside Biddy's wreckage OF fo'
this was nectar and ambrosia.
y noon he bolted down another me
- with less enthusiasm, and he beg
to look foryard to the evening wi
. rs daintily-appointed dinner tab
aud questionable viandS. The rOa