The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-04-29
Euening Story
Hurryi
BY CLARISSA MACKIE.

tons read poetry together. There
would be so little time to do that when
they were settled down and James had
to hurry so much" And so, during this
quently reminded his charming wife
| that to him food was a mere incident
of life. Had not old Omar said:
EHere with Loaf of Bread beneath the
Bough.
A Flask of Wine. Book of verse-and
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 pleasure 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 hus-
band off to catch the 8:15 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 Oman Khayyam, and Felicia
suspected tearfully that he was yearn-
ling for the flesh pots of his bachelor
days. To tell the truth, James was
! plainly dissatisfied. Compared to the
ruinous food that Biddy served even
the memory of downtown white-tiled
lunchroomS became endearing. 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 center piece of cut flowers.
Dear heart" sighed Felicia. who
looked ravishing in a silk negligee
sunny head, isn't this heaps and
heaps better than lunchroom which
looks like the inside of a refrigerator
and all kinds of smelly things cooking
around"
James peered into his cup of weak
| biscuits" shifted at the greasy plat
ter of blackened bacon and pushed
back his chair.
I'm hungry, Felicia" he said in a
strained tone. 'Honest-to- goodness
hungry for foodl Can't you fire the
cook and get another one, darling?"
II will send her away today, Jim
N.Y." said Felicia meekly, "but I am
afraid 1 cannot get another one. I
tried the other day and Miss Minchin
said all she had was a girl who had
worked in a lunch room-James New
you rather eat in that horrible white
p-pu-pla-place than in our lovely din
ing room?"
I've got to eat somewhere. some
how, deari cannot eat Biddy's
burned stuff. I cannot survive long
on the lovely table appointments or
browse on the bunch of flowers, can
II? OF course not-good-by, honey;
III have to race for that train after
Iall."
CO IT.. oao5 e. ~. 49,. =. +,
every morning, and Felicia stood on
the front porch and waved her hand
until he was out of sight Then she
/ turned back into the house and sank
down on the couch in the living room.
| Hurry! Hurrvi Hurry! all the time"
she grOaned. James wants to live
in whirlwind-he wants his food
prepared here so he can eat and run
in the morning and eat and sit down
and read at night-and-I'm going to
give it to him.
/ First, she cried. which cleared the
atmosphere considerably. Then she
went into the kitchen, paid Biady in
lieu CT months notice and let that
damsel go. Then she telephoned to
Miss Minchin to send along the girl
who had worked in a 1unchroom The
rest of the day she spent shopping in
town and working feverishly in the
pretty, white-enameled kitchen with
the new girl, whose efficiency was
somewhat dazed by her young mis-
tress's astounding proposition.
Meanwhile, James had reached the
lunchroom of his choice and enters to
eat griddle cakes and coffee and ba =
con and eggs. From the bottom of his
heart he loathes the whole tribe of
griddle cake bakers. During his
bachelorhood he had snatched hastv
breakfasts and luncheons from these
white tables and he had hoped that he
was done with them forever. Now he
braced himself for the ordeal, entered
and enjoyed hearty meal.
| Beside Biddy'S wreckage of food this
was nectar and ambrosia. At noon he
boIted down another meal with less
enthusiasm, and he began to look for
ward to the evening with its daintiIy
appointed dinner table and question
able viands. The roast would be over
done and the pie underdone, but there
was Felicia and home and quiet
Evening came and home once more.
he paused jim the front hall and shifted
the air. What was that sitting, IA
miliar smell?
Griddle cakes!
With darkened brow he entered the
dining room. 1t was dark and there
was no sign OF dinner. He opened the
kitchen door and stopped there, duh
with amazement. Some weird trans
formation had taken place. A large
screen hid the cooking range, but in
the middle of the floor was a large
white enameled table and in one cor
ner was small square one, with a
chalr before it. On the small table
was glass standard heaped with
folded paper napkins, a big sugar bowl
OF a familiar variety, pepper and salt
shakers and a typewriter menu card.
Felicia was garbed in white, with a
large white apron, and there was a
glimpse of a grinning maid Similarly
attired. Here in his own adored home
was the atmosphere of the hated
1unchrooms, and there was a crude
sign on the wall, Watch your hat
and overcoat"
Felicia came and pecked his cheek.
Isn't it great? So easy to prepare
things, so easy to serve and so easy
for you to eat, dear. Hurry, now and
sit down. Oakly Ransome has tele-
phoned for you to meet him at the sta
ton at 7:10 and go into town to some
new show. and you can make it if YOU
| hurry