The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-11-02
LUCINDA LEE-DYSPEPTIC.
By Vivinn G. Hayes.
Copyright, 1922, by the Wheeler
Syndicate, Incl

Syndicate, Incl
Baxter street was deteriorating
sadly! There was no doubt about
it. Miss Lucinda Lee, from the
veranda of her stately ancestral
home, sent whitening glance
across her own fair Nexpanse Of
green lawns and graceful shade
trees to the unsightly yard and
weather-beaten house beyond the
iron fence Half dozen children
laughed and shrieked And gam
boiled ritously through the house
barn, and yard. A motherly look
ing woman in blue ginghan
apron Sat upon the rickety door,
step peeling potatoes and, inc.-
dentally, referereeins~ a lively
game of steps"
Miss Lucinda thrust forward hel
head. Her aristocratic nostrils di'
lated. She shifted daintily, ther
backed precipitately toward bel
front door. Boiled dinner again
For the second time in 10 days! Il
was outrageous, preposterous! The
very smell of the vulgar, indigesti'
BILE fare made her positively ill.
Two red spots glaKed in her sal
low cheeks. Miss Lucinda realized
that she was becoming excited
Excitement was bad for her heart
the doctor had said. He had hint
ed at terrible consequences should
she allow her self to become ex
cited. Gracious. She must take
one of those little pellets immedi'
ately.
Miss Lucinda hastily. repaired tt
the dining room, and, selecting Z
bottle from The heterogeneous as
sortment of TASKS and boxes sur
rounding her, plate, extracted {
small pill and swallowed it in :
tiny glass Of carefully sterilizet
water. She noticed with great sat
isfaction that her heart actor
seemed much stronger directly aft
er taking it. which was remarkable
and spoke we'll for the medicine
qualities of sugar candy pills.
Miss Lucinda now took from be
side her plate small book which
contained a list Of articles of foot
which the doctor had forbidden hel
to eat. The list included practi
cally everything that was particu
larly worthy of human consump
ton, so it was a very simple mat
ter indeed to find the meagre Sup
ply which was not banned. An(
so, at the back of the book, Mis-:
Lucinda had jotted down a little
inch paragraph, headed simply
Things l CAN Eat"
Todey she decided on boiled rice
and started rather slowly and re
luctantly to cook it. She eazed q
the little white particles abstract
eddy and sighed as she placed thu
kettle upon the stove. A curious
empty, gnawing sensation had re
placed her heart SPELL" Miss Lu
cinda anxiOusly analysed he
symptoms and decided that sh'
was fated to have an indigestion
SPELL il she did not at once take
spoonful of certain potent whit
powder dissolved in wine-glass o
lukewarm water. She did SO a
once, but experienced no relief.
She wandered aimlessly back Il
| the kitchen. Her eyes roved owe
the pantry shelves. Suddenly he
face lighted up. She pulled dow
her mothers old Cook Book" and
sitting in the big rockingham, sh'
turned the yellowed pages eager
ly. her eyes dim with old memo
ries.
A vague, elusive odor Of long for
gotten spice cake seemed to creep
as though long imprisoned, from
the leaves, like the savory breatl
of an old-time kitchen on q bus.
baking day.
Many Of the recipes we're in he
mothers cramped, old-fashionet
writing. "Elscalloped oysters!'
Miss Lucinda drew in her breath
slowly. longingly. What perfectl.
wonderful escalloped oysters moth
er used to bake. She could almos,