Evening star., 1922-07-08
They Paid in Kline.
ME entire Lindsay tribe was


having a gigantic midday
Sunday dinner with their
"Uncle Lafe." 1t was very,
large family party, but one that was
joyful indeed. for patriarchial-looKins
Lafayette Lindsay was really the Old
est member of the clan and much
elated over the fact that the young
est members of it were twins. .,,,,
Uncle Lafe" lived on beautlful
old farm few miles from Jonn
home town, a most delightful spot on
the banks of willow-Shored river;
The huge white house was located
far back from the road under arcning
elm trees, with a long. narrow dining
room in an ell-shaped wing. But.
long as it was, 1t was taxed to us
capacity on the eveptful Sunday When
.'Uncle Lafe" had what he called ms
twin party" Many of the guests sat
at overflow tables on the porch out
side. But the twins themselves, quite
unaware of the honors being thrust
upon them, sat with their pretty ut
tie mother beside the head Of the
tribe.
Which made things rather difficult
for their mother. for Uncle Laie >
idea of true hospitality was to force
large quantities of highly indigesti-
BILE food upon his guests, young and
old. Merriam viewed with dismay
the vast array Of what Uncle Lafe s
!, hired girl kept referring to as good
company victuals"-great piatters o.
fried chicken, plates piled high with
huge hot biscuits. big bowls of cream
gravy. big bowls of fried potatoes,
with never vegetable that was
suited to three-year-ol tummies, anu
quantities of pickles and jellies and
jams, all of which was capped by
three kinds of pie and endless kinds
of iced cakes.
Merriam was honestly trying to
feed her twins according to Hoyle,
! but for once she was hard put 10 IL
| to find enough simple food to satisfy
\ their sturdy appetite.
| mo, Dicky, dear; no. Dicky. she
| kept saying as the various viands
/ were pushed on their plates. Not for
| small persons. Let Merry take 1t
, away, dear. Sometime when were
J bigger No. no, Dicky. Merry can't
iflet her bestest boy have a tummy-
mo pie" snorted Uncle Lafe."
| Tut. tut! What's this world coming
to? Never heard of such foolishness.
Little piece O. pie never hurt any
Lindsay! l brought up this whole
| TRIBE on pie!" He waved his hand
amidst the family's laughter. Pass
up those plates! No pie, indeed" The
/ genial old tyrant vetoed Merry's man.
date. you just pitch into that pie!
It's the best pie you ever put your
teeth to-
; The delighted twins pitched in"
But by mid-afternoon retributiop
had begun. Dicky was whimpering
with anguish and Ricky was literally
doubled up with collie. Their aghast
little mother. in the best bedroom.
tried to assuage their suffering. At
length. in despair. she ran to whisper
to her youthful husband.
"Oh they're so sick. JOhnSy' I've
done everything l know how to do
and they keep getting sicker. l think
they're just poisoned by that awful
pie. Run and get doctor-quick"
arrived. A dear old soul was he, a
Lafe's." He adjusted his silver
bowed spectacles, looked at two
| tongues, felt of two pulses, listened
| to two sets of walls and prescribed
"luke-warm water and sody. to be
| followed by good doses O. OIL He
left the young mother to work out
her own problems and went to join
! the family party. but from time to
| time he walked in gravely to see how
his small patients were progressing.
| 1t was very long time before they
| were resting comfortably. thor
F, oughly cross little mother sat beside
| them. thinking unutterable things
about uncles and pies. She stared
about the quaint ola room. nOdd1ng
! appreciation of the beautiful old ma
! plewood furniture. but glaring at wax
| flowers under glass domes and the IN
evitable what-not in the corner. Gu
riosity overcame her. In an interval
in which the twins finally drifted into
healing slumber. she tiptoed to gaze
upon shining silver in square plaques.
She thought at first that they must
! be athletic trophies of some sort, but
she discovered that they were actu-
| ally coffin plates.
Probably they all died from pie"
| she thought disconsolately.
! The doctor came in for a last look
"All serene on the Potomac, eh?" he
asked. smiling at the perturbed young
mother.
yes, thank you" Merriam whis-
pered. But they were awfully sick.
poor darlings." She reached for her
beaded purse. "If you don't mind"
she added in a most business-like
way. I'D like to pay you now, be-
cause I'm very careless person
about checks and things"
why, that's all right. You don't
need to pay me-" stammered the old
doctor.
But I want to pay you," Merriam
insisted.
The old doctor scratched his chin.
Il don't know what you pay where