Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1923-02-08
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Baxter street was deteriorating sad
", There was no doubt about it. Miss
Lucinda Lee. from the veranda of her
Ing glance across her own fair expanse
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 gamboIled riotously
through house. barn and yard. A moth
erly looking woman in blue gingham
apron sat upon the ricSety doorstep
peeling potatoes and, incidentally, ref
erecting lively game Of Steps
Miss Lucinda thrust forward her
held. Her aristocratic nostrils dilated.
She shifted daintily, then backed pre-
cipitately toward her front door. Boiled
dinner againl
Miss Lucinda hastily repaired TO the
dining room and, selecting a bottle
from the Heterogeneous assortment of
TASKS and boxes surrounding her plate.
extracted small pill and swallowed
it in a tiny glass of carefully sterilized
water. She noticed with great salts
faction that her heart action seemed
much stronger directly after taking Ii.
Miss Lucinda now took from beside
her plate small book which contained
list of articles of food which the doe
tor had forbidden her TO eat The list
included practically everything that
was particularly worthy Of human con-
sumption, so it was a very simple mat
ter indeed to find the meager supply
which was not banned. And SO, at the
back of the book, Miss Lucinda had
jotted down little two-inch para
graph, headed simply. Things ! Can
Eat
To-day she decided on boiled rice, and
started rather slowly and reluctantly
to cook it, She gazed at the little
white particles abstractedly and sighed
as she placed the kettle upon the stove.
A curious, empty, gnawing sensation
had replaced her heart SPELL"
She wandered aimlessly back to the
kitchen. Her eyes roved over the pam
try shelves Suddenly her face lighted
up. She pulled down her mothers old
Cook Book" and, sitting In the big
rocking-chair, she turned the yellowed
pages eagerly, her eyes dim with old
memories
Many Of the recipes we're in her
mothers cramped, old-fashioned writ
ing. "Escalloped oysters!" Miss f.ucin-
da drew in her breath, slowly, long
jngly. What perfectly wonderful eseal-
loped oysters mother used to make.
In quick succession she read the
headings of another page: Indian
Pudding" Pumpkin Piel" Ginger
breadi Y and-what was that? Boiled
Dinnerl" She remembered now, her
mother had been partial to boiled din
ners. In fancy she could see the big
platter in which the steaming vegeta-
bles had been borne trlumphantly to
the table.
Miss Lucinda closed the book slowly.
Her colorless dinner simmered in a
splneess fashion upon the stove, odor-
less, tasteless, highly nutritious. She
eyed it frowningly, then turned and
went out upon the veranda, closing the
front door firmly behind her. The lock
clicked sharply and, with little ex-
clamation of dismay, she realized that
she had locked herself oift. The back
door was also locked as were all the
windows downstairs. She sat down to
ponder her plight.
I Big drops of rain began to fall thick
and fast, promising to drench Miss
Lucinda's thin gown. She started to
her feet helplessly just as hearty,
sympathetic voice sounded from the
gate, and the motherly-looking woman
next door hustled up the walk
Come right straight home with nae,
searie," she chirped, holding her UNI
brella over Miss Lueinda's head and
grasping her arm I'm always getting
locked out myself, thanks to those
needless young ones Of mine'-she
laughed comfortabiy-'and know just
how it feels. Dinners all ready, and
we'd love to have you stay. When the
shower let's up, Sammy can borrow a
ladder and climb in one of your win
dows"
While she talked, she had propelled
Miss Lucinda vigorously down the
walk and in at the dilapidated gate
next door In the dining room the
boiled dinner was steaming irresistibly
upon its huge platter, and Miss Lucin-
da viewed it through a sudden mist Of
tears, her mind busy with old memo
ries.
Her capsules and pellets and pills,
with their bewildering directions for
"before and after meals were I'M
available, and she didn't care. Her
rice stood burning upon the stove, and
she was glad of it. Every article of
food on the table before her was con-
tanned among those she shouldn't eat,
| but it worried her not whit.
She beamed affably upon her hostess
u n -