The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1923-10-24


an intelligent plane. while they pre-
pared the meals"
isn't that looking rather far
ahead?" asked the county s%uperintend-
%ent-elect.
'It's like a lot of other things we
think far ahead" urged Jim. The
only reason why they're far off is be-
cause we think them so. It's q thought
and a thought Is as near the mo-
ment we think Ii as 1t will ever be-"
Il guess that's SOTO a wild-eyed
reformer," said the colonel. But go
on. Develop you thought a little.
Have some more dressing
Thanks. | believe | WILL" said Jim.
And a little more of the cranberry
sauce. No more turkey. please"
I'D like to see the school class that
could prepare this dinner said Mrs.
Woodruff.
why" said Jim, you'd be there
showing them howl They'd get cred
its in their domestic course
for getting the school dinner-and
they'd bring their mothers into 1t TO
help them stand at the head Of their
classes. And one detail of girls would
cook one week, and another serve.
The setting of the table would come
in as a study-tlowers, linen and all
that. And when We get a civilized
teacher, table manners !"
I'D take on that class" said the
hired man. winking at Selma Carlson,
| tho maid Prom cnpnauhnr1 lofA., ~.
salt. THE way | make my knife feed
my face would be a great help to the
children
And when the food came on the
table," Jim went on. with a smile at
his former fellow-laborer. who had
heard most Of this before as a part
of the field conversation. inst think
of the things we could study while
eating it. The literary tern for eat
ing a meal is discussing it-well, the
discussion of a meal under proper
guidance Is much more educative than
a lecture. This breast-bone, now"
said he, referring to the remains on his
plate. That's physiology. The Gran.
berry sauce-that's botany, and com.
merce, and soil management-do you
know, Colonel, that the cranberry
must have an acid soil-wbich would
kill alfalfa or %clover?"
Read something of It," said the
colonel, but it didn't interest me
much"
"And the difference between the
types of fowl on the table-that's
breeding. And the nutmeg, pepper and
coconut-that's geography. And every
thing on the table runs back to geog-
raphy, and comes to us linked to our
lives by dollars and cents-and they're
mathematics"
1--WE must have something more than
dollars and cents in life said Jen-
ME. "We must have culture
Culture" cried Jim, is the ability
to think in terms of life-isn't it,"
Like Jesse james," suggested the
hired man, who was a careful student
of the life of that eminent bandit.
There was a storm of laughter at
this sally amidst which Jennie wished
she had thought of something like
that. Jim joined in the laughter at
his own expense, but was clearly suf-
fering from argumentatlve shock.
That's the beg answer I've had on
hat point. Pete. he said, after the
disturbance had subsidized. but IL the
James boys and the Y%oungers had had
the sort of culture I'm for, they would
have been successful stock men and
farmers, instead of train robbers.
Take Raymond Simms, for instance.
He had all the qualifications of a men,
Der of the James gang when he came
here. All he needed was a few ex-
asperated associates of his own sort,
and a convenient railway with unde-
Tended trains running over 1t. But
after a few weeks of real culture
under a mighty poor teacher, he's de-
%veloping into the most enthusiastic
farmer | know. That's real culture"
Its showing like everything" said
Jennie, who faced the window.
Don't cut your dinner short" said
the colonel to Pete. but l think you'll
find the cattle ready to come in out of
the storm when you get good and
through"
Il think I'll let EN- in now said
Pete, by way of excusing himself. 81
expect to put in most of the day from
now on getting ready to quit eating.
Save some Of everything for me, Sell
ma-Ill be right back"
"All right, Pete" said Selma.
Mrs. Woodruff and Jim's mother
went into other parts of the house on
research work connected with their
converse on domestic economy. The
colonel withdrew for an inspection of
the live stock on the eve of the
threatened blizzard. And Jim was left
alone with Jennie in the front parlor.
Scanning him by means of her back
hair. Jennie knew that in another
moment Jim would lay his hand on
her shoulder. or otherwise advance TO
personal n%earness. as he had done the
night of his i~ll-starred speech at the
schooIhouse-and she rose In self
defense. Self-defense. however, did
not seem to require hat he be kept
at too great a distance; so she
Unanswered him to the sofa. and seat
ed him beside her. Now was the time
to line him up.
at GEMS good to have you with us
today" said she. "We're such old, old
friends