Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1923-03-16
THE DYSPEPTIC
BY VIVIAN G. HAYES
10 n - - ~.
20 by Mcclure Newspaper Syndioate)


20 by Mcclure Newspaper syndlcate)
Baxter street was deteriorating sad
lyl There was no doubt about 1t. Miss
Lucinda Lee, from the veranda Of her
stately ancestral home, sent II wither-
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
shrleked and gambolled riotously
through house, barn and yard. A moth
erly looking woman In u blue gingham
apron sat upon the rlckety doorstep
peeling potatoes and, incidentally, ref
erecting lively game of Steps"
Miss Lucinda thrust forward her
head. Her arlstocratic nostrils dllated
She shifted daintily, then backed pre-
cipitately toward her front door. Boiled
dinner again
Miss Lucinda hastily repaired to the
dining room and, selecting a bottle
from the Heterogeneous assortment Of
TASKS and boxes surrounding her plate,
extracted a small pill and swallowed
1t In tiny glass of carefully sterilized
water. She noticed with great salts
faction that her heart action seemed
much stronger directly after taking 1t.
Miss Lucinda now took from beside
her plate small book which contained
a list OF articles of food which the doc
tor had forbidden her to eat The list
included practically everything that
was particularly worthy Of human con-
sumption, so 1t was 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"
Today she decided on boiled rice, and
started rather slowly and reluctantly
to cook IL. 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 almlessly back to the
kitchen. Her eyes roved over the pnr-
try shelves. Suddenly her face lighted
up. She pulled down her mothers old
Cook Book" and, sitting In the big
roeklng-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
tuu nEaoalInpad oyotaro ~ Aflao ,toin
da drew In her breath, slowly, long
ingly. What perfectly wonderful escal
loped oysters mother used to make.
In quick succession she read the
headings OF another page: "Indian
Puddingl" Pumpkin Pie" "Glnger-
bread ~ 4and--what was thatf Boiled
Dinnerp 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 triumphantly to
the table.
Miss Lucinda closed the book slowly.
Her cOlOrless dinner simmered In q
splneless fashion upon the stove, odor.
less, tasteless, highly nutritious She
eyed II frowningly, then turned and
went out upon the veranda, closing the
front door firmly behind her. The lock
clicked sharply and, with little ex-
clnmation OF dismay, she realized that
she had locked herself out. The back
door was also locked, as were all the
windows downstairs She sat down to
ponder her plight.
Big drops Of rain began to fall thick
and fast, promising to drench Miss
Luclnda's thin gown. She started to
her feet helplessly Just us "A hearty,
sympathetic voice sounded from the
gate, and the motherly-looklng woman
next door hustled up the walk
Come right straight home with me,
dearle," she chlrped, holding her UNI
brcla over Miss Luclnda's head and
grasplng her arm. 'Im always getting
locked out myself, thanks 10 those
needless young ones Of mine"-she
laughed comfortably-"andI know just
how II feels. Dinners all ready, and
we'd love 10 have you stay When the
shower lets up. Sammy can borrow
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 dllapidated gate
next door. In the dining room the
boiled dinner was steamlng irreslstibly
upon It's huge platter, and Miss Lucin-
Ia viewed It through a sudden mist Of
tears, her mind busy with old memo
ries.
Her capsules and pellets aud pills,
with their bewllderlng directions for
before and after meals" we're 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 II worried her not a whit.
She beamed affably upon her hostess
and her noisy brood, and graclously
permitted them to heap her plate with
goodly portion Of the intensely vul-
gar, highly lndlgestlble, but lncompar-
ably delectable boiled Inner.