Red Lodge daily news combined with Carbon County news., 1933-12-27
Luncheon for
Three
By HARRIET RAMBo
@ Dy Mcclure Newspaper Syndicate
WNU Service


~ the restaurant. chose q seat at
4 vacant table by the wall. She
was young and pretty and wore z
wedding ring. The day vas only
half done, and already she had ex-
planned to scores of amazed &C.
lualntances that. no. she was mol
married. the ring was merely part
Of a sorority initiation. She was
determined to eat her lunch In
peace. and so she had chosen a res
where she did not expect
to encounter any of her friends
If she were among stran
gers. a wedding ring could not prove
TO be q disturbing element
A young man. pulling a small
by the hand. entered the res
taurant. He sighted the table
where Rosallnd sat, with Its two
vacant chairs. and headed for II.
He lifted the child to the seat next
to Rosalind, and chose for himself.
the place opposite her.
II was rather nice, Rosalind
thought to see a father take his
baby girl out to lunch.
The child %squirmed. displayed
ilmples. caught sight of the green
parrot ornamentIng n side of
Rosalind's smart turban. 100. 90.
pretty. pretty" squealed the tiny
tot In ecstacy. "Dotty hab. Dotty
hab." and she extended eager fists
toward the object of desire.
"Dotty. Dotty." the mar admon
ished, a~fixing a restraining hand to
the child's shoulder. but the gesture
was without effect.
pretty. pretty" squealed the d.
minutlve creature again.
Rosallnd's face %crimsoned; so did
the young mans. He seemed to be
enormously confused. Suddenly she
inclined her head In the child's di.
rection. "It's not to play with" she
explained sweetly. TITS Just a
buckle. See"
But seeing was not enough f0r
Dotty. She uttered q cannibalistit
shrek OF delight, grabbed the par
rot with both chubby fists, and tore
1t from Its abode. A general con.
fusion ensued. The young man en-
deavored to apologize; Rosalind en-
deavered TO straighten her hat tht
baby waved the captured trophy
enthusiastically. From a nearby
table. some n giggled. A waiter
appeared, deposited two menus
beamed IN the child.
"You have stolen mammals
buckle" he said. grlnning broadly
Rosalind's face famed. and a dull
red glow lit the young man.
cheeks. Then suddenly he locke,
up boldly. "What shall we have
Mary?" he asked her. Suppose w
begin with consomme and order tn
rest later"
II think that would be a goo,
idea, Ted" she murmured. both as
tonlshed and thrilled by the gril
the stranger took on the situation.
Her answer produced the desire,
effect. The walter bowed and dis
appeared.
"Now, give me the parrot" tn
young man commanded the chile
but the small tryant ducked the pi
fered bird beneath the table clotf
II say, I'm deucedly sorry" he apo
oglzed to ROsalind, and began {
search for something In one Of hi
coat pockets.
what an adorable husband,
thought Rosalind with somethin
like a pang OF regret In her ow
lonely heart. He's the sort VIII
would do anything for the woma
he loves, even take his baby daugl
ter to a public eating place" Ho'
did girls discover such husbandsi
She was certain none of the me
she had ever gone around with wer
as amiable as the gentleman at he
table-at least not with young chi
dren. It was unfortunate, Rosalln
thought to herself.
Now he was thrusting a sma
white rectangle In her direction
"Ill make this thing right In an
way you wish," he said. Here's m
card. I'm representative for Jone
and Townley Bonding corporation
Perhaps your husband has heard {
the firm"
"I'm sorry but | haven't a hui
band" replied the confused Ross
lind, Il mean /, |, this ring is onl
"a paw VI "a oVAOiilJ iHtlluilbBs all
II your baby daughter likes the pa.
rot she may have 1t. | know abol
your firm through my father. q
is Herman Townley, the president
well. say now this is luck
beamed the stranger. "But by III
way. this isn't my daughter"
protested, %crimsoning again. Dott.
here. Is my sister Mlldred's chill,
I'm Dotty's bachelor uncle, Ere
Powell. I'm trying to chaperor
the young lady while her motht
fulfills an engagement with a den
lst."
Just then the waiter appeare
with the consomme, and the me,
which had suffered such a tempe
tuous beginning, got under way an
approached a satisfying conclusion