Evening Republican, Volume 22, Number 112, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 May 1919 — Corned Beef and Salmon [ARTICLE]

Corned Beef and Salmon

By DORA MOLLAN

(Copyright, 1319, by the McClure Newspaper Corned beef and cabbage, that homely New England odor, permeated the corridors of a downtown apartment house one springlike morning in December. On a run up the fourth flight of Stairs, out of breath from the long <?limb, came .Tmly Waite with arms full of packages from the corner grocery. She followed the permeating fragrance straight to its lair, a tiny kitchenette, dumped her load on the table, and then fairly fied- to the kettle simmering on the gas plate. All was well. Next the packages on the table claimed attention. A can of salmon, head of lettuce, salad dressing, chocolate eclair, everything that her Bob most Itked was to be ready for him that day. Fervently Judy kissed the narrow gold band on the second finger of her hand. Her big .soldier husband was to be mustered out of the service that morning at a nearby camp; and he would be home for dinner. Over a year had passed since the heartrending separation which took place two days after their marMage. Such brave, uncomplaining letters as he had written, telling only of the bright side of things! Now she listened; at any minute his knock might -sound on the floor; —-— ————— —— Would he use the little apartment she had chosen? Would the meals she had planned suit him? Of course they would. But now there was work to be done. “Let’s see,” she soliloquized, corned beef and cabbage for dinner, with apple pie and cheese for dessert; for supper, salmon salad, hot rolls, preserved peaches and the eclairs.*’ Hurrying steps coming down the corridor brought a glad light to Judy’s eyes, and _ when a knock sounded on the door she was there, ready to open it.

“Judy!” “Bobby!” She was lost to sight in a genuine bear hug. “Gee, Judy, but this is great!” and the stalwart soldier boy looked around the cozy living room. “What in blazes do I smell?” he scowled. Judy looked puzzled. “Why,” she exclaimed, “that’s our dinner cooking—corned beef and cabbage, dear. Don't you remember telling me how fond of it you were,‘before you wont away?” Over his wife’s shoulder Bob made a wry face, but he said reassuringly into her ear: “You bet; I’m Just crazy about it.” And he prayed to be forgiven the lie. For the first of their first meal he kissed her. "That will always be bur first course.” he said. Then bravely he tackled the bull beef. Oh, how be had learned to hate it! But Bobbie’s training in enduring disagreeable tilings uncomplainingly now stood him In good stead. He praised the thoughtfulness and the cookery of his young wife. After they had washed and dried the dishes together and Judy had listened to the story of his experiences over there, the girl-wife put on her new coat and hat. Bobby admired them — and her in them —and they'started out for a walk. “For,” said Judy, “we must get a good appetite for supper, because I have planned something else that you like.” “Lordy!” thought Bob. “what else did I tell her I liked?” But he’d eat It, he swore to himself —yes, even if it were canned salmon ! Supper time came; and with it — salmon. The words of his bunkle, Jim, the wag of the company, ran in his mind: “I loathe, hate, abominate, execrate, detest and abjure canned salmon.” “Amen, forever and ever!” the company had announced in chorus. How Jim would chortle at the joke on him! Why had he ever told Judy he liked the stuff?

Bobby hadn’t been cited for bravery for nothing; so he gulped down the detestable stuff, and thought he was getting away with it. But Judy, with a woman’s intuition, felt that something was' wrong. “He eats like a child taking castor oil,” she thought to herself, watching her husband surreptitiously. “Won’t <to'u have some more?” she asked sweetly. “No, dear; I don’t seem to be as hungry as I thought,” Bobby replied. However, it did not escape Judy that the eclair vanished with a relish. Already a cloud floated across her horizon. Bob was not going to like her cooking. A big tear came to the corner of one eye and rolled slowly down her cheek. “Come on, girl, let’s get the dishes out of the way and go to a show. Gee! It’s some time since this boy has been in an honest to goodness theater.” Bob hadn't-noticed the tear. Judy was glad of that and determined to throw off the momentary depression, for noth-* Ing must mar the happiness of her soldier’s first day at home. The show was fine. Admiring eyes followed Bob and she felt so proud of him. Worry was forgotten when Bob asked her if she would ifke a bite to eat. Judy suggested that they go home; M would be so much cozier than a restaurant. Bobby liked the idea, too. At the apartment Bobby sat down to read an evening paper, while Judy prepared a little spread. “It’s ready,” came the sweet voice of his wife from the next room. Though deep in the account of a large public meeting to

welcome the soldiers home to be held the next day. Bob sprang up with • alacrity, for the fact that he was hungry was- suddenly borne in upon him. “Gollyr*"he exclaimed for the third time that day, “a whole tablecloth and good things to eat sure do look good to me.” They sat down. Thin slices of tender corned beef reposed on a platter, flanked on the right by—salmon, nestling in a bell of pale green lettuce! Judy caught the involuntary expression of repugnance that flashed across her husband’s face before a hastily summoned smile could dispel it. “I know it’s rhe same thing over again,” she sftid in a pleading voice, “but, Bob, you know I really haven’t had time to stock up yet; and anyway, we have to be economical for a while till you get your old job back.” But this time the soldier training was again brought into play, and the corned beef and salmon were once . more bravely tackled. But, perhaps because Judy loved her husband so, the power was given to her to read him like a book. She was’sure he was choking the food down just to please her, and again a tear appeared. This time Bobby saw it. “What’s wrong, dear?” he asked contritely, suspecting the cause. “You don’t like my cooking!” sobbed the girl, openly crying now. Qf course there was nothing for Bob to do but to hurry around the table and take the little wife in his arms. “You knew I couldn’t cook when you married me,” she choked, “and I haven’t had the chance to learn yet—but T wilt“~ ' “ The walls of the little room echoed with Bob’s laughter. Indignant, Judy tried to pull away, -but his strong arms held her close. Then he told her of that awful ten days in the Argonne forest when canned salmon and canned salmon only had been the regiment's steady diet, three meals a day '—and described the men’s feeling toward it. Then how, for more than two weeks, they had subsisted entirely on tinned corned beef, and how their Thanksgiving dinner had consisted of cabbage as the piece de resistance. “Don’t think for a minute that we complained,” he added hastily; “we away ahead of our supplies and it was unavoidable; nobody’s fault. But, oh! Corned beef "and salmon I” Judy was laughing through her tears •now, and their first day ended happily. But . there has been neither corned beef nor salmon in their little apartment since.