Evening Republican, Volume 22, Number 319, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 January 1920 — BOBBY AND THE H. C. L. [ARTICLE]

BOBBY AND THE H. C. L.

By JANE OSBORN

(©,' IMS. b/ Modlura Newspaper fiyndnfataj “Go as far as you like.” qUoth Bobby to his young wife? jLucllle. with that peculiar brand of satisfaction written on his face that comes to a than who feels he has been extremely liberal. “Just so long as it is a bang-up dinner. Pm not going to consider any reasonable cost. Here, Lucille.” he said, drawing forth a crisp ten-dollar bill from his bill case, "here is something. Spend the whole of it if you want — terrapin, caviar, green turtle, lobster —whatever they have at the nifty diuners.” } “And there are to be eight of us,” Lucille’s words betokened weariness, but it was a weariness that Bobby, the exuberant young Bobby, failed to detect

“Yes,” he agreed, “you and me and my brother John and his wife and your brother John and his wife and the Bob Newtons— just a Jolly party. I’ll be home by six, so as to do anything I can for you at the last minute. I suppose you’ll get Sally to wear a cap and apron?” And away went Bobby, filled with pleasurable anticipation of his first dinner party. It had been settled between the Bobby Stranges when they were married that they would run no bills during the first years of their married life. Bobby was convinced that every housewife should go marketing personally. taking advantage of the better prices that were offered to those who paid cash, and Lucille had agreed perfectly. And Bbbby Strange did not mean to be parsimonious— But the trouble was that Bobby had been rather overfed on a certain brand of magazine article that urges young men to save* It was his theory that If a young man earned sixty dollars a week he should save at least fifteen. He felt that he was generous when he allowed Lucille thirty-five on which to run the house. When Lucille complained meekly and good-naturedly that butcher bills were amazingly high Bobby smilingly quoted some articles he had read about using the cheaper cuts, but unfortunately Bobby had a taste for chops and steaks and could not endure stews. “Oh, there’ are other things you can get,” he assured her. “I can't remember just what they call them. But you’ll find It all In the books.” __ So when Bobby Strange left that morning Lucille sat looking at the tendollar bill. She ran a finger over Its verdant face affectionately. There were so many things that it would do. They needed potatoes, and only the day before Lucille had found a place where she could buy eggs at a splendid price. She had hoped to be able to get some to “put down” for winter. They were out of soap and it was so much cheaper buying it in large quantities. But this ten dollars was not for soap or eggs or potatoes., It was for terrapin aniLgreen turtle. Lucille started out early to shop, and she spent hours In her search for the inexpensive luxuries that she had hoped for. But they were not to be had. Why, ’ .even ordinary barnyard fowl were fifty cents a pound. Frequently as she marketed she consulted the little menu that she had made out for the dinner that night, and frequent* ly she ran her little silver pencil through ’certain dainties she had planned to have. It was not alone a physical fatigue that weighed her down when sfie returned from the marketing trip. “You’ll wear a cap and apron, won’t you, Sally?” she asked when she came home. «

“I suppose so. ma’am,” replied Sally, “if you get one for me. ¥ou couldn’t expect me to have them for myself.” Lucille had to take the cork out of the bottom of the china elephant bank in which she had been saving nickles with which to buy a washing machine. Then she went out in of the white cap and apron that she could buy with the small amount that the elephant presented her with. The dinner seemed to be successful enough, but something must have passed between the Bobby Stranges afterward that took a little of the felicity out of Lucille. For when her frother John arrived unexpectedly the next morning at about nine after Bobby had started off for his office he found his sister in tears. He had trouble in tracing these tears to their source, for Lucille knew that John was an unswerving friend and champion of her Bobby. If he had not been she never would have explained to him. “After you had all gone,” she explained. “he said to me that I needn't have been so thrifty. He told me that he wouldn’t in the least have minded if I had spent all the money he gave me for the dinner—in Tact, he said he had rather hoped we would have something a little better than chicken and" —Lucille’s tears seemed to start afresh at the details of the little dinner party; She sobbed like a child before she went on—"and stringbeans (sob) and tomato salad (sob) and ice cream •» Sheins to making sb. tom

me," Lucille went on when she had regained her composure. 'There wasn’t a cent left and I bad to take the cork out of the elephant. I told him so, and then he said that it was all because I didn’t know how to buy. He said that that was my great fault —not knowing bow to buy, and he said that there were some women who could manage on a Jot less miiney than I did and have more delicacies, too. He was very kind, only he really thinks I don’t know. But honestly John, I went to the cheapest places in town arid carried all the bundles home myself, so I wouldn’t have to go to places that send them.” “Well. I guess Bobby just don’t understand,” reflected the loyal John. “Bobby’s young—not much older than you—and there are a lot of things you youngsters have to learn. Perhaps I can teach him.” “Oh. please don’t, please don’t ” entreated Lucille. “Don’t even mention the H. C. L., because if you do then Bobby will know that I have been talking about him to you, and that would be dreadful.” John promised secrecy, hut he went away secretly promising himself that he would educate Bobby. Weeks passed and the slight disappointment that Bobby had sustained regarding the dinner party was wellnigh forgotten. Little was said concerning the question of food costs, except that Bobby once or twice referred to Lucille’s general ignorance concerning the rudiments of buying. He had decided to be magnanimous and not reprove her, but he would occasionally tease her about it.

Then stormclouds began to gather. Bobby was away from home two nights one week and three the next. He was preoccupied and seemed to be distraught. Rather reluctantly, when Lucille asked him where he went, he told her that he was at the club. Then Lucille recalled the little tift they had had concerning the H. C. L., and she was troubled Indeed. Women had lost their husbands’ affections before, she told herself, because they had been bad housekeepers. She had decided to take her troubles to John—John who always stood up so loyally for Bobby. “Then one night when Bojbby did come home the conversation went like this: “Lucille, how much are you paying for butter?" „ • “Sixty-five cents,” said Lucille. “I thought so; and you can’t get decent coffee for less than forty cents,, can you?” “Why. no.” * “That’s what I’m telling them. But those old fogies—l guess they haven’t been in a market or provision store for years. They don’t know-how can they know? Why. food prices have doubled in two years.” Bobby was waxing eloquent. “Doubled, I tell you. And tomorrow night at the meeting of the club I’m going to sail into that house committee and give them what’s coming to them. It can’t be done, gentlemen, it can’t' be done.” Bobby had risen from his place at the (able and was addressing the imaginary club in meeting assembled. Lucille didn’t know exactly what had come over her beloved Bobby, but she felt as if suddenly a millstone, had dropped from her shoulders. But Bobby explained. _ . “You see your brother John —well, I suppose, he realized that I had a bit more business ability than the other fellows in the club. Anyway, he appointed ifie H committee of one to act as a sort of honorary steward —to see to the buying—sort of Jack up the chef who has usually had full charge. Some of the members had been complaining that for a dollar he ought to be able to give ns a better dinner. But I went into the matter systematically, as I always do and, believe me, it can’t be done. If those old fossils think it can, they’d better try. Why, one of the members of the house committee had the audacity to tell me that I didn’t know how to buy.” “You dear Bobby,” sympathized Lucille. “Wasn’t that hateful?” And then as a look of happiness settled over her pretty fair features; “when did brother John ask you to take charge?” she asked. “It was the day after our little dinner party—and say, Lucille, since I’ve been looking into this matter Hl have to confess I don't see how you got that dinner up on that measly ten dollars. It’s been a revelation to me. I’ll say.”