He propitiated Mrs. Tupps by the proffer of a dozen of the eggs and told her of his desire to entertain his friends. It would be impossible to do this in his room, for when he lay in bed he could touch every piece of furniture with but little effort. 148
David had become his landlady’s confidant and refuge in time of trouble, and she was willing to allow him the privilege of the dining room.
“I am going away to-night for a couple of days, but I would rather you wouldn’t mention it to the others. You may have the use of the dining room and the dishes.”
David’s friends were surprised to receive an off-hand invitation from him to “drop in for a little country spread.” They were still more surprised when they beheld the long table with its sumptuous array of edibles,––raised biscuits, golden butter, cold chicken, pickles, jelly, sugared doughnuts, pork cake, gold and silver cake, crullers, mince pie, apple pie, cottage cheese, cider, and coffee.
“It looks like a county fair exhibit, Dunne,” said a city-bred chap.
Six healthy young appetites did justice to this repast and insured David’s acceptance of five invitations to dine. It took Mrs. Tupps and David fully a week to consume the remnants of this collation. The eggs he bestowed upon an anemic-faced lodger who had been prescribed a milk and egg diet, but with eggs at fifty cents a dozen he had not filled his prescription.
“David’s friends were surprised to receive an off-hand invitation
from him to ‘drop in for a little country spread’”