IN PARADISE FLAT.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXII, Issue LXII, 20 January 1912, Page 10

IN PARADISE FLAT.

(About 1915.)

She waited for his home-coming. This was the first dinner tiiey were to have together in the, little nonae, and she was as nervous as all brides are' who know how important it is that the lover, as he merges into the husband,, must be well tea on fine and correctly-pre-pared foods.

They had stopped at big hotels on the noneymoon trip and there had''been no responsibility tor her. All she had to do was to look charming and Phil was satisfied, especially when she sang old songs to nim at twilight.

She almost wished tuat it might have lasted for ever. She rather dreaded the practical side of life intruding too insistently. She was aware that love is made up of mirage, and she knew nothing whatever of the details of household management, she trembled lest the rift might come that way in their happiness. ■

But when Philip engaged the apartment in Paradise Flat he explained to her that it was so perfectly equipped with scientific improvements that housekeeping was a pleasure. Yet there was absolutely no servants visible in. any of the tasks that occur in the day's home routine.

So Allys fluttered as she tied on the little ruffled lace apron that was to be the symbol of her new housewifely attitude. Suddenly there was a musical tinkle at the crystal windowette, it opened automatically and one of the carrier doves from tlie wireless station on the roof entered, having a card on its neck.'

It told her in their own private cipher that Phil was on the way and she might expect' him at any minute. "Go to the photophone," it ended, "I cannot wait to see you."

With a happy smile she saw the bird % through the windowette and theu running to the photophone in the foyer, she touched the lever beneath the framed ivory plate in the wall. Immediately a moving picture in color appeared upon it. She saw Phil in his aeroplane skimming through the Spring twilight to her;

There were flowers and candy in the basket hung over-the side, which gay* it a festive appearance. With one hand on the crank that steered the machine, he was gazing with a rapt* look upon the photophone aisc before him upon which he saw her as she stood waiting for him in their home. _ Smiling happily, she put her lips to the aeroplane attachment and whispered to him, touching the kiss recorder several times m quick succession, flushing with joy as she saw the look of intense happiness that came over his face as he put on extra speed. Then she ran into the dining room and pressed a silver knob on the hearth-stone with the toe of her scarlet slipper, The dinnerette chute in the floor opened and a table, spread for two, with silver, candles, flowers, salted nuts, and bonbons, rose through the opening, which closed noiselessly as the table adjusted itself.

She scanned/the menu card, pleased to notice that it contained Phil's favorite dessert—and,.. ....glancing over the gmpment, saw that.everything was perfect and m place, the noiselses soup service attachment set, and all as he iiKect it.

Af +t eni ? y reallsin S tte importance of the task now before her for the first time, and the necessity for artistic feeling m its rendering if life was not to become prosaic and commonplace, she seated herself at the white and gold kitchenola, on which she had taken lessons m secret before her marriage. A Jn ith. a loo^ of perfecfc content she dettly xouched a stop here and there and began something from Butterfly r rht PS SUglltly Part6d and her ey^

*or she had heard a rushing of great wmgs at the balcony entrant; then a step and t i, sash pands s]id but she could not move if she would complete her task. One false note would mean chaos. She knew Philip stood hushed m awe at the picture betore him, closing the window softly ~ A£» music rose and sobbed and sang itself through the room until, with I dying note of sweetness, it grew softer and sorter as the marrons in cream, with a bottle of champagne in its silver pail and a dish of. black grapes, slid themselves on the stand. + J^\ Were a few dee *> cllol'ds from the kitchenola, her fingers faltering on the keys as she turned her still radiant race upon him.

In another moment she was in his arms. Suddenly she drew away a ™ line of thought upon her brow Jiut her eyes were triumphant. She had decided to put her skill to the supreme test.

She seated herself again, and with an added power and inspiration brought from the depths of the kitchenola the glorious strains of the "Lost hi/ -. And as tlie last "Amen" throbbed through the apartment, a silver tmkle precipitated a dish of liaky biscuits upon the table. Philip raised one aiid tasted it reverently. He was pale and his eyes were moist with memory. : "Better," n e whispered, in hushed tones, than mother used to make.'"— Kate Masterton, in New York Life