While the order was being filled there was considerable funmaking, but
I would give no explanations. The waiter returned shortly with the
order as given, and it was laid out to the accompaniment of a complete
dinner utensil service. I asked the young lady to please prepare one
of the potatoes in the way she liked best, and this was done by taking
the mealy heart out of the jacket and mixing it with butter, salt, and
pepper to taste. In the meantime the father had taken an ear of corn
and was prepared to enjoy it in response to his appetite the same as
he would if he were in the woods with a lumberman's appetite and only
corn to be had. The large glass of lemon ice was then placed between us
as a "centrepiece." "Aren't you going to take your ice now?" queried
the young lady. "Not now," replied I. "I must attend to your method
of taking your potato to see that you do it economic justice, and I
must see that your father does not waste any of that delicious corn.
Now, Mary, let me see how much good you can munch out of your first
mouthful. Do not swallow any of it until it is actually sucked up by
the Swallowing Impulse, and when that happens you will note that only a
portion of it is taken and the rest will naturally return to the front
of the mouth, if you do not restrain it, and will still be a delicious
liquid most agreeable to taste." This happened as suggested, and there
were three distinct swallowing acts before the last of the mouthful
had disappeared in response to the Swallowing Impulse. "My! but I
never realised that potato was so good," exclaimed the young lady; and
"Gracious! isn't this corn bully!" echoed the father. "Good!" added I.
"If that is true of the first mouthful, I think you will find it true
of the other mouthfuls until your appetite for potato and corn is
satisfied; and as long as your appetites hold good for them, you are
being nourished as your body-needs require." With the slow eating, the
appetite of each for the chosen food was soon quieted; one, we will
say for illustration of the principle, with a single potato and the
other with a single ear of corn. "I think I should relish a little of
your second potato if you are not going to take it," said the father,
addressing his daughter; and she replied, "Your corn seems nice,
father; may I have your second ear in exchange for my potato?" This was
agreeable to each, and each partook somewhat of the other's original
selection until the appetite of each was so completely satisfied that
neither could more than taste a little of my lemon ice as a final
delicacy; and as I did not want all of it, the one order sufficed for
us. I had breakfasted quite heartily at one o'clock in the afternoon,
after having written several thousand words of correspondence,
and really wanted but half the generous portion of ice that had
been brought. I had ordered it set into ice-water, after placing it
ceremonially as a centrepiece, and it had kept its icy consistency
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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