Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1879-04-03
The Fuel Supply.

AhS Nss tDepPgs
There is one point in household econ
omy upon which the landlord and the
guest will never agree. II is ON the
quantity OF wood required to heat a
room. Now the landlord Ii firmly con-
vinced, and he grounds his convictions
upon long series Of actual tests and
practical experimental, extending over a
term OF years which date back to the
year he began TO "keep tavern" that
two sticks of wood, about two inches in
diameter and somewhat longer than q
match, will, il properly used, keep a
bright fire, swapping and roaring. in a
large stove all day, and then, il you
cover them up carefully when you re-
tire, they will smolder all night long,
and you will only have TO open the
damper 10 have O nice warm room TO
dress in the next morning. He knows
this, because, he tells the guest, he has
tried il, and does try il, very successful
ly in his own room every night.
never heard the guest dispute the land
lord, but l can't remember ever having
seen him look convinced. When / order
fire in my room 1 usually have about
this kind of circus. say to the boy,
IN commanding tones:
Bring up some wood"
The boy looks amazed, goes away
slowly and Just before the fire goes dead
out returns with two armfuls Of wood,
one stick in each arm.
The sticks are short, but thin.
seize them gladly and thrust them
both into the stove.
"Now then. 4 cry cheerfully, "bring
up some wood II
The boy disappears, and l catch n
passing glimpse Of his white, terror
stricken face as he slides down the balus-
ters. In due time. comes TO the room,
not the frightened boy, but with heavy,
solemn tread, the landlord. There is
trouble in his face.
"What do you want2" he asks, sus-
piciously.
"Wood, say, "wood wood | My
cry is still for wood Fuel Combus-
tibles Infammable substances Vege-
table growth and development Wood |"
why" he asks, with q puzzled ex-
preston on his face, "didnt the boy
bring you up some wood Just now z"
YES" / reply, truthiully. And it
sounds kind Of oddly 10 me, but after
all, l am glad told 1t under the circum-
stances,
The landlord looks wonderingly around
the room, glances behind the stove,
stoops down and peers under the bed.
"Well, Why" he Gays at last, in a
perplexed tone OF countenance, "where
IL ?"
"In the stove," say.
An expression Of incredulous bewil-
derment spreads over his questioning
face. He aAks, feebly and falteringly:
"Yes, but the rest Of it1"
&C. In the stove. too" / say.
"What | |" the good man shoute,
"all OF it7"
And there aren't enough capitals and
exclamation points In the news room 20
convey his emphasis and expressions 10
the types. I regard his indescribable
amazement with pitiless compoFure.
"All OF it." say.
He doesn't believe me. He stoops
down before the stove, opens the door
and looks in. His worst fears are real
lied. With a hollow groan he closes
the door and shuts the damper with such
an easy, quick, long practiced turn Of
the wrist that an inexperienced man can
never detect il, and rising 10 his feet
goes feebly down stairs, holding one
hand 10 his bewilderei head, and the
other TO his throbbing heart. By-and-
by he comes back into the room, with
the wan, silent face Of a specter. He
bears two sticks Of wood, somewhat
thinner than the ones the boy brought.
but, on the other hand, considerably
shorter. He ahudders IA he walks past
me, and lays them down in tho bottom Of
the wood-bo1, and covers them mp with
piece of an old envelope TO hide them
from my extravsgant ewes. But / seize
them from under his hands even while
he is hiding them. and not needing the
tremnlous hand he reaches forth TO stop
me, i thrust the sticks into the stove,
and say, calmly and sternly:
"Scnd the boy mp with some chunks. "
The landlord presses his hands over
his eyes and goes reeling out into the
hall. He says, in a ghastiy whisper:
"Well, ef you can't crowd more wood
into that stove than any man / ever
see"
And as he goes down stairs can hear
him sobbinE. and telling the hall. boys
they'll have to keep an eye ON the crazy
man in No. ~ or he'll set the house on
fire. - B1dstte in burlington Hdsck-
eye.