Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1893-01-20
THE METER WORKED AWAY.
The Family Was Away, But for Ouce the
Gas Bill Was Correct.

Gas Bill Was Correct.
There was fire in his eye that morn.
ing, as he boarded an uptown elevated
railroad train, on his way to the gas
office.
"Ive got them this time" he mutter-
ed savagely, land they will have q
hard time explaining the freaks OF that
meter, am thinking"
The clerk in the gas Office came for
ward to attend to the wants of Mr. B,
q few minutes later b. was mad
through and through now. He had
worked himself into almost a rage by
thinking of the outrageous charge
which the gas company had made.
"See here" he blurted out, "if this
company doesn't correct that bill, I'll
have the whole business indicted for
highway robbery"
The clerk picked up the bill which
had been so spitefully thrown down,
and examined 1t as calmly as if such
outbursts were ordinary affairs. Then
he went back and compared the bill
with the books. He came back evil
IDENTIFY in the same contented frame Of
mind.
"Well!' from Mr.. B., and the word
sounded like the report of gun.
''The bill appears to be all right" re-
piled the clerk, as calmly ss before.
Gan right! Great Jehoshaphat! See
here, young man, that bill is for about
the same amount that pay in the win
ter, isn't it9"
The clerk examined the books again
and replied that the last assertion was
| true.
Exactly" continued B., ''and in
spite of the fact that my house has
been closed up for three months and
not soul has been in it, my gas bill is
just as big as it is when my family is all
at home. What kind of way of busi-
ness do you call that?'
This was rather tough one for the
| clerk, and there was CLEAN of triumph
in the eye of the customer as the clerk
| hesitated. Would Mr.. B. have time to
60 up to the house with an inspector to
discover the leak?
Certainly" he said, with the air of a
man who has won an important battle,
and then he made some sarcastic re-
marks about the leak"
Mr.. b. and the inspector exam ined
| the meter, and sure enough, since the
last record had been taken it had gone
on industriously at the same rate as il
had evidently been moving for the last
three months, Then they went on ur
into the house No smell of escaping
gas met them. The inspector examined
the burners in the hall, parlor, dining
room, kitchen and bedrooms. Every
thing seemed to be all right. He began to
look mystifed, while Mr.. b. became more
exultaut every moment. Matches were
lighted and placed near all the joints
but without effect The leak still re.
NAMED mystery.
SIT must be in the walls or ceiling
| said the inspector at last, "and 1t must
be found or the whole blamed house
might be blown up some day"
Mr.. b. began to look uneasy. HI
opened the bathroom door, and the frs
thing he saw was sickly-looking fam,
of gas. The Stats in the window blinds
were partly open and the sunlight made
the gas fame look pale. But there i
was turned on almost full force. The
inspector saw 1t at the same time
'vThat's a six-foot burner, and it,
burning about Eve feet an hour" HI
said quietly.
Mr.. B. looked foolish. He made
mental calculation. Five feet an hour
twenty-four hours day, thirty days
month, and three months, q gas bill O
about fifteen dollars He only uttered
one word and that began with big D
Then he paid the bill and gave the in
spsctor two dollars to say that the leal
was due to the carslessness OF the serv
ants in the kitchen. IN. Y. Tribune.