Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1897-08-16

over it and having carelessly laid it on the
chair at his side. This had happened be-
fore, but he had always found the note
book on his desk in the morning.
"Did you see book on the floor?' he
cried to Harriet when she had answered
the fierce ringing of the bell.
"You-you said hanything on the
floor
"Find it! Find itl' he Numbered.
"Don't dare to come back without it!''
Poor Harriet's face burned as she went
down stairs, for she knew, if the professor
didn't, that the refuse wagon had called
some Is minutes ago. The professor paced
up and down, with anger in his heart
against Mrs. Hodgson and her omelets,
until there was soft knock at the door,
which he recognized as Mrs. Hodgson's.
He presumed she had come to apologize
for what she would doubtless call can I'M
fortunate accident He would let her
know in plain terms that hers was the
worst conducted house in London.
"Your book, professor" she said, hold
ing 1t out to him. "Though Harriet had
found it on the floor, picked it out of the
rubbish, thinking could do no harm any
way"
"Er--ah! Thank youp'
"And have let the room for Saturday"
she went on in voice which he thought
was assumed to annoy him.
'Er-ahl Very well"
His friend observed that the museum
mutton pie on that date was especially
good. The professor ate of it heartily, but
was soon feeling SO distressed that he con-
oluded to devote the remainder of the after
noon to searching for rooms. After climb
ing the stairs of seven different houses he
began to speculate upon how in the world
landladies were able to let such miserable,
i'll kept apartments to anybody. At one
place, in moment Of observation-disclosures,
he actually asked if the cook could make
good omelets. When the landlady said
"Yes, F." he told her abruptly that he would
not think of taking her rooms 1t was on
his tongues end to add that the making of
omelets was not an art to be spoken of
lightly, when he remembered that this
was the very expression Mrs. Hodgson had
once used. He determined never to utter
the word "omelet' again. Weary and
cross, he returned to his rooms. In the
morning noisy Harriet robbed him of his
sleep, and he went into his sitting room to
face a chop and disordered desk again.
"Shall we have our customary mutton
pie?" the tempter asked him at O'Clock.
ell have an engagement today was
the reply.
The engagement turned out to be in a
little restaurant in Great Russell street,
and before he realized 1T the yearning of
his stomach had put q request for an ON
elet into words. A fiat creation, with no
individuality whatsoever, overdone on one
side and underdone on the other, was
placed before him.
"Don't you know he exclaimed fret
fully to the waitress, "that an omelet is a
work of art not to BEL Here he stopped
abruptly. ."But will eat-the thing,
he added.
On Saturday morning when he went out
to his chop and disordered desk two
strange trunks in the corner of the sitting
room reminded him that he had not yet
engaged another lodging. Mrs. Hodgson
came in. She hoped that his luggage was
packed, as the other gentleman was COM
ing in an hour. The professor did not re-
ply. Twice he lifted his cup of tea and set
it down without drinking.
"Then l may take it that you are
reaQyI" she asked.
'No. AS matter of fact I've been so
busy that haven t had time to look about
much for place. If you have a small
room that could have only for a week, it
would''-he spoke with great reserve" be
in the nature-ah-of an accommodation. !"
1t happened by mere chance, as Mrs.
Hodgson was careful to explain, that this
was possible. Harriet was sent to help
him carry up his belongings When the
wreckage left by the wayside had been COL
lected and everything he possessed was
piled heller SHELTER in the little room on
the third floor, the professor concluded
that he would make no attempt to put
things right for SO short stay.
He heard cab drive up in front of the
house. The new ledger must have come.
Prompted by a curiosity possibly incon
sistent with the dignity of the author of
"Isaac Newton and His Compeers," he
went to the window. He stepped back in
surprise. None other than his mutton pie
friend was to be his successor in the draw
ing room floor. His misery was increased
the following morning when he saw Har-
riet taking one of Mrs. Hodgson's works
of art in to the one who had sworn that
He now fairly hated chops, and conde-
scended to ask Harriet for an omelet for
breakfast. She brought him one-of her
own making. He was on the point of tell
ing her of something that was not to be
spoken Of lightly but he sighed instead.
A work Of art was not to be expected from
Harriet.
He did not go to the museum, and stra
tegetically contrived to avoid q meeting
with the base interloper all the week. But
once he had a very narrow escape. He
had to wait at the head of the stairs while
he saw Mrs. Hodgson help the interloper
on with his overcoat-cOnvincing proof
that man who ate mutton pies would
stop at nothing. Though he became the
terror of the landladies of Bloomsbury,
Saturday found him with strange trunks
in his disorderd little room, and still with
no apartment engaged. 1t also found him
meek as we'll as miserable.
He went down stairs and knocked on
the door Of Mrs. Hodgson g little room on
the ground floor. There was no answer.
Harriet came up from the kitchen to say
that missus was making the other gentle
mans omelet. She opened the door and
offered him a chair. He waited In vexa-
tion, longing for revenge, longing to show
up the mutton pie interloper, who secretly
adored omelets, in his true colors. Finally
Mrs Hodgson entered flushed with the
successful outcome of work Of art.
Really, Mrs. Hodgson," said the pro-
lessor affably, II have been go busy, and
to get room requires a deal OF looking
about, doesn't IT."
She did not say whether 1t did or not.
'tIf 1t would not be too much trouble,
would you accommodate me AGAIN."
II haven't a room left"