Evening star., 1897-03-06
his sitting room to face chop and disor-

his sitting room to face chop and a disor-
dered desk again.
pie?" the tempter asked hfm ut I e'cleck.
IL have m enSsssmeat today" was
the reply.
The engagement turned out to be In .
and before he realised 1t the yearning Of
his stomach had put Q request for an ONE
let into words. A fat creation, without
the slightest individuality, overdone ON
one side snd underdene on the other, was
placed before him
Don't you KNOW" he exclaimed fretfully
to the waitress, that an omelet Is a work
Of art not to be-" 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 en-
gagged another lodging. Mrs. Hodgson came
in. She hoped that his luggage was packed.
as the other gentleman was coming in an
hour. The professor did not reply. Twice
he lifted up his cup of tea and set it down
without drinking.
'"Then may take It that you are ready:'
she asked.
mo. AS a matter Of fact. Eve been so
busy that haven't had time to look about
much for q place. If you have a small
room that 1 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 wreck
age left by the wayside had been collected,
and everything he possessed was piled
helter skelter in the little room on the third
floor the professor concluded that he would
make no attempt to put things to rights fer
so short stay. He heard a cab draw up
in front Of the house. The new lodger
must have come. Prompted by curiosity
possibly inconsistent with the dignity of
the author Of Isaac Newton and His Com
peers he went to the window. He step
ped back in surprise. None other than his
mutton-pie friend was to be his successor
in the drawing room floor. His misery was
increased the following morning when he
saw Harriet taking one Of Mrs. Hodgson's $
works of art in to the one who had sworn
that omelets were the enemies of mankind.
He now fairly hated chops and conde-
scended to ask Harriet for an omelet for
tcmorrow's breakfast. She brought him
one-of her own making. He was on the
point of telling her of something that was
rot to be spoken of lightly. But he sighed
instead. work of art was not to be ex-
pected from such as Harriet.
He did not go to the museum and
strategically contrived to avoid a meeting
with the base interloper all Of the week
Once he had to walt at the head of the
stairway while he saw Mrs. Hodgson help
the interloper on with his overcoat-con-
vincng proof that a man who ate mutton
pies would stop at nothing. Though he be-
came the terror of the landladies of
bloomsbury, SATURDAY found him with
strange trunks in his disordered little room
and still with no apartment engaged 1t
also found him meek as well as misera BILE
He went down stairs and knocked on the
door of Mrs. Hodgson's little room on the
ground floor. There was no answer. Har-
riet came Up from the kitchen to say that
Missus was making the other gentleman's
omelet. But she was authorized to open
the door and to offer him chair.
He waited in vexation, longing for re-
venge, longing to show up the mutton pie
interloper. who secretly adored omelets, in
his true colors. Finally Mrs. Hodgson en-
tered, flushed with the successful outcome
of work Of art.
Really. Mrs. Hodgson," said the pro-
fessor. affably, Il have been so busy. and
to get a room requires a deal of looking
about, doesn't N?' She did not say
whether 1t did or not. IF it would not be
| too much trouble-would you accommodate
me again?'
Il haven't room left"
"Tm-I'm sorryv'
There are the hotels, Professor"
Mrs. Hodgson-Mrs. Hodgson." he burst
out, tragically, will you not go on making
omelets for me forever?'
After little blushing and parrying she
said that she would, and put the seal on
her acceptance by Immediately giving the
base interloper a weeks notice.