Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1901-11-14
BECAUSE OF A
BOX OF TOOLS
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BY JANE ELLIS JOY,

THE sign in the window. "Furni
ture Neatly Reno,red" +" ,yos al
that distinguisbed NAV Uombacb,.
home and place of business from The
other narrow-fronted tenomen,
houses in the row.
While. Mr.. Hombacb's sbop on the
ground Aoor was full NJ odds and
ends suo0esting his occupation
books. now,paners and certain of The
mapazines indicated that the mon
OF the glue.pot and hammer was a
man OF some mental culture.
Evidently the magnetic influence q,
Mr.. Uombaeh was considerable. many
were the friends and odm;rer. thai
called To see him I'm order To hear his
"yiews" on the nuestions of tho dav
In summer time the tolk was car.
ried on at the front door steps: but
during the cold weather the little
meetings took place in the work
room, where Mr.. Hombach's ringing
voice not unfrequently kept the ten
ants of the house. as well as those In
the houses adjoining. awake until
midnight.
OF course Mr.. Hombach was nul-
sance, but his neighbors bore with
him ON account of the little boy
whom he had adopted. Max must
have good heart" they reasoned.
"to take In strange child and be 80
kind to him"
Little Randolph Hombnch was the
waif of steamboat disaster OF some
ten years ago. Max. then about 80
years Of age, had been one OF the
passengers. In the panic baby was
handed to him to save. The mother
never reached shore. Failing to find
any relatives for the child, the man,
who had no relatives Of his own, con-
cluded TO keep 1t.
At present Mr.. Hombach was at
work monding broken table. Tho
fierce frown on his forehead indicat-
ed that he was also occupied with
some mental problem. When, pres
emily, he heard the sound of light
footsteps In the hall, the frown dis
appeared.
The boy was coming home from
school. He stopped few moments
TO talk to woman In the entry;
then he came into the workroom with
his customary; Hello, father" add
ting; miss Elizabeth Bradley wants
the loan OF your ohisel. May take
It up to her now?"
Mr.. Hombach started as II he had
been struck, his countenance chang
ing with the quickness of lightning.
Although generous to n fault. he had
drawn the line of generosity and
neighborliness at his tool box, the
contents OF which were almost sacred
IN ms eyes
Lena my ehisei-to n womanl a
woman' AS II n woman could touch
q tooi without spelling III My
gracious, Randolph, do you think i
am mad|
Haven't you an old chisel some
where. father?" asked the boy. II
don't like to tell Miss Elizabeth that
you won't lend her tool because
she's woman. She can't help that"
Mr.. Hombach threw back his bushy
head, while a smile that he tried to
hide shot out OF his eyes. Nervous
and tempestuous In manner himself,
of all things he admired caimness in
others, Randolph's quiet dignity quite
delighted him.
"The boy is n diplomat" he thought
10 himself. "Whnt a cool headl All.
some day he will sit with the great
men OF the world. Well. | guess YOU
may take that chisel 20 Mas Brad
ley," he said, presently, and began TO
work.
Miss Fpznbcth bradley. who ,ya. n
Are ssnnker In n ANAL vov i,ved IN
the hnck wing NJ ,b. s.oond 0oar -,
the house. She might have been 40
or sb. She did not look old. hut was
still not what would be called "a
young lady" Randolph felt that ne
would not haye liked her 40 wall ~
that title had fitted her exactly.
"Thank you," she said, admitting
the little bismarck into her npart-
ment. She was trying with some i'll