Daily camera., 1901-10-02
BECAUSE OF A
BOX OF TOOLS
By JANE ELLIS JOY.
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ture Neatly hcpalreO, WIN AlI
that distinguished Max Hombach's
home and place of business from the
other narrow-fronted tenement
houses in the row.
While Mr.. Hombach's shop on the
ground floor was full of odds and
ends suggesting his occupation.
books, newspapers and certain Of the
magazines indicated that the man
of the glue-pot and hammer was .
man of some mental culture.
Evidently the magnetic influence OF
Mr.. Hombach was considerable; many
were the friends and admirers that
called to see him in order to hear his
views" on the questions of the day.
In summer time the talk 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 a. those in
the houses adjoining, awake until
midnight.
OF course Mr.. Hombach was q nui-
sance, but his neighbors bore with
him on account OF the little boy
whom he had adopted. Max must
have a good heart" they reasoned,
"to take in a strange child and be so
kind to him"
Little Randolph Hombach was the
waif Of q steamboat disaster OF some
ten years ago. Max. then about 30
years OF age, had been one of The
passengers. In the papic-a baby was
handed &C hil - 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 It.
At present Mr.. Hombach was At
work mending broken table. The
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
ing: Miss Elizabeth Bradley wants
the loan of your chisel. May take
1t up to her now?"
Mr.. Hombach started AZ II he had
been struck, his countenance chang
ing with the quickness Of lightning.
Although generous to 9 fault, he had
drawn the line Of generosity and
neighborliness at his tool boz, the
contents Of which were almost sacred
in his eyes.
Lend my chisel-to woman! A
woman! AS If a woman could touch
tool without spelling it! Ny
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 smile that he tried to
hide shot out Of his eyes. Nervous
and tempestuous in manner himself,
of all things he admired calmness in
others, Randolph's quiet dignity quite
delighted him.
1.-THE boy is a diplomat" he thought
to himself. "Whnt q cool headl All,
some day he will sit with the great
men of the world. Well. l guess you
may take that chisel to Miss Brad
ley" he said. presently, and began to
work.
Miss Elizabeth Bradley. who was .
dressmaker in small way, lived in
the back wing Of the second floor Of
the house. She might have bsen 80
or 35. She did not look old, but was
still not what would be called -
young lady" Randolph felt that he
would not have liked her 80 well If
that title had fitted her exactly.
THANK you," she said, admitting
the little Bismarck into her apart
ment. She was trying with Some ILL.,
assorted tools to make . cabinet out
Of grocery box The boy looked on
the work with interest, and the two
began chatting.
Perhaps few things in Miss Brad
|ley's monotonous life gave her 30
much pleasure a. listening 70 Ran
|dolph's talk about the discussions
that were carried on nightly down
stairs. He was still 10 small and
childish-looking that the fluent
phranes he repeated 20 giibly savored
to her of "cuteness." She liked to
"draw him out" ~ she said, end fre-
Iquently asked what 'pa" thought
about this or that.
"Well, guess your pas got lots Of
lnice sensible IDEAS" she remarked ~
IL rejoindcr to Randolph's elucidation
lot what his father believed In regard
70 territorial expansion"
i Miss Elizabeth herself did not
know what the term meant, hat she
bad some excellent ideAs about ma1r.
tne gingerbread. She had fragrant