Daily camera., 1901-07-19
BECAUSE OF A
BOX OF TOOLS
BY JANE ELLIS JOY,
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES

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 gluc-pot and hammer was a
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
rcd 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 n nui-
sancc, 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 so
kind TO him"
Little Randolph Hombach was the
waif of steamboat disaster OF some
ten years ago. Max. then about 30
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 it.
At present Mr.. Hombach was at
work mending broken table. The
fierce frown on his forehead indicnt-
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 n woman in the entry:
then he came into the workroom with
his customary: Hello. father" add
ing: "Miss Elizab beth Bradley wants
the loan OF your chisel. May take
it up TO her now?
Mr. Hombach started as il he had
been struck. his countenance chang
ing with the quickness of lightning.
Although generous TO a fault, he had
drawn the line OF generosity and
ncighborliness at his tool box, the
contents Of which were almost sacred
in his eyes.
Lend my chisel-to a woman! A
woman, As il a woman could touch
n tool without spelling il. My
gracious, Randolph, do you think l
am mad?'
Haven't you IN old chisel some
where. father?" asked the boy. II
dom, 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
Heiu, "Dllf ilAi it u t'u "
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.
"The boy is diplomat" he thought
to himself. what a cool head All.
some day he will sit with the great
men of the world. Well. / guess you
may take that chisel to Miss Brad
ley" he said, presently, and began to
work.
Miss Elizabeth Bradley, who was n
drcssmaker in small way, lived in
the back wing OF the second floor Of
the house. She might have been 30
or IS. She did. not look old, but was
still not what would be called "a
young lady" Randolph felt that he
would not have liked her SO well if
that title had fitted her exactly.
THANK you," she said, admitting
the little Bismarck into her apart
mcnt She was trying with some i'll.
assorted tools to make a 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 so
| dolph's talk about the discussions
that were carried on nightly down
| stairs. He was still so small and
| childish-looking that the fluent
phrases he repeated so glibly savored
| to her of "cuteness." She liked to
"draw him out" as she said, and fire.
quently asked what pa" thought
| about this or that.
"Well, guess your pas got lots OF
nlce sensible IDEAS" she remarked as
u rejoinder to Randolph's elucidation
of what his father believed in regard
to territorial expansion
Miss Elizabeth herself did not
know what the term meant, but she
had some excellent ideas about max
ing gingerbread. She had fragrant
aoaf of it on hand, and she stopped
working to cut large slice, which
she brought to Eandalph on one o
her prettiest eh,aa plates.
The thought returned to the bo.
mind that Miss Elizabeth was yer.
much nicer than any younger lady
One could be quite comfortable be
side her; she had no "airs;' sh'
wasn't 'giddy;" she didn't tease ant
make fun of boys as young girls did
If fate had provided him with moth
err instead of father, he felt HI
would have liked a mother like Mis-
Elizabeth Bradley,
| Here, however. the object OF hi
thoughts interrupted,
II doubt I'll have to trouble yo'
again, Randolph" she said. pleas
take the chisel back to your pa witt
my compliments, and bring me up
little saw. Mine is so big and clums.
that can't manage it,"
Certainly, Miss Elizabeth. I'll-asl
him." responded Randolph, with som
misgivings as to what would be tn
outcome of this second appeal for tn