The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1902-01-10
A SAD GAS TALE.

and putting his foot on the rail under the
bar, says the New York Sun reporter. He
had been telling the crowd about the gem
apartment he had struck 1t was really
$1,000 flat with a trimming to match, but
he had got it for 5000 and two months rent
free.
When we moved" he continued, ''the
gas was the last thing in the world thought
we would have trouble with. You see, my
deposit was up. left a fve-dollar note
with the company two years ago, and l
always paid the bill when the collector
called Therefore, the mere transfer of
the account from one house to another
did not strike me as Il herculean task. In
TACT 1T slipped my mind entirely after the
gas man came to the old house in the morn
ing and shut off the meter.
Toward five o'clock that afternoon, when
we had got most OF our things to rights i'll
the new flat, ] suggested to my wife that
bite OF something hot would hit me in the
right place. She flew to the kitchen to
help the girl and they soon got things in
shape to cook the steak and potatoes Then
we discovered that the gas wasn't turned
on. There was no coal range in the place
and we didn't even have kerosene lamp.
Il went right down to the telephone in
the drug store on the corner and said
Jew passionate words to the man in the
gas office. He didn't seem to mind them
much, but told me to hold the Wire while
he looked the matter up. When he came
back he said the man had called TO turn
on the gas but there was no one at home.
| knew he was fbbing, and told him so,
but he evaded the direct issue and said
the matter would be attended to promptly
in the morning. He also promised to put
in new gas stove.
The next morning before we We're out
OF bed two men came with the stove. When
they found that there was no gas they went
away, leaving the stove behind. In the aft
ernoon they came back and set it. Then
one of them went into the cellar and turned
on the gas while his pal tried the stove.
Oh, | am SO glad we have got gas at
last said my wife.
The man grinned from ear to ear.
Sorry | have to turn it off again, num- he
said.
Why, what dye mean?' ! cried.
No authority to turn on the gas, he
said, grinning harder than ever. Me
and my pardner work in the stove depart
ment.'
so they went away, leaving lis a fine
new stove with no fuel to feed it. l made
another trip to the drug store telephone
and uttered some more passionate words
into the gas office mans ear. Again held
the wire while he looked the matter up. This
time he told me the meter man was on the
way to the house. While | was gone an
other employee visited the fiat. He was the
burner man, he said, and come to look over
the fixtures. After he put on some new
tips, he, too, went into the cellar and caused
the gas to flow
But our hopes were dashed again. After
he tried the burners he Shut the meter off
repeating the chestnut about no authority
Things were beginning TO look desperate.
Here we'd been for the best part of two days
living on delicatessen and finding our way
about the model fat at night by candle
light. The girl could neither cook nor wash
and ii we wanted to heat anything we had
to use an alcohol lamp.
Il hustled down to the gas Office, which
was two miles away to have q heart-to-
heart talk with the man who had SO grossly
deceived me. | started in at the cashiers
window and was passed along the whole
row until | reached the place where the
telephone calls We're received The two
youths III charge were conYersing earnestly
about the relative merits of the Giants
and the Brooklyn ball teams, and l could
see from their manner that they regarded
my presence as an intrusion. Go round
to the irst window said one, after | had
stated my case.
Following his direction, ] found sad
eyed man behind low railing facing an
angry crowd of men and women Most of
them were kicking about the size of their
bills. Others had complaints of a similar
nature to mine. The ad-eyed man listened
patiently to what they had to say and occa-
sionally called down the speaking tube to
the basement workshop about their com
plants.
by the time it was my turn | had begun
to feel sorry for the sad-eyed one, and in
stead of calling down the wrath of Heaven
on his head, told him mildly that we couldn't
wait any longer to have the gas turned
on. Again he talked down the speaking
tube, and after awhile received a reply.
"They'r on the way to your house now,
he said
II returned home with hope in my heart
In the kitchen found the gas stove ablaze
and a man STOPPING over it.
Come to fix leak he said. cheer
fully. 1 guess she's all right now Then
ne went INTO the cellar and shut OIL the
meter once more.
My jaws moved, but I couldn't speak.
My wife sank despairingly into the rocking
chair and the baby began to cry in sym.
pathy with her obvious Woe But there
was no help for it. 1t was apparent that
we were doomed to more cold meals and
at least another night of candle light. |
appealed'to the janitor, but that functionary
had no remedy to suggest. Then formed
resolve born of desperation. l would
seize the next gas man that came to the
flat and hold him captive until he CON
sented to open the meter But no more
gas men came that day.
"The next afternoon the meter man
came. But he would not turn on the gas
until l had signed printed application
for the meter. Turning it over saw on
the back a long list of questions concerning
my ability to pay, how much was good
for and was | prompt in settling up. I
am pleased to say they were all filled out
in manner favorable to my good name.
Perhaps that was the reason that ] gave
the meter man cigar and promptly forgot
all about the inconvenience the company