Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1902-02-06
How William
Strengthened His
Memory

NHR WILLIAM THOTLE>S is a
lVI pleasant. amiab,e. rather absent
minded a with a chronic tendency
toward forgetting TO mail his wife's
letters II that was a. far a his for
/ g~etfuiness extended he night have
borne IL with humility. But when it
reached the degree q making him riGi-
culous he began 70 despair.
Il was such an insane hing to have
! man ask him where his ha- vas. only
to discover he had ben waking for
blocks without e.. or 20 take his wife
10 the races and thea drive home with
out her-foryettiur. 10 fact. al, about
her That va a dreadful cay for Mr..
Thotless. and i; took him weeks 10
i've it down.
Blu, the crisis cane al IN one even
ing. They had a pretty. comfortable
home on Sixtieth street. about three
blocks from the elevated. II was rain
Ing. and Ar. Thotless conceived n.
happy idea Of pleasing his wife By in
vesting in some 6ze hot rolls al the
bakery. a few blocks from his home.
He smiled a. he lowered his I'M
brella 20 climb the elevated steps. and
continued 70 smile a he bought his
ticket When the train came 20 a
saucstiu he CALAMITY allowed a LADY
precedence and then politely boarded
the train. frS; trying 10 raise his UNI
bre-ls. with the abse-t-minded smile
still or his face. But instead Of rails
irg The umbrella he Knocked of the
hat OF stout German. poked ar elder
y LADY in the ribs. ard got al tangled
up in the blonde hair Of the lady stand
ing just ahead OF him
There was a general look Of aston
ishmeut or the faces OF the other pas
sengers. which turned into a laugh.
ard Mr.. Thotless suddenly awoke TO
the fact that he was making himself
ridiculous.
Bu- the rolls were still uppermost in
his mind. Or The eorner stood 4 drug
store ard beside il the bakery shop he
sought He marched ~eheerfuI.y into
the first door he came "a. and. al
dressing a suPerior-looking young
man behind a soda water counter.
said:
Give ne half a dozen fresh rolls.
please. and I want them very hot
The young man looked puzzled. He
had heard of a good many drinks in
his day. but this ore was entirely rev
TO him
Would you mind repeating your or
6eT.?' he asked. Il didn't quite catch
it,"
Rolls. man. rolls shouted Mr..
Thotless testify. Don't you know
what rolls are Bread. Hot breaGs-
The young man resumed his superior
attitude Oh he said. airily. we
don't make them here. We leave thar
to the bakery rex door"
Then NJ. Thotiess awoke from his
trance 70 realize for the frst time that
he was in the drug store. He neeklv
aPologized ard went out. But when
did bis misfor1unes ever come sirglv?
He walked in the next door ard sgain
gave his order for POLLS. this time 70
a pert youRg WORM behind a wIre
screen
say. mister. this is a drug store
she Siggled. I'VE don't sell hot roll.
we sell the cure for the indigestion
You get after eating them. and she
laughed again joyfuIly at her owe
wit.
As Mr. Thotless made his haStv
egress he heard the voice OF the s1-
p~rior young man say. That dern
fool has Just been in this door ask
ing for those same rolls azd their
jeerng laughter followed him all The
way home.
Bat his troubles were rot vet over.
Armed with the rolls az last. he
walked peacefully On until he reached
sixty-drst street There was one
thing he never forgot TO do: that was
TO look at the zumber of the hons.
II order TO avert any tendency to-
ward mistakes. for he was well
aware Of his weakness. II was the
right number, 80 he pulled out his
key and thought OF the rolls so hot
and snug under his arm and of Ma
ria's pleasure. and ehuckled indul-
gently 10 himself
II occurred TO him that the han
looked queer and that he had never
seen that hat rack before. but his
wife had always beer a great hand a,
changing things about. But he could
have taken his oath that that psper
always had been red Strange he
thought. how little a man can really
be relied upon 10 remember these de-
tails
Marie he called gIeefuIly.
Where are you, pet?-
AN who De you, to be addressing
me thusT" came a voice from the
basement.
"A new girl" sighed Mr.. Thotless.
He remembered now that Maggie had
given notice.
I'm calling Your mistress. he
said with dignity. Where is she?-
AN shure, why should | be telling
h likes of ye?" came the rather IN
civil answer Is Marie's red head and
arms akimbo appeared at the top of
the steps
who let you imp she shouted, with
rising fury. AN state your business.
quick"
Mr. Thotless began to grow angry.
Where do you come from?- he
shouted hack.
Where do l ZONE from. indeed,
/ An what business i Il ~ .rs