The Press. (Stafford Springs, Conn.) 1883-1935, 1902-04-17

come home too soon.
What are you doing to the bed?'
asked Mr.. Cochran.
''ve amt doin' ting to i'd" said
the fat German joyously.
Bentley and Cochran laughed, but
Mrs. Bentley saw no humor in the re-
mark, and certainly Mrs. Cochran saw
no funny side to the bed. Both sides
seemed tragic to her.
''Is that you, GeorgeT" she called
out.
eyes, it's me. Shall I come in?''
"You can't except by the fire es-
CAPE" said Mrs. Cochran despairingly.
"What are you doing with it in the
wrong door?" asked Mr.. Bentley of
the expressmen.
'Sure, 'twould have shtook as fasht
in amy dure," said the Irish express
man, and the German roared sympa-
thetically.
Mr.. Cochran is a man Of action.
Here: we four men ought to be able
to move a little be-a bed. Now, alto
gether; pullv'
Mr.. Cochran is a successful politi-
clan, but he had the wrong kind of
pull with him. and the only result of
the effort was that Mr.. Bentley pulled
Off some Of the holding and fell on
his back.
Nothing daunted, Mr.. Cochran said,
Lets go around by way Of the fire es-
cape and push"
The two expressmen and Mr.. Coch-
ran made nothing Of passing from
Mrs. Bentley's parlor to Mrs. Coch-
rams parlor by the fire escape, but Mr..
Bentley is light headed and had to be
helped across-by his wife. Then the
two entered the Cochran apartments,
for the first time, like thieves in the
night.
Now all six combined their strength
and pushed. but the bed only laughed
at them.
"Well, nothing more can be done
now" said Cochran. "The bed Is here.
and it's got to stay here for the pres
ent. Now, you men might as well go
about your business. You've done what
you set out to do-the bed is up here
fast enough"
'How much do 1 owe your asked
Bentley of the German.
1.-TWO dollars. I'll sent arount q car
penter il you wand"
ooh, nor said Mrs. Bentley. He'll
be able to move it."
Back across the fire escape was Mr..
Bentley helped by his faithful wife,
and then they babe the Cochrans good
night. 1t was such an impossible thing
that had happened that everybody felt
good natured once more, just as in a
blizzard or a period Of excessive heat
people make light of their misfortunes
and passersby joke one another.
Next morning Immediately after
breakfast Mrs. Bentley went down to
the bed company to see whether they
could suggest way of getting the bed
out Of Mrs. Cochran's doorway.
They had moved, and a big sign in
the window bore the legend, "To Be
Opened In a Few Days as a Ladies'
Lunchroom."
For the space Of two days that bed
stood in the doorway while carpenter
after carpenter came and looked at it
and shook his head and went away.
Then came one who said: "I've seen
those beds before. They amt worth
bothering with. The company's failed
that made them. Now, next door to
my shop is a vacant lot, and IL cut
the bed to pieces I guess you can
dump it there and the owner Of the lot
won't mind
Mrs. Bentley hailed the scheme as
heaven sent proposition. Mr.. Bentley
was down town, and Mrs. Cochran,
who was on the other side chatting
with her-for in spite Of what had
come between them they were now
quite friendly-seconded the plan.
The carpenter borrowed an ak Of the
janitor. and In half hours time, with
the exception of the mirror, which
was preserved intact, there was not
a square foot of the bed unbroken.
The carpenter sent the pieces down ON
the dumb waiter and then took them
away and presumably dumped them.
Mrs. Cochran spent five minutes shut
ting and opening the door. 1t was SO
pleasant to be able to do it again.
Then Mrs. Bentley invited her neigh
Dor into her fat and apologized for
making SO much trouble.
SIT was no trouble at all, my dear.
It has made something to talk about"
Now, Mr.. Bentley seemed to think
that $25 for the bed, 50 for delivery
and $40 for damage to the Railways,
together with the charge Of the car
penter for the time it took him to de-
stroy the bed, was rather large
amount to pay for a subject Of CONVEX
sation. So he isn't saying q word
about it.