The Newtown bee. (Newtown, Conn.) 1877-current, 1903-05-15

he passed the store twice a day he
could remember only that the name
began with CHI"
Unbuttoning his overcoat and throw.
ing his hat on chair as he passed, he
sat down on the stairs under the gas
light, prepared to search the book
through. He was alone in the house.
He knew that the telegram Was imper-
alive. His fathers mill was 30 miles
up in the mountains, and no town was
nearer than this. Far up in the H s
| he found what he sought-"Henzel &
Malm, Bakers and confectioners"
"Main 191? This is Richard Russell.
Russell! Russell! Yes,-Twenty-
third street. Send 500 loaves of bread
to the Main depot for the g. 30 train to
Daggett-Russell's mill. What?-No,
l said 500 loaves.-Can't do it? What
do you mean? Why?-Strike? Do
you mean to say-Fifteen loaves and
come for them MYSELF You 90 to
=" The receiver crashing on the
hook drowned the rest
With warm feeling about his col
lar which made him takeIoff his over
coat, eRichard sought consolation in
the telephone book. With a joyful
thump of his heart he recognized the
name of one of his mothers trades
people.
"Red 20? Well this is Russell on
Twenty-third street. Can yon send
800 loaves of bread What-Strike-
All the bakers in town? Who is doing
your bak ing?-Oh. the boss himself?
- Thanks"
Richard Russell, Jr., put his hands
in his pockets, tn rev back his head
and whistled. "Now, what?'
A precious half hour had been vast
ed. Almost any other night in the
year this would have been more or less
of a lark to Richard. His sense of
humor would have gone hand in hand
with his determine ton, and they would
have driven lightly over the difficulty.
DHc w A'AS io ~
Richard was spending his last month
in Medical college. Confident in his
three year'ssuccess, he had been a little
gayer in this, his fourth year, and he
knew that hesmust mike a brilliant
finish. To this end he had refused all
invitations for the last month and
was really working hard. But for this
one evening there had been no escape.
His most intimate friend had married
the girl above all others whom Rich
ard could have wished for him. To
allow any one else to be best man, to
render him that final service of bach
elOrdOm, to stand by him until the
last, would have been gall and worm
wood to Richard.
Naturally the hardest examination
for the year was set for the following
morning. There was no preparation
possible, it being one of those practical
oral tests in the laboratory in which
only the tittest survive. And Richard
knew his limit. Luck and a good
nights sleep would have pulled him
through. A notion of throwing him
self on the professors sympathy passed
with the surging crowd of thoughts
in his tired brain, but as he recalled |
the drled-uo sarcastic, squeezed out |
lemon face he shrugged his shoulders. |
1t was hard luck. The temptation to
let 1T all go was beWtching him, when |
he remembered an old saying of his
fathers, "IIe who chooses the path of
least resistance always goes to the
wall"
Once more he set the telephone wires
IN motion. He hunted up a cap and
some heavy shoes, and when carriage
ratified up to the door he was collect
ing all his available cash.
He told the driver to seek out ba-
keries, large, small, or holes in the
wall. anywhere where there might be
bread. The man showed no surprise.
He was used to the vagaries of Young
gentlemen at 400 a. m.
"Any special place first, sir?''
"Henzel & Malm, corner First and
Blake. I've got to put 500 loaves of
bread on board the $50 train, and it's !
4 80 now. Drive like sin!'
The baker and Richard between
them stacked up Is loaves on the front |
seat, and Richard tossed him Is cents. |
The baker handed back Is cents.
"NOw go up one street and down the |