The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-06-07
THE BREAKFAST IN
l 4 THE SHOE BOX.
Hoodwinking OF Respectable Butler
and Treaehery Of the Young
Masters Friend.

In two particulars as on the day he first ~
went to school.
He feared then Just as much as he does
to-day the fat and bald butler. who could
look very stout and amiable sometimes
and at other times tremendously serious
and impressive. Fear of this respectful
and ancient servitor had become a sort OF
tradition with him. He had imbibed it At
I, and at "a II was not easily shaken OF.
1t was almost the same kind OF fear that
made him stand in dread of the paternal
displeasure He had the healthy horror OF
childhood of arousing his fathers anger.
It was above all the combination Of tho
two forces that he dreaded, The butler
was faithful to the fathers interest in re-
porting any suspected departure from the
path of propriety that all young men arc
supposed to follow. Thus the two, fearful
enough separate, were doubly terrible
together.
II happened that various episodes in the
Young masters career had caused the
vigilance OF the father and the butler to BE-
somewhat stricter than it might have been
had his undergraduates career been free
from few bright and highly colored
splashes. He was strictly under the eye or
father and fathers equity, the butler.
emerged from his tub with the conviction
that, whatever happened, he could not eat
breakfast. He suspected when he fell
into bed few hours before that food would
be superhuous in the morning. He was
absolutely certain of it as he put on his
clothes
He had escaped the notice of both bis
father and the butler as he came in. He
could not hope to do so at breakfast. At
least one Of them was certain to be with
him at the meal.
There was no trace OF fatigue in his fresh
pink and white face. and his yellow hair
curled about his head as crisply as if he
had been sleeping for ten hours. He was
IN no danger of exposure so far as his ap-
pearance went. But the ordeal Of trying
tn eat breakfast under the buffers keen
eye was too much.
The young master pondered' He would
have to go to the table or the excitement
following this departure from custom would
get him into a mess from which he could
never extricate himself. He realized all
this. but decided rebelliously that he would
not eat, come what might.
Then he looked about the bathroom
and sudden inspiration came to him as
he pazed at the rubber sponge bag on the
wall.
When he appeared fresh-faoed and
smiling in the dining room. nobody would
have thought that the sponge bag was
concealed under his coat. But it was
there He was alone at breakfast and
had the exclusive attention OF the butler.
who eyed him with suspicious interest as
he placed cut-up orange on the table be-
fore him.
$3.50 il there's a letter for me in the hail.
the Young master said. Il am certain
there must be something
The faithful James seemed almost to be
ewing him with downright uncertainty
of his evil doing. As the butler disap-
peared through the door. the orange fell
swiftly from the plate into the rubber
ba which rested on his knee. hidden by .
napkin. When the butler returned there
was every sign Of the young masters hav-
ing splendid appetite.
The young masters head swan, though,
at the sight of the poaohed eggs and bacon.
and the coffee, poured out by the solicitous
James, seemed no more appetizing, But
luckily the sponge bag was at hand. Only
James had to be got rid OF.
sect me the paper was the order that
second time sent him out Of the room
into the hall.
So soon as James's back was turned, tho
eggs, the bacon and the coffee fell with
ch,r into the rubber bag Then the string
aboIt the neck was drawn tight and the
rankin was once more thrown over 1t as
James entered. =,
.There's no newspaper James said
melting visibly as he saw the empty plates.
1Only box 49,,
, That's shoe box It's mine. am TAX
inp n pair of boots down town.
The Young master nearly always had
good appetite, so there was no surprise
that the platter was so clean H. 1t had NOT
been, there would have been astonishment,
a report to father and probably investi-
CATION. u.,s
him thoroughly. But it had to be got rld
, of. There was the shoe box mat he pro-
vided for the purpose
II was only matter Of two minutes TO
pack the sponge bag into the box, Tho
door closed behind him and with a sense
Of triumph that almost made him feel
comfortable for minute, the young mas
ter realized that he was. quite safe. ~
might bo discovered that he had been out
late But he had Just as certainly been
all right at breakfast.
So satisfied was he with the success Of
the scheme that he held the shoe box Tight
under one arm and quite forgot TO throw
il awav until he was on he elevated sta
ton. There was no chance there, so ne
when he alighted.
At luncheon he told the story TO friend
and wondered what the result would be-
Thus it happened that a messenger ar
rived at the depot for lost articles bearing
letter 1t requested the return OF shoe
box containing sponge bag in which were
One orange cut up. with sugar.
Two poached eggs on toast,
Four slices OF bacon
One cup of coffee with cream.
In view Of the value Of the articles and
the accurate description the box was given
to the messenger without question. He
had instructions TO deliver 1t at the home
of the young master, who knew nothing
Of this plan.
So it happened that when he came homo
that night for dinner the FIRST thing he
laid eyes on was the box. 1t was lying on
a chair in the hall, almost in the same place
he had put it in the morning.
But ii was somewhat changed In appear
ance. During the ten hours that had passed
the coffee had leaked out of the rubber bag.
u had spread through the pa ste board.
which was blotched with patches OF brown.
He had almost superstitious dread
that James might have tracked him, found
the package and brought II back to con-
found him He was able to seize IL. how