The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1904-03-23

her Just then. you've torSOt Solue-
thing"
1t was the other porter and in his
band he bore the devoted pudding. He
came running down after her and
handed over the package with smile
so compelling that Sarah felt forced
to ask Thomas for dime with which
to reward him.
Never mind" she said, well get rid
of it on the train all right" Her bus
band nodded his head.
Lets drop it out of the window
she suggested with a sudden burst OF
inspiration. after they had found their
seats in the sleeper. That seemed a
good idea to Thomas, but, unfor-
nately. the train was one of the latest
vestibuled arrangements. with not an
unguarded opening from one end to the
other. Thomas wrestled in vain with
window, and when the porter was ap-
pealed to for assistance he raised the
window. indeed, but it was protected
by a screen which prevented the egress
of ANYTHING more substantial than
hairpin. Besides. it was cold outside,
and both Thomas and Sarah were pres
emily shivering in the draughts OF ICY
air which swept in on them. Tney
were both relieved when red-faced
man across the aisle leaned over and
said in an injured tone: Say. my baby
isn't well. and l wish you'd put that
window down."
The porter came and lowered the
window with look on his face that
seemed to indicate that the two pas
sengers in that seat were mentally un-
sound. In the morning, after the
bertLs were made up, Sarah showed the
rice pudding out of sight under the
back of one of the seats. Now, she
was sure, they would get away from 1t
in safety. They got off at the staten,
the porter assisting. Thomas felt so
good at noticing the absence of the
pudding that he gave the man fifty
cents. They climbed into a cab anu
were half a block away when their
ears were saluted with shrill cries
from the rear. The cab came to stop
at the side of the street.
"Heahs a package you lef' undah the
seat, suh," said the porter, sticking
his head into the open door OF the
cab. II done run twill Ah'm out ov
breef acatchin' up to you, suh."
Thomas groaned, took the loathesome
thing in his right hand and handed
the porter a quarter with the other.
"Oh don't, Thomas" his wife plead
ed. IF you do we'll be arrested for lit.
tering the streets, I'm sure"
do you expect me to carry a rice
pudding about on my lap during the
whole of our wedding trip, madam"
be demanded, with dignity.
Just wait till we get to the hotel,
dear" she said. "I'll get rid of it
somehow"
For more than a week the unfor.
tunate couple were haunted by that
rise pudding. A dozen times they
thought they had got rid of it, only
to have some porter or other messen'
ger come running after them, painting
and out of breath, to restore the
treasure and collect his fee for thought
fulness. Once they tried to feed it to
a dog, but the animal turned up lis
nose at rice, and almost bit Thomas,
who was trying to force it to eat.
They left it in a room in their hotel,
and the boy who carried down their
bags brought that also, with the re-
mark: Il found dis on de top shelf
in de room, mum. Once l found
mans laundry up dere an he give me
half a dollar"
Finally they and the pudding, by this
time riding their necks like 4 Nemesis.
came to q little inn in the old Connecu-
cut town where Thomas had been born
and reared. One side of their room
was occupied by an old-fashioned
brick fireplace. The chimpey was old
and there were big cracks between the
bricks.
Now" said Sarah, II am going to
get rid Of it."
She crumbled the pudding into tiny
fakes of rice. her husband sitting by
hopelessly. Then she put chair into
the fireplace opening and climbed up
on it. A handful at time she stuffed
that pudding into the cracks between
the bricks on the inside of the CHM
ney.
Perhaps" said Sarah, when she was
through, perhaps the chimney sW.al-
lows will find it,"
Thank heaven" said her husband,
fervently. What should have done
without youT-H. NJ. H., in Chicago
Tribune