The Republican journal., 1914-07-23
A Loaf Of Bread and a Chunk
OF Cheese
(Boston Sunday Herald)

to his wife as he concluded his Saturday
luncheon, for which he always came
home on that day. "This high cost OF
living will ruin this country. 1t takes
every cent can rake and scrape to buy
enough for you and me and things are
getting higher all the time. Here I've
s'Who'e that?'' called his wife, as she
heard knock on the outer door OF the
kitchen. Receiving no reply, she arose
from the table and went to see the cause
Of the knock.
Come here, Fred" she called back to
her husband from the kitchen door few
moments later. Fred, following her,
found hungry-looking tramp standing
on the threshold.
"He says he's out of work and hungry
and hasn't any means to get any food,
DEAR" said the wife. what shall we
do?''
"Well, give him something, but moth
ing we can use, grub's too high" growl-
ed the Man. "Let's see what we've got
in the pantry" They both started to
investigate.
"Here's nearly pound of cheese left
over from that welsh rabbit party we
had last Saturday night" said the Man
at length. He pulled out great chunk
of half-dried cheese Its too old to be
/ of any use now"
"And here's almost whole loaf of
stale bread" exclaimed the wife, "Mary
got it last Wednesday when l expected
Mrs. Dart and her daughter to drop
by and take luncheon. | only used two
slices from it, but it IS all dried up now. !"
The wife wrapped up the bread and
cheese in an old newspaper and handed
them to the tramp, who, mumbling
thanks, quickly disappeared:
81 think he was fraud commented
the husband as he put on his hat for a
stroll in the nearby Park, "but that grub
wasn't any use for anything anyhow,
and, thus commenting, he left the house.
AS he took comfortable seat on a
park bench, where he could enjoy both
his Saturday afternoons half holiday
and his after-luncheon cigar, he was
aware of dirty, unkempt fellow who
a bench short distance down the gravel
walk. In his lap was bundle rolled in
an old newspaper.
As the dirty fellow unwrapped the bum
die aud took forth chunk of cheese and
generous piece of bread, the Man rec
ognlzed the man he had helped few
minutes before, and watched him to see
if he had been really sincere in his beg
cling. A few seconds showed, for the
fellow Wolfed the food like shipWreck ed
sailor, gulping it down in huge mouth
fuls that evidenced stomach empty to
! the last degree. 1t did not take long to
satisfy evea the hungry man at such vo-
raciouS rate.
Soon he was taking small nibbles, as
one desiring to eat to repletion. But
whether from long abstinence from food
or that there was more than even hun
CRY man could eat, when at last the TEL
| low ceased there still remained in his
hand large piece of bread and a consid-
cradle chunk of cheese.
Flinging these to a homeless cur that
| had been enviously watching every
Iamouthful, the unkempt fellow arose and
stretching himself in that manner that is
the unmistakable sign of a well satisfied
hunger made his way to the fountain for
drink.
AS the pieces of food fell scattering the
dog pounced on a large lump of cheese
and guped it with one effort; then.
snatching a chunk of bread in his jaws,
| he fled after the manner of the homeless
brute that knows every morsel he gets Is
! begrudged him by an envious world.
! A stray cat from the alleys, lean and
ash-covered, that had been vainly stalk
ing the sparrows futtering about the
drinking trough of the fountain, sighted
or scented the fragments of cheese.
Gingerly approaching, she snatched a
morsel sufficient for a generous meal
and fed with it as swiftly as the cur
both poor, homeless 1shmaelites among
man and beast.
A dozen English sparrows, fitting
about in vain quest of worms that hao
gone weeks before, spied the remaining
portions of the food and descended upon
them, ever hungry, after the manner OF
their kind. Falling voraciousy upon the
fragments both of bread and cheese,
they swiftly gorged their little bodies
and, forgetting even to quarrel IN the
satisfaction of full stomachs, flew off tc
doze comfortably in the neighboring
naples.
A moment later a little gray squirrel
came tripping lightly across the green
sward, fearless, through long protection,
of the passing small boys. Picking up q
small piece of bread in his forepaw, he
lifted himself upon his launches and
0lDpleu IL DIS udillllly DIS d < III 81 dcudt e
toying with her luncheon salad. Having
made a satisfying meal, be selected q
goodly morsel of bread, and, clamping il
between his jaws, tiptoed across the
grass until, twenty feet away, he founc
suitable place for ''cache" or hiding
place. Then, swiftly scooping out a lit.
tie hollow in the greensward, he buried
his prize and, with his skillful paws COW
cred it up and patted it down SO artfully
that the man, watching the operation
intently, was unable to locate where this
tomorrow's breakfast had been conceal.
ed The squirrel knew, however, and,
skipping to the branch of tall tree
nearby, proceeded to make dainty toilet
his mind being now at rest since the
all-prevading question of food had been
} satisfactorily settled.
The Man, having finished his cigar, re-
turned home in thought. Two hours
later he came back to see what had be-
come of the small crumbs left. A dozen
big beetles were busy gorging them
selves upon the minute fragments of
cheese, while from some ant hills located
few feet away several columns of these
little creatures were busily engaged in
transferring the last crumbs of bread
to their Winter storehouses.
What about it all? We'll, nothing in
particular, except that, with that many
different animal Municipalities figuring