The log cabin Democrat., 1916-04-22
THINGS WENT WRONG


 things and people-particularl peo- ple-that young ladies of eighteen of- ten do. So that accounted for her going down into the basement where Thomas Watts was clearing away the ashes from the furnace and making his acquaintance.
 Thomas was a sort of odd-job man, of English birth, almost elderly and of a squat figure. He had made his appearance on the street early in the summer with little push-cart sickle and rake and he trimmed the lawns (which are not large) on the street for minimum consideration of fifteen cents. With the approach of winter he asked such of his patrons as had furnaces to allow him to tend them shake down and feed in the morning, feed and bank at night, seventy-tive cents per week, and ashes removed an extra twenty-five cents. Miss Ediths papa engaged him for the full program and Miss Edith at the first sound of shoveling went down and in- terviewed him.
 clIt dShcN IiIllI d lllIt val ltly OI AuCo- tions. He did 'fairish to middlin', as you might say" with his furnaces.
 No, miss, ain't married, O course,' he said in response to the next ques- tion. Not as yet. 1 'ope to be, but I'm not we'll enough orf. Hive got a lydy back in the hold country as l walked hout with, but she ses to me, cIp I ;'r,, goin' to stop takin' in manglin'. Him goin' to ave 'ouse O me hown an a 'usban' as as got is bit O money in the bank So I come hover ere, but some'ow I never seem to ave no luck"
 For some weeks the family heard lit tie else from Miss Edith than accounts of Watts and his touching romance. Her name is Sarah Jane 'iggins and she 'as carroty air" said Miss Edith. Isn't it perfectly lovely? And they have been engaged now for more than seven years-as long as Jacob worked for what s-her-name"
 She did help him according to her poor little means.
 "Tharkee kindly, miss," he would say, as he pocketed her donations Tt shows your feeling art an hevery lit tie 'elps, as the sayin' is. Him a-goin to tell Sarah Jane about this"
 Don't mind about that, Thomas" said Miss Edith. But you might give her my love and tell her that think you are-a-a nice man and that she ought not to insist upon house of her own if you could take her to a nice little fiat"
 No fear, miss. Hlll tell er that" said Thomas
 One day a very rich man came to Miss Edth's house. He was so rich that he owned an entire fiat building all by himself. Miss Edith told him about Thomas in her enthusiastic way and he seemed interested and when she had finished he said Well, my janitor is going to leave me at the end of the week and I wouldn't wonder if this friend of yours suited me very well, my dear. He would have a nice cozy little set of rooms in the base ment, big enough for Sarah Jane and him, and he ought to save enough out of his wage. to put a bit in the bank. Send him around to see me"
 Of course, when Thomas became the janitor of the Arethusa he could not attend to Edith's father's furnace any more and Miss Edith had to go to see him about Sarah Jane For some time Thomas talked to her very freely, but he said that he would have to wait and put by bit O money before he sent for his sweetheart. Then as time passed it seemed to Miss Edith that Thomas rather avoided her. He was evasive in his replies when she did see him. She taxed him with his unfriend- Illness and he protested fervently that it was imaginary on her part.
 You see, miss" he said, "owso- hever I might wish to ave a bit of chat I've got a job O work to do an the work as to be done. Howin' to your kind reckermendation I've got this siterwation han I've got to show as 'ow I deserve it.
 Miss Edith thought that was very nice of Thomas, but she was not sure that it explained why he was so ret cent about Sarah Jane. The explana- tion of that came one morning when passing the Arethusa she saw Thomas coming out clad in new suit of glos- sy black, stiff new hat and necktie as blue as his eyes. On seeing Miss Edith his face instantly became as red as the brick in the cottages oppo- site
 Why Thomas, how smart you are this morning." exclaimed Miss Edith. You cant be working. You look al most as if you were to be married"
 Thomas grew still redder in the face. Well, miss" he stammered at i, int