South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1920-09-01

uftc bakery on the corner tthc one
where YOU 90 up three steps. and
the heli tinkles when YOU open the
door.
Miss Martha was forty. her bank
book showed a credit Of two thou
sand dollars. and she possessed two
false teeth and "a sympathetic heart.
Many people have married whose
chances 20 do so were much inferior
20 Miss Martha's.
Two or three times a week a GUS
toner came IN ~ whom she began
u take an interest. He was mid r.
die-aged man. wearing spectacles
and a brown beard trimmed 20 a
careful point
He spoke English with a strong
German accent. His clothes were
worn and darned In places. and
wrinkled and baggy in others But
he looked neat, and had very good
manners.
He always bought two loaves Of
stale bread. Fresh bread was five
cents q loaf. Stale ones were two
for I'VE Never did he call for any
thing but stale bread.
once Miss Martha saw a red and
brown stain on his fingers. She was
sure then that ne was an artist and
very poor No doubt he lived in
garnet. where he painted pictures
and ate stale bread and thought Of
the good things 10 eat In Miss Mar
tha's bakery.
often when Miss Martha sat down
TO her chops and light rolls and jam
and tea she would sigh, and wish
that the gentle hammered artist
might share her tasty meal instead Of
eating his dry crust i'm that draughty
attic. Miss Martha's heart. as you
have been told, was a sympathetic
one.
In order 10 test her theory as TO
his occupation. she brought from her
room one day a painting that she
bad bought at n sale. and set II
against the shelves behind the bread
counter.
II was "A Venetian scene. A splen-
cid marble palazzio ESQ IL said on the
picture) stood I'm the fOreground-or
rather forewater. For the rest there
were gondoIas with the lady trailing
her hand in the water). clouds, sky
and chiaro-oscuro in plenty. No
artist could fail 10 notice IL.
Two days afterwNrd the customer
came IN.
1iease
You haf here a fine picture. mad
anne" he said while she was wrap
ping Up the bread.
Yes ," says Miss Martha, revealing
in her own cunning. Il do so ad-
n.ire art and" (no, il would not do TO
saw artists" thus early and paint
ings' she substituted. on think
II Is a good picture?'
Ger balace." said the customer, 'is
rot in good drawing. Der bairspec-
tive OF ii Is not true. GOot morn
ing. madame
He took his bread, bowed, and
hurried out.
Yes. he must be an artist. Miss
Martha took the picture back 10 her
room.
How gentle and kindly his eye
shone behind his spectaclesi What
broad brow he had To be able TO
Judge perspective at a glance-and
10 live on stale bread! But genius
often has TO struggle before II is
recognized.
What a thing II would be for art
and perspective If genius were
backed BY two thousand dollars in
bank, a bakery. and a sympathetic
heart to- But these were day
dreams. Miss Martha.
often now when he came he would
chat for a while across the showcase.
cheerful words.
He kept on buying stale bread.
Never a cake. never pie, never one
OF her delicious Sally Lunns
She thought he began 10 look thin
uer and discouraged. Her heart
ached 10 add something good 70 eat
10 his meagre purchase, but her
courage failed at the act. She did
not dare affront him. She knew the
pride OF artists.
Miss Martha took TO wearing her
hlue-dotted silk waist behind the
counter In the back room she
cooked a mysterious compound of
ounce seeds and boraX. Ever so
many people use II for the complex
ion.
One day the customer came in as
usual. laid his nickel on the show
case. and called for his stale loaves.
While Miss Martha was reaching for
them there was a great footing and
changing. and a fire-engine came
lum herring past.
The customer hurried 10 the door
20 look. as any one will. Suddenly
inspired. Miss Martha seized the OPP
portunity-
On the bottom shelf behind the
counter was n pound of fresh butter
that the dairyman had left ten min
utes before. With a bread knife
Miss Martha made n deep slash in
each OF the stale lOaves. inserted
generous quantity OF butter, and
pressed the loaves tight again.
When the customer turned once
more she was tying the paper around
them.
When re had gone. after an unus-
ually pleasant little chat. Miss Mar
tina smiled to herself. but not with
out q slight futter Of the heart.
Had she been too bold2 Would he
take offense? But surely not There
was no language OF edtbles Butter
was no emblem OF unmaidenly for
wardness.
For a long time that day her mind
dwelt on the subject. She mag
ined the scene when he should dis
cover her little deception.
He would lay down his brushes and
palette. There would stand his easel
with the picture he was painting in
which the perspective was beyond
criticism.
He would prepare for his luncheon
o. dry bread and water. He would
slice into a loaf-ah'
Miss Martha FLUSHED Would he
think of the hand that placed IL there
as he ate? Would he
The front door bell tangled