The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1920-01-28
FROM HAND TO
MOUTH"
Copyright. 1920. Western Newspaper Unionl
BY VICTOR REDCLIFFE


There was a peaceful, benevolent
smile on the face of John Mayhem as
he sat down in the waiting room OF a
large city depot until his suburban
train was ready. The smile was habit
ual with him, generated by youth
full association for years in his BUSH
ness life. Now, he had retired, young
as he was, and it was declared that his
happy, indulgent spirit was the out
come of conducting an establishment
specializing in children's garments.
He had about everything that could
conduce to comfort and luxury except
a wife. In the race for money he had
never had time to choose one. Just
now as young lady of peculiar grace
and loneliness regarded him with mute
inquiry, his encouraging return glance
seemed to inspire her with confidence.
'Will you kindly keep an eye on
my suitcase for a few mOments!" she
inquired timidly. 81 have an errand
to a store across the road"
81 shall be pleased" nodded May
hew, and as she arose. followed her
with his glance, noting that she was
rather poorly dressed, but tracing In
her bearing the attributes of q Gull
tured lady. In an idle reverie he at
tempted to construct mentally the life
history of the girl and studied the
worn suitcase which suggested long
use through the past.
Fifteen minutes went by, and May
hew began to grow uneasy. His train
was called, departed. A second one
an hour went by. His dilemma up
set him, quite. What could have de-
tanned the young lady? Could there
be some trick in leaving him to guard
her luggage? He gingerly lifted the
suitcase. Something jingled inside.
suggesting mechanism. A bomb May
hew drew back suspiciously. The depot
agent approached and spoke to him,
first consulting a slip Of paper in his
hand and scanning Mayhem closely.
did a young lady leave some bag
gage in your charge about an hour
ago?" inquired the station man.
"Why, yes" replied Mayhem, re-
; lievedly.
You are described in telephone mes
sage received from a hospital. That
must be the satchel referred to. 1t be-
longs to a Miss Ava Roylston. She
5 was run down by an automobile just
outside. Not seriously hurt, but booked
; for few days. She requests that the
suitcase be sent TO her"
|, run down by an automobile!" re-
| oh vnI
"Wishes the suitcase? What hospital
: is it? l will take it to her at once"
A generous impulse moved him as
: his memory framed that interesting
face and he felt censured at having
suspected that he was the victim of
/, scheme.
Within the hour Mayhem was at the
hospital The physician in charge of
\ Miss Royston relieved his anxiety with
e the statement that his patient was only
:, slightly bruised.
d IF you are a friend, you had bet
T ter see her." he suggested. "The young
lady is very much perturbed as to how
) she shall get word to her father with
: out much alarming him."
:, Ava Roylston reached out an eager
j hand to clasp that of Mayhem when
she realized his thoughtfulness in her
Y behalf There were tears of gratitude
n in her lovely eyes.
|, ITO think 1 left you there in the
: depot waiting all that time and miss
7 ing your train and coming way up here
with my suitcase" she began, but
/ Mayhem led the conversation at once
to her home and relatives.
You live at Norton he said. THAT
Is the next station to mine. Take no
care on your mind, Miss Roylston.
will see your father and will come
here tomorrow, If 1 may. to see how
you are getting along and to attend
= to any errands you may have left I'M
= done"
: John Mayhem went to bed later that
e night feeling that he had done a good
is days work. He had located the poor,
s humble home of the Roylstons, learn
e ing that the father was a struggling
" inventor, and that they had been liv-
= ing from hand to mouth for years. The
- old genius was engrossed in perfecting
& a new order of flying machine. Mean
d time to keep the wolf from the door
n he told Mayhem. he had devised toy
lie for children, doll that would walk in
quite a natural way. AS he produced
these his daughter would dress them
n and take them to the city to sell to
m the toy dealers. One of these consti-
W tuted the contents of the suitcase
When John Mayhem entered the hos
= pital next morning a pleasant sight
greeted him. Miss ROylstOn was sit
ting up in a wheel chair at q table
j, near the cots occupied by two little
children. She was gratifying them t.
a degree of delirious joy as she start
10 ed one of the walking dolls around the
table. It was with the eye OF a keen
business man that Mayhem examined
one OF the dolls as to mechanism ana
selling ability.
- ~ Life had q new meaning for him the
rest of that week. He saw utility. a
I. n xoI,,o In tho Drptty fov and omo.a1