The Morgan County press. (Wartburg, Tenn.) 1916-1926, 1921-10-07
Down the Durnb-
waiter Shaft
By FREDERICK HART.

Tears stood In pretty MARY DavAS
eyes. She had had little enough tou-
BILE In her life In the Belladonna
apartments, but the gas stove seemed
always to be thing endowed with .
malignant, devilish spirit that deneu
her, try as she would to regulate 1t.
And now, when she had such a nice
supper ready to prepare, the tning
wouldn't work. It either refused to
light at all or exploded with a vicious
bang that frightened Mary nearly to
death. She stamped her foot.
II hope you blow up and-and
smash yourself to piecesP she cried,
addressing the inanimate cause OF her
troubles. She knew that 1t was no
stood appealing to the janitor-tnat
.korthy lurked low in a den where
only the boldest tenant dared tread,
and Mary had no desire to meet him
tne -fgument. She wiped her eyes.
eff / only knew something about
stoves" she walled aloud. "But
don't, and can't cook any supper, and
and"
She sank on the bed and gave her
self to tears.
A knock on her deor startled her.
She sprang to her feet, hastily dabbed
at her eyes, and opened the door: In
the hall stood a young man, difident,
yet smiling.
II believe you have something
wrong with your gas stove" he began.
"Oh, have-indeed I have! Are
you a." She paused, not sure OF
the name for men who repaired gas
stoves. The young man took her up.
-'Tm not-that is to say, I'm not a
regular gas-stove expert" he said.
"But I've lived In apartments long
enough to know something about their
little habits and tricks. And thought
I might fix yours" He had entered
as he spoke, and Mary looked at him
for the first time in clear light. He
was handsome, she decided at once,
and he had nice eyes and an engaging
smile. And surely he had come as
opportunity as an angel from heaven
''There it is" she said, pointing out
the horrid object. II can't do any
thing with it,
The young man approached the
stove without tremor, as one who
has no fear. He twiddled its valves
with contemptuous familiarity, trying
to light it once or twice. Then he
reached into his pocket, extracted a
pair of pliers and loosened joint or
two, poking into pipes with match
stick. At last he Strengthened him
self.
81 think it'll work all right now"
he said. LET me try 1t. Have you
match?"
He turned the valve, struck the
match she had given him and applied
the fire to the burner. A little pop"
sounded, and the clear blue flame Of
perfectly fhnctioning gas range re-
warded him. Mary gave a little cry
Of joy.
"Oh, you are clever !" she cried. 'It's
all right now, isn't it?" How can
ever thank your? A chilling thought
entered her mind do I-how much
is it-does 1t cost?"
The young man Strengthened his
back, cramped from STOPPING.
"Well, there's no charge. But If
you have a bit Of salt to spare you
might let me borrow PINCH" he re-
piled. 81 haven't scrap Of salt in
my place"
:, "Of course I'll let you have the
} SALT" she said, hurrying to open
paper bag. "But I wish you'd let me
: give you something for your trouble"
"It wasn't any trouble-it was
pleasure, replied the young man, and
bowed. And then he kept on bowling
farther and farther, till he tumbled to
the.foor and lay still.
Mary kept her head; got water and
dabbed it on his forehead and laid
him in an easier position. And then
she saw what she had not noticed be-
fore-that his face was pinched and
white and his cheeks were hollow.
At last he opened his eyes.
"pm-Tm dreadfully sorry" he
stammered. 81 don't know what was
the matter with mel just sort of
tainted, guess-Tll go now"
you'll do nothing Of the sort. Tell
me, how long is it since you've eaten?"
1.-TWO days. confessed the young
man. 81 have a Job that win pay me
well, but i don't go to work till tomor-
row. and I've been living all this week
, on loaf of bread That's what
wanted the salt for-it makes you
thirsty andsthen you drink lot Of
water, and then you don't feel so,
empty"
Maru,s hands were flying among