The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1921-10-29
Down the Dumb
waiter Shaft
By FREDERICK HART.

BILE In her life in the Belladol'iia
APARTMENTS, but the gas stove seemed
always to be thing endowed with
malignant ,devilish spirit that deneo
her, try as she would to regulate II.
And now, when she had such nice
supper ready to prepare, the thlhs
wouldn't work. 1t either refused to
tight at all or exploded with vicious
/ bang that frightened Mary nearly 10
death. She stamped her foot.
II hope you blow up and-ano
smash yourself to pieces!" she cried'
addressing the inanimate cause OF her
troubles. She knew that 1t was no
good appealing to the janitor-that
worthy lurked low in a den where
only the bOldest tenant dared tread
and Mary had no desire to meet him
In argument. She wiped her eyes.
IF 1 only knew something about
stoves" she walled aloud. But
don't, and can't cook any supper, ana
| and"
She sank on the bed and gave her.
self to tears.
A knock on her door startled her.
She sprang to her feet, hastily dabbed
at her eyes, and opened the door: In
the hall stood a young man, difiident,
yet smiling.
81 believe you have something
wrong with your gas stove" he began.
"Oh, have-indeed l have! Are
you a" She paused, not sure OF
the name for men who repaired gas
stoves. The young man took her up.
I'm not-that is to say, I'm not
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
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."
| he yOuHS
stove without tremOr, as one who
has no fear. He twiddled its valves
with contemptuous familiarity, trying
! to light it once or twice. Then ne
reached into his pocket, extracted
pair of pliers and Ioosened joint ol
two poking into pipes with match
stick. At last he Strengthened him
self.
: II think it'll work all right now
he said. LET me try it. Have you &
match"
He turned the valve, struck TIT
match she had given him and applied
the fire to the burner. A little pop
: sounded. and the clear blue flame of
;. perfectly functioning gas range re
warded him. Mary gave a little CIR
:. Of Joy.
"Oh, you are clever! she cried. "lt'
all right now, isn't it?' How can
: ever thank you?" A chilling though
entered her mind. do I-how niue
is it-does it cOst?"
" The young man Strengthened nj
: back, cramped from STOPPING.
= "Well, there's no charge. But
Won have a bit of salt to spare 20
. might let me borrow pinch he RI
= plied. II haven't a scrap Of salt
r. my place"
!. "Of course TIL let you have tn
n salt" she said, hurrying to open
:. paper bag. "But I wish you'd let m
X give you something for your trouble
II at wasn't any trouble-it was
pleasure" replied the young man, an
,r bowed. And then he kept on bowln
d. farther and farther, till he tumDled
the floor and lay still.
ir Mary kept her head; got water an
Of dabbed it on his forehead and lal
m him in an easier position. And the
ne she saw what she had not noticed b
1? fore-that his face was pinched az
n white and his cheeks were hollow.
to At last he opened his eyes.
"Tm-I'm dreadfully Sorry
Hammered. II don't know what WI
p the matter with mel just sort
tainted, / guess--I'll go now
lrl "You'n do nothing Of the sort. II
l." me, how long is 1t since you've eaten
IS 1.-TWO days." confessed the your
ng man. Il have job that will pay n
well, but don't go to work till tome
II row. and I've been living all this we'
on a loaf Of bread. That's what
L." wanted the salt fort makes "
lr- thirsty and then you drink lot
water, and then you don't feel
he empty"
'a- Mary's hands were flying amol
the packages.
a" "You're going to stay and have ST
/. per with me-" she said calmly. IF
M hadn't been for you I wouldn't ha
an been able to cook anything. Now y
sit down and let me tend to my COZ
h. Ing"
!. He obeyed. and as she prepar
the meal he told her his story-h
:. he had tried to draw and had struggl
on, his money getting lower and low
=. till at last he had landed the splent
~ position that had come almost too Il
,ot how pride had prevented his ask
:, for an advance. and he had set hims