Evening star., 1921-08-21
BY HUGH S. FULLERTON

| the next day and Walked 4 miles into
~ staggered into the hotel just be-
fore noon. They were going 10 THROW
me out, but begged to see the man
agsr.;; x.1..,x u.., -. ..,,.
for Gods 60 sake give me joe: Ny wife
and children are starving. Put me to
| work. l ~
Why. It's Ben" he said. what's
Il told him Part Of II.
"Then broke down and CRIED I was
afraid to ask him for money for fear
| he wouldn't give me the Job. My nerve
was SO weak Twas afraid couldn't
get there. so I went back, SUMMONED
all my nerve. and asked him II he would
advance me q dollar.
is it that bad?' he, asked. Better
"He told me to go to tho kitchen and
eat. / couldn't. I was in too much of
a hurry to get home. bought groceries
l and bread and some milk Tor the kids,
and some coffee.
nearest the farm and walked three and
a half miles. or rather. I ran. was
almost insane. ~
1.-THE closer got to the shack the
more scared J get. thought my wife
I ran into the yard calling and shouting.
The babies were crying and my wife was
boiling sweet potatoes. ! grabbed the
pot and threw it out the window. then
| dumped the groceries On the 6oors.
happiness because there was some
| thing to eat? Did you ever see your
own wife. and kids crying and stuff
ing dry bread into their mouths a.
IL it were the best food In the world
They tore a loaf of bread to pieces
and ate it as If they had been animala
cooked a piece of meat, and my
wife broke down and lay on the bed
and sobbei, and then hugged the
children and prayed. thanking Cod
and it was Hamburg steak. 1 made
coffee-the first in Ave months-and
told her that 1 had q job
"She crept in with the children and
cried half the night.
Monday we went into the city and
I went to work. In two weeks the
boss advanced Hfe enough to get
little place on the edge OF the city.
wife was better and the boss left.
Then we came back to Chicago.
Il didn't want to SEQ that man. !
hadn't forgiven him: but Didn't want
to see him, or remember HIM. or re-
spent there. Then he came into the
festaurant-came right to my table.
and ordered sweet potatoes. Think
Of it, mani Sweet potatoes!
T ATE that afternoon walked up
- the marble steps Of a handsome
residence set far back In a beautiful
lawn In Evanston. A butler admitted
me and the nurse said Mr.. Tierly
was sitting up and would see me.
"Mr. Tierly." said. "I have solved
the mystery"
"No mystery about It," he snapped.
''The man is crazy!"
NO." said. "hs isn't crazy. I
came to ask you to furnish bail bonds
for him and drop the prosecution"
Some one else is crazy now." he
! commented coldly. staring At me.
"Perhaps-crazy or crazy mad"
remarked. "I'll outline his story. and
maybe you'll go crazy; at least crasv
enough to DO as I ask"
Toward the finish OF the story he
That / remarked. 'Ts the story
Ben ,s1n..i will tell tell il he has to take the
'T'il arrange to get him out in the
morning" said Mr.. Tteriy quickly
"and, remember. not word Of this
| in the newspapers"
'1'n tell Ben YOU will furninsh bail
and drop the charges IL he will not
tell the story"
| Then / went to the restaurant
owner, who protested against giving
Ben HIS Job again because customers
might be afraid of him.
I'll vouch for Ben's sanity" said
And. further. I'll agree to pay for
! every platter he breaks over Tierly's
head If he ever comes into this res-
| taurant again."
| But Tierly never did, and doubt
whether he ever ordered sweet po-
] tatoes again.