Middletown transcript., 1921-10-10
Down the Dumb
waiter Shaft
By FREDERICK HART.

g 1871. by Mcclure Newspaper syndicate.
'Oh, think gas stoves, are the
sneanest things!"
Tears stood in pretty Mary Davis
eyes. She had had little enough trou-
BILE In her life In the Belladonna
apartments, but the gas stove seemed
always to be a thing endowed with
malignant, ,devilish spirit that deied
her, try as she would to regulate 1t.
And now, when she had such nice
supper ready to prepare, the thing
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.
Il hope you blow up and-and
smash yourself to pieces!" she cried,
addressing the fnaaimate cause OF her
troubles. She knew that it was no
good appealing to the janitor-that
worthy lurked low in den where
only the boldest tenant dared tread,
and Mary had no desire to meet him
fn argument. She wiped her eyes.
IF 1 only knew something about
Stoves" she walled aloud. "But
don't, and l can't cook any supper, and
.-and--"
She sank on the bed and gave her
self to tears.
A knock OH her door startled her
She sprang to her feet, hastily dabbed
at her eyes, and opened the door: In
the hall stood young man, diftident,
get smiling.
II believe you have something
wrong with your gas stove,' he began
'Oh, I have-indeed l have! Are
you t." 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 I thought
1 might fix yours" He had entered
us 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
opportunely 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
of
has no fear. He twiddled its valves
with c. ntemptuous 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.
II think It'll work all right now"
he said. LET me try 1t. Have you a
match?"
He turned the valve, struck the
match she bad given him and applied
the fire to the burner. A little pop"
sounded, and the clear blue flame Of q
perfectly functioning gas range re-
warded him. Mary gave little cry
of Joy.
"Oh, you are clever!" she cried. "It's
all right now, isn't it," How can I
ever thank you?" A chilling thought
entered her mind. do I-how much
is it-does it 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. II haven't scrap Of salt In
my place."
"Of course I'll let you have the
salt" she said, hurrying to open a
paper bag. "But I wish you'd let me
give you something for your trouble" !"
1T wasn't any trouble-it was a
pleasure" replied the young man, and
bowed. And then he kept on bowling
farther and farther. till he tumbled to
the floor 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-Pm dreadfully sorry" he
stammered. II don't know what was
the matter with mel just sort of
tainted, l guess-I'll go now"
you'll do nothing Of the sort. Tell
me, how long is it since you've eaten?'
"Two days." confessed the young
man. II have a job that will pay me
we'll, but l don't 60 to work till tolnor-
row, and I've been living all this week
on a loaf of bread. That's what l
wanted the salt fort makes you
thirsty and then you drink lot Of
water, and then you don't feel 80
empty"
Mary's hands were flying among
the packages.
you're going to stay and have sup
per with me-" she said calmly. IF it
hadn't been for you wouldn't have
been able to cook anything. Now you