The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-09-14
Eoenir,g Story
Down the Dumbwaiter Shaft.
BY FREDERICK HART.

ooh. think gas stoves are the
meanest thingsi"
Tears stood in pretty Mary Davis's
eyes. She had had little enough trou-
BILE in her, life in the Belladonna apart
ments but the gas stove seemed al
ways to be a thing endowed with q
malignant, devilish spirit that defied
her, try as she would to regulate it
And now, when she had such a nice
supper ready to prepare. the thing
wouldn't work. 1t either refused to
light at all or exploded with a vicious
bang that frightened Mary nearly to
death. She stamped her foot.
ct hope you blow up and-and
smash yourself to pieces!" she cried,
addressing the inanfmate cause OF her
troubles. She knew that it was no
good appealing to the Janitor-that
only the boldest tenant dared tread,
and Mary had no desire to meet
him in argument. She wiped her eyes.
IF I only knew something about
stoves" she walled aloud. But |
don't. and I can't cook my supper 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 dabbeo
at her eyes, and opened the door. In
the hall stood young man, difrident.
1 YET SIl1I1nB.
ct believe you have something wrong
with your gas stove" he began
"Oh, I 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.
| I'm not-that is to say, I'm not
regular gas stove expert, ne salo.
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 MN
| 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 OPP
portunely as an angel from heaven!
There it isl she said, pointing out
the horrid object. II can't do any
| thing with it,
stove without tremor. as one who
has no fear. He twiddled its cocks
| with contemptuous familiarity, trylns
| to light it once or twice. Then ne
reached into his pocket, extracted 2
pair of pliers and loosened a joint OF
| two, poking into pipes with match-
stick. At last he Strengthened him
| self.
IT think it'll work all right now
| he said. Let me try it. Have you q
match %
| lie turned Ine COC6s 81 0CA AAAS
match she had given him and applied
| the fire to the burner. A little "popE
sounded, and the clear blue flame re-
warded him. Mary gave little cry
of d 1oy. Won ~. o,avsr,. she cried
TITS all right now, isn't it? How can
I ever thank your" 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 II
you have a bit of salt to spare you
might let me borrow a PINCH" he re-
piled. st haven't a scrap of salt in
my place"
"Of course I'll let you have the
salt" she said, hurrying to open a
paper bag. But 1 wish you'd let me
give you something for your trouble
at 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.
'Tm-Tm dreadfully sorryl" he
stammered- Il don't know what was
the matter with me- just sort of
tainted, I guess-TI go now
you'll do nothing of the sort. Tell
me. hoy long is it since you've
eaten?"
1.-TWO days" confessed the young
man. ''I have a job that will pay me
well, but don't go to work till to-
morrow, and I've been living all this
week on a loaf of bread. That's what
I wanted the salt fort makes you
thirsty and then you drink a lot of
water, and then you don't feel so
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 I wouldn't have
been able to cook anything. Now you
sit down and let me tend to my cook
ing"
He obeyed, and as she prepared the