The Topeka state journal., 1922-01-28
Et'cning Story
Cupid-Piano Tuner.
BY FREDERICK HART.

A young man clad in a dingy- but
serviceabIe suit stood outside run
down-looking lodging house and con-
temp1ated IT with disfavor. At the
same time he consulted a card which
he held in his hand.
TITS the address all right" he NUT
tered. And I suppose the lady lives
somewhere between the roof and the
cellar. oh, weIi-I started this ana
suppose I'll have to finish it," With
which words he mounted the porch
and rang the bell.
A uspicious-looking landiady an
swered after an interval and demand
ed to know his business. The young
man presented a card which read:
UPSON & CO.
Pianos and Musical Instruments.
Without comment on the fnvidious
distinction drawn on the card the land
lady requested his business.
zone of your dodgers has a piano OF
ours and rye come to tune it..
''Oh!" The landlady seemed far frorn
satisfied but could offer no OBJ
lection. "That's Miss Carruthers-
Fourth floor front. GO right up
The young man entered and mount
ed the stairs. which creaked. he ar,
rived at the fourth floor front. and
paused.
flames Barton" he said addressing
himself, "this isn't what you bar
gained for when you started out. How
ever, if old maids pianos need tuning
you must do the dirty work. Heigh-
ho." And he knocked on the door.
There was no answer. He knocked
louder. Silence replied. Unwilling to
think that his climb had been for
nothing, he deliberately tried the door
It opened at his touch, somewhat to
his surprise. and he stepped in. Ana
what he saw sent him swiftly to the
middle of the shabby little room.
:. On the floor, sprawled in q disorder
1y heap, lay a girl. She was lying on
her face; masses of chestnut halr,
1oosened by her fall. spread themselves
about her head; her arms. limp and
disjointed looking, were outstretcheo
at queer angles. James Barton did not
hesitate; in a moment he had lifted
the girls limp body and carried her
to the bed which stood in one corner.
The movement seemed to rouse her.
AS he laid her down-she stirred, came
to herself, and with a quick blush
tried to sit up. The effort was too
much for her and she sank back
weakly Barton held up an authori-
tative hand.
.'What's the matter? Don't move
just tell me. Is there anything ] can
do ?''
Tim so l1ungryi"
The words seemed to be wrenched
out against her will, but they con-
veyed a message that the young man
vas not slow to understand. He
dashed down the stair. passing the
amazed landlady in the hall, and re-
turned in a surprisingly short time
laden with bundles. The landlady
seemed, on his return, about to inter-
fere. James Barton merely charged
at her In such a ferocious way that
she sl1rank back in fear; in another
moment he was up the stairs and in
the girls room.
She Lad arranged her hair when he
was gone. and the sight of the food
he had brought restored her. She sat
up and ate-sparingly. under his di-
rections-and soon seemed to want to
talk, her hunger satisfied for the mo-
ment.
siI've lived here for a month";" she
said in answer to his questions, "and
| gave piano lessons, And nobody
seemed to want to learn. And / had
one pupil, and she WOULD do things
wrong, and one day 1 scolded her and
hl!e stopped the lessons. And that's
all. guess, excep&-how did you come
''rm from the piano company" said
James Barton. I've come to tune
your piano"
away yesterday. There's some mis-
'Took it away! Why, here's the
address on this card, and He
stopped, for clearly written under the
address was the name, Mrs. Minnie
Sullivan"
"Great Scott! never asked for
the name. The landlady said Miss
Carruthers. fourth floor 'front.' and
came on up"
Mrs. Sullivan lives on the ground
floor" replied the girl. "She has
piano. too. You HAVE made mis-
take, haven't you? But-I'm glad you
didI"
$50 am l." replied James Barton.
promptly. "And now the question
is"
But what the question, was they did
not discover just then, for the door
swung authoritatively open and on the
threshold appeared a police officer,
followed by the landlady.
whats goin' on here?" inquired
the officer loudly. This lady here
Indicating the 1andlady) said there