The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1923-01-26
THANKFULLY YOURS
~ MARGARET a. SWEENEY


20. 1873. BY Mcclure Newspaper syndicate.l
Matilda Bennett, slim, short and six
~, sat alone In her basement kitchen.
Outside, against the shining window
with its cross curtain of dainty dim
ity. the rain slashed and streamed in
torrents. Miss Bennett, having just
finished her midday meal. gazed idly
at the storm-lashed window, and her
thoughts, from thirty years Of habit,
began to center about her ''rooming
guests"
Between the window and her brood
ing eyes there slipped the picture Of
slim young man In tawny raincoat,
dripping wet. He carried a violin case,
and his rather handsome face was
white and sullen.
The picture faded. and Matilda
arose brislzly, and took black tin
tray from the shelf behind the stove,
and upon it she placed large yellow
bowl which she filed with hot soup
and covered with plate, heaped with
butter sandwiches.
| Then she climbed the four flights to
| the top floor where, breathless she
| paused to rest. The black tin tray In
| her trembling hands had become
smeared, and the little woman wiped
1t clean and rearranged the sandwiches
before she knocked at the door Of the
s.front square ROOM"
81 didn't see you go out this morn
ing, and just remembered that you
had bad cold when you came last
night" she explained to her new
guest. "Now-now don't thank me at
all, but sit right up and take this while
it's hot"
The young man upon the white iron
bed squirmed to sitting position, and
the woman placed the black tin tray
upon his lap.
II have the rooms on this floor to
tidy up" she told him, "and I'll be In
for the tray on my way down."
When the door had closed behind
her the young man ate ravenously and
drank the soup in great gulps; and
long before she returned, the last
crumb had disappeared.
THAT soup was just fine" he greet
ed his landlady when she entered.
'and, believe me, FL appreciate
How is your cold-I forgot to ask
you, Mr.-Mr. Dunlap?"
THANK you; it's isn't cold. I'm
subject to IA slight throat trouble,
and in wet weather my voice becomes
husky"
I'm glad 1t isn't cold" Miss Ben
nett lifted the tray, and from the door
way she spoke again: 1.-THE day after
tomorrow is my birthday and FL al
ways invite my rooming guests to have
dinner with me on that day. / hope
you can come"
"That's mighty good Of you, and
II thank you. really have no home.
f."
Excuse me; hear my telephone
bell.'' The little woman FASTENED
away, leaving Dunlap staring at the
closed door.
"Rooming guestsl" There was de-
rision in his husky voice. "Rooming
guestsl Well, she is all right" he
whispered to himself.
Toward nightfall, while drawing the
parlor shades, Miss Bennett saw Dun
lap go out. She watched him cross the
street, his tawny coat collar turned
high, and the rain beating down upon
the soft rim of his black felt hat. And
the thought came to her: I'm glad
that 1 brought him that soup. He is
young, and he looks troubled, and he
has no home" And, ever mindful Of
the comfort of her IRONING guests"
she added: II must tidy up his room
before he returns"
Her thoughts stfll upon him, she
went to the small desk in the parlor
and opened the book where her lodg-
ers, as the law requires. had regis
tered. She read again: "John Philip
Dunlap, violinist, former address IA
Staba avenue, Boston"
Miss Bennett was about to climb the
stairs to the top front square room"
when the newsboy brought the evening
paper, and, pausing in the hallway to
glance over the headlines. Miss Ben
nett read:
$1,000 Rewardl Messenger Miss
ing.
"John Dunn, messenger for the
Thurlow Trust, hes disappeared with
$4,000 in United States bonds. Dunn
| is twenty-five, slight Of build, medium
height, brown hair and blue eyes. His
| voice is noticeably husky. Two thou
sand dollars reward is offered for In
formation leading to his arrest or to
the recovery Of the bonds. He"
| Matilda Bennett hastily made her
way to the top floor. Upon the dress
er in Dunlap's room she found note
addressed to her. She read:
"Dear Madam-If you had known
that / am thief, hiding in your home
from the police, you probably would
not have been so kind to me.
"Well, at heart / am not thief, for
| 4 haxo hoor SORRY ovorv raint1to ciuaa