Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1928-10-05
RACHEL'S
EGG-BEATER
LUCK
N.S.e. 2. 2.
Ia by D. ]. waish.l

II IAlAA IOIIhh SHOOK tne last
X crumb of brown sugar into the
l. stewed apples. Horace liked
sweet sauce and she was afraid
this would not suit him. But there
was no more sugar In the house.
Worse than that, there was no money
with which to buy sugar. Eliza looked
out of the kitchen window with stern
eyes at Horace standing on the back
stoop with his pipe in his mouth. The
pipe was empty. He reached into his
pocket for tobacco, but found none.
"When things get just as bad as
they can be they can't get any worse,
that's one comfort" Eliza said, lifting
her chin bravely. She took the glass
dish of sauce to the table and placed
it beside the blue plate which held the
hot cornbread. The meal was now
ready, SO she called: "Horace"
Her husband entered. lie was q
slight man who used crutch. Eliza
had reason to believe that Horace's
hip could be mended If there was
money for proper treatment. But he
could not work much with an I'M
pacted fracture.
ELIZA" sighed Horace, "we're old
folks. We haven't got long to stay"
Eat your dinner and you'll feel
better" said his wife.
Across the scantlly furnished table
they looked at each other, this frall
man and his small, dark-eyed spouse
of forty-odd years.
"You're determined to make the
best of it?" he said.
"Of course l am. When things get
just as bad as they can be they"-she
could get no further. Pretending that
a crumb had gone the wrong way, she
coughed. Sometimes 1t was terribly
hard to face Horace with any sort OF
helpful philosophy. When all was said
and done the fact remained that they
were old and destitute, that the house
was falling down over their heads,
that they hadn't stick Of furniture
that wasn't decreplt with age. that
there wasn't a chick nor child they
could call their own, but they had
put all the money they had saved for
their declining years in bad invest
ment and lost it. Horace" Eliza be-
yam gain, "lf you're going to sit there
quarrelng with your vlctuals you can
j. take Il piece Of this cornpone over
to Mrs. Whitcomb. She'll appreciate
It," She quickly placed golden
brown square on blue plate and
handed 1t to Horace. With something
like grin he reached for his crutch.
"Now then" Eliza whispered to her
self as he hobbled away, 81 can do
something" She covered her face
with her hands.
1t seemed scarcely a moment before
Horace was back, the unemptled plate
in his hand "Mrs. Whitcomb isn't
there" he said. "She must have TAX
en- the bus somewheres this morning.
There was a girl there that wanted
to see her | found her sitting on the
steps. She looked all beat out"
why didn't you ask her over here7'
demanded Eliza. She went to the door
and looked across at the other house
The woman who sat upon Mrs. Whit
combs steps had her head In her
hands, Ellza's own attitude Of a mo-
ment before. She seemed toe young
to be dressed in black. There was q
large bag beside her.
Eliza went straight over there. She
was close before the girl glanced up
and saw her. The dark eyes held the
look of mother; the blue ones I'M
derstOOd
Until mldafterqOon the pale girl
lay on Ellza's cord bedstead, while
Eliza made her drink caInomlle tea
out Of blue cup. Rachel Mayhew's
young husband had died q few weeks
before and she was selling egg-beat-
ers from door to door to get him a
monument. She had walked all the
way from the next town. Her sales
well, they hadn't amounted TO much
in fact, she had not sold a single egg
beater, but smiling bravely. she had.
of course, just started out and must
do better soon. As soon as her head
stopped aching, and It was feeling lots
better, she must hasten on.
At parting she gave Eliza an egg
beater-"though It's no pay at all for
so much kindness as you've shown
me-" she said. Eliza snatched an odd
shaped blue vase from the mantel.
shelf. "Take that to remember me
by" she returned.
Alone she looked at the egg-beater
In a half-puzzled way. She whlsked
II round and round. 1t was so nice
and new and shiny. Such a pity that
she had no use for It. She wished she
could sell things, but If bright young
thing like Rachel Mayhem failed how
could she hope to succeed
when things get just so bad as
they can be"-she tried to chant, but
her voice gave out because there was
such n tightness In her throat.
Next morning Horace sneaked away
from home. He came back looking so
wited that Eliza was frightened.
sold man, tell where you've been
and what you've been dolng?" she de
manded.
swell, got ride to town and
back" Horace confessed. "Pve been
trying to get me a job. But-they
don't peg shoes now the way ! was
taught" He paused. II tried to sell
the house here to Fletcher. He said
II was only an old heap Of junk"
ats home. our hOmel" cried Eliza
"We've lived here for forty.Odd years
together You've lived here all your
life and your father and grandfather
before you. Do you remember the day
we got married and you brought me
.I..I, LIT