Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1929-05-24
Tie Dumbwaiter
Broadcast
&-S
BY FREDERICK HART
"OH, I think gas stoves are the
~ mpaneSt things I"

(Copyrlght.l

Nj, 1 lnlnk gus SloNeS ure tne
~ meanest thlngsw
Tears stood in pretty Mary Davls's
eyes, she had had little enough trou-
Bile In life In the Belladonna apart
mentS but the gas stove seemed al
wNys to be n thing endowed with
malignant, devilish spirit that defed
her, try as she would to regulate 1t.
"If only knew something about
stoves" she walled aloud. But
don't, and can't cook my supper,
and-an-"
She sank of chair and gave her
self to tears.
A knock on her door startled her.
She sprang to her feet, hastily dabbed
her eyes and opened the door. In
the hall stood young man, diff
dent, yet smiling.
81 believe you have something
wrong with your gas stove" he be-
gan.
"Oh, have-indeed havei Are
you a" She paused, not sure of
the name for men who repair gas
stoves. The young man took her
up.
"Tm not-that is to say, I'm not
regular gas-stove expert" he
said. but I've lived in apartments
long enough to know something about
their little habits and tricks. And l
thought l might fix yours" He was
handsome, she decided at once, and
he had nice eyes and an engaging
smile And surely he had come rs
Opportune as an angel from heaven
"There It is," she said, pointing
out the horrid object. 81 can't do any
thing with It,"
The young man approached the
stove without tremor, as one who
has no fear. He twlddled its cocks
with contemptuous familiarity, try
ing to light 1t once or twice. Then
he reached into his pocket, extracted
pair Of pliers and loOsened a joint
or two, poklng into pipes with a
match-stlck. At last he Strengthened
himself.
81 think it'll work all right now"
he said. "Let me try 1t. Have you
a match?"
lie turned the cock, struck the
match she had given him and applied
the fire TO the burner. A little "pOpw
sounded and the clear blue flame of
perfectly functloning gas range re-
warded him. Mary gave n little cry
Of joy.
"Oh, you are ceverl" she cried.
ITS all right now isn't It? How
can | ever thank your" A chilling
thought entered her mind. "Do I
how much Is it-d0es 1t cost"
The young man Strengthened his
back, cramped from STOPPING.
"Well, there's no charge. But IL
you have bit of salt to spare you
might let me borrow PINCH" he re-
piled. 81 haven't n scrap Of salt in
my place"
"Of course, I'll let you have the
salt" she said, hurrying to open "A
box. But wish you'd let me give
you something for your trouble"
at wasn't any trouble-it was
pleasure" replied the young man,
and bowed And then he kept on
bowling farther and farther, till he
tumbl6d to the floor and lay still.
Mary kept her head; got water and
dabbed 1t on his forehead and laid
him in an easier position. And then
she saw what she had not noticed
before-that his face was plnched and
white and his cheeks were hollow.
A L..
"Pm-Im dreadfully sorry" he
stammered. 81 don't know what was
the matter with mel Just sort Of
tainted, | guess-Tll go now"
"You'll do nothing OF the sort.
Tell me, how long Is Is since you've
eaten?'
"Two days" confessed the young
man. 81 have Job that will pay
me well, but don't go to work till to-
morrow, and I've been living all this
week on loaf Of bread. That's what
| wanted the salt for-lt makes you
thirsty and then you drink n lot of wa
ter, and then you don't feel so empty"
you're going to stay and have sup
per with me-" Mary said calmly.
lie obeyed, and as she prepared the
meal he told her his story-hOw he
had tried to draw and had struggled
on, his money getting lower and low
err, TIL at last he had landed the splen-
did position that had come almost too
late-hOw pride had prevented his
asking for an advance, and he had set
himself to sticking 1t out till he should
be paid,
"YOu're an awful IDIOT" observed
Mary But you can fix gas stoves.
And tell me" she remembered at
last his oppOrtune appearance.
MY door on the dumbwaiter shaft
was open and I heard you" he con-
fessed. 81 thought you wouldn't mind
If helped you
81 should say didn't mind" said
Mary. "And I'm glad for your sake
that you came up. You might have
starved to deathw
81 won't starve now" remarked the
young man, as he attacked the food.
And | II want to see you agaln--when
I have my job and can pay you back"
Mary blushed "YOu can see me
again II you want to- she said. "But
don't starve yourself for an excuse.
You won't need to, you see."
81 see" cried the young man JOY
ously.
And he evidently did; for It was
not many months till he had asked
Mary certain question which had
great deal to do with eatlng-at the
same table; and the answer seemed
to be such as to remove fear Of starva-
tlnn-nlILnr nf tho hndr or of tho