Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1931-07-31
An Old Man in
Spats
BY JANE OSBORN
** X ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
t6l by Mcclure Newspaper syndioateA
(WNU Service.l

&c by Mcclure Newspaper syndioats.l
.arr (WNU Service.l
THERE was once a young woman
4 named Margaret Abadie who grew
weary of paying half her meager In
come for the rent of an ill-ventilated
studio apartment in the big city, and
went to live in nearby village. Mar
garet had def hand with paint
brushes but no decided talent, so she
made her small income patiently dec
Grating lampshades for a large gift
shop in the city. The village she
chose was a small one with wide
shaded main street on which were
huddIed the few shops that supplied
the villagers needs. Most of them
were combination shops that carried
on oddly assorted lines Of business.
The little shop where you bought news
papers, magazines and tobacco was
furnished with a long oilcloth-covered
table and six wooden chairs where Ice
cream was served at all hours--as
well MS ''hot meals" at noon and sup
per time. 4,rg.,.
AT about six O'Clock every evening
Margaret went down to this little
shop to buy the evening paper, and 1t
was there that she noticed the old
man in spats He seemed always to
be sitting there at the ollcloth-covered
table at that time waiting for his eve
ming meal. The immaculate spats
and his polished rimless eyeglasses
struck Margaret as rather odd.
Seeing him there every evening and
plying his loneliness emboldened
Margaret to bow to the old man.
Later she said good evening and be
fore month had passed she felt as
II she were well acquainted with this
extraordinary old man in spats. One
evening feeling lonely herself she
asked the old man II he wouldn't like
to come and have supper with her.
She had made up her mind that he
was a sorry old widower who pre-
ferred eating these attempting meals
to sitting alone at home. The next
evening the old man In spats came to
her little lod-fashioned cottage. There
was no doubt as to the old mans en-
joyment Of the meal. He came again
a week later and soon after that he
asked Margaret If he might come
every evening. He offered her a dollar
for each supper and would agree to
no less. Margaret was delighted with
the arrangement. First 1t provided
this homeless old man with really
good meal once day. Association
with her for that hour every day
seemed to break the spell Of his lone
illness. Moreover, 1t broke the spell Of
her own loneliness. Naturally shy,
Margaret had met with no great cor
diality on the part of the VILLAGERS
among whom she lived. Lately they
seemed to have grown even less friend
ly towards her, ..t...
Margaret became really very fond
of her old man in spats. He never
spoke of his own affairs. All that
Margaret knew Of him was that his
name was Mr.. Baker. Once she asked
a neighbor about him.
"Oh Mr.. Baker," said the woman
with an unpleasant note in her voice.
81 dare say you know great deal
more about Mr.. Baker than we do.
It's quite true that he has a pile of
money-whIch is no doubt what you
want to find out"
Then one day young man in an
expensive car drove up to Margaret's
cottage A tall. well-dressed young
man; he was Mr.. Charles Baker. He
said he thought It was only fair for
him to talk with her. II was matter
OF neighborhood gossip that-here he
hesItated--she, Margaret, had become
very friendly with his grandfather.
or course, 1t was none Of young Mr..
Bakers business what Margaret did
nor in way what his grandfather
did But his grandfather's wIfe-hls
own slcp-grandmoiher-a woman some
years younger, had got word Of the
gossip and had worried herself quite
III over the matter. or course they
all realized that Mr.. Baker was not
quite responsible. II he had been en-
tirely normal he would never have
gone to Vamossi's to get his meals.
Annoyed at some trifling remark OF
his wlfe's at dinner some months ago
he had staked out saying he would
never eat at home again
"You mean that you and your step
grandmother think that am trying to
vamp Mr.. Bakery Margaret at last
managed to ask. She laughed at the
very absurdity Of the thought and
then explained exactly what had hap
pened. Margaret and the young Mr..
Baker talked then Of number OF
things Charles from the first ad-
mired her, and when he left Margaret
made promise "NOt only will
give up my nice boarder but I'll get
him to leave Vamossl's, too. I'll per-
suade him to eat ut home tomorrow"
Charles suggested that 1t might be
easier to accomplish that II Margaret
promised to dine with them, too.
Mrs. Baker was a good actress
When she met Margaret she never
showed that for awhile she had felt
nothing hut jealousy for her. Frank
ly she liked Margaret from the first
and by this time Charles was in love
with her Old Mr. Baker found II
rather pleasant to be home again
but he found II even more pleasant
when few months later Margaret
took a permanent place at his board
as the young bride Of his grandson.