English
Hewouldprepareforhisluncheonofdrybreadandwater.Hewouldsliceintoaloaf--ah!
MissMarthablushed.Wouldhethinkofthehandthatplaceditthereasheate?Wouldhe--
Thefrontdoorbelljangledviciously.Somebodywascomingin,makingagreatdealofnoise.
MissMarthahurriedtothefront.Twomenwerethere.Onewasayoungmansmokingapipe--amanshehadneverseenbefore.Theotherwasherartist.
Hisfacewasveryred,hishatwasonthebackofhishead,hishairwaswildlyrumpled.HeclinchedhistwofistsandshookthemferociouslyatMissMartha.AtMissMartha.
"Dummkopf!"heshoutedwithextremeloudness;andthen"Tausendonfer!"orsomethinglikeitinGerman.
Theyoungmantriedtodrawhimaway.
"Ivillnotgo,"hesaidangrily,"elseIshalltoldher."
HemadeabassdrumofMissMartha'scounter.
"Youhafshpoiltme,"hecried,hisblueeyesblazingbehindhisspectacles."Ivilltellyou.Youvasvonmeddingsomeoldcat!"
MissMarthaleanedweaklyagainsttheshelvesandlaidonehandonherblue-dottedsilkwaist.Theyoungmantooktheotherbythecollar.
"Comeon,"hesaid,"you'vesaidenough."Hedraggedtheangryoneoutatthedoortothesidewalk,andthencameback.
"Guessyououghttobetold,ma'am,"hesaid,"whattherowisabout.That'sBlumberger.He'sanarchitecturaldraftsman.Iworkinthesameofficewithhim."
He'sbeenworkinghardforthreemonthsdrawingaplanforanewcityhall.Itwasaprizecompetition.Hefinishedinkingthelinesyesterday.
Youknow,adraftsmanalwaysmakeshisdrawinginpencilfirst.Whenit'sdoneherubsoutthepencillineswithhandfulsofstalebreadcrumbs.That'sbetterthanIndiarubber."
Blumberger'sbeenbuyingthebreadhere.Well,to-day--well,youknow,ma'am,thatbutterisn't--well,Blumberger'splanisn'tgoodforanythingnowexcepttocutupintorailroadsandwiches."
MissMarthawentintothebackroom.Shetookofftheblue-dottedsilkwaistandputontheoldbrownsergesheusedtowear.
Thenshepouredthequinceseedandboraxmixtureoutofthewindowintotheashcan.
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