ked it less when the food came and he
found the eggs limed and the coffee muddy. He ate little, and left the
place depressed. "I can't stand this," he muttered, "that's as sure as
God made little apples."

His own half-breathed utterance of this expression startled the man. The
simile he had used was a repetition of what he had just heard in a
conversation between men at an adjoining table in the restaurant. He had
often heard the expression before, but had certainly never utilized it
personally. "The food must be affecting me already," he said bitterly,
and then wandered off unconsciously into an analysis of the metaphor. It
puzzled him. He could not understand why the production of little apples
by the Deity had seemed to the person who at some time in the past had
first used this expression as an illustration of a circumstance more
assured than the production of big apples by the same power, or of the
evolution of potatoes or any other fruit or vegetable, big or little.
His foolish fancies in this direction gave him the mental relief he
needed. When he awoke to himself again the restaurant was a memory, and
he, having recovered something of his tone, resolved to do what could be
done that day to better his fortunes.

Then came work--hard and exceedingly fruitless work--in looking for
something to do. Then Nature began paying attention to George Henry
Harrison personally, in a manner which, however flattering in a general
way, did not impress him pleasantly. His breakfast had been a failure,
and now he was as hungry as the leaner of the two bears of Palestine
which tore forty-two children who made faces at Elisha. He thought first
of a free-lunch saloon, but he had an objection to using the fork just
laid down by another man. He became less squeamish later. He was
resolved to feast, and that the banquet should be great. He entered a
popular down-town place and squandered twenty-five cents on a single
meal. The restaurant was scrupulously clean, the steak was good, the
potatoes were mealy, the coffee wasn't bad, and there were hot biscuits
and butter. How the man ate! The difference between fifteen and
twenty-five cents is vast when purchasing a meal in a great city. George
Henry was reasonably content when he rose from the table. He decided
that his self-imposed task was at least endurable. He had counted on
every contingency. Instinctively, after paying for his food, he strolled
toward the cigar-stand. Half-way ther