The Coalville times. [volume] (Coalville, Utah) 1894-1923, 1900-05-18
A BUNCH OF KEYS.

situations go. unique.
In the FIRST place. no young woman
OF sound mind slts In freight ele-
yator at midnight attircd In a dinner
gown as a mere pastime. Add to TINS
the fact that the painfully new anu
unyiolding ropes by which the lit was
propelled we're being pulled upon
by the clerk from the neighboring
drug store awakened from a sound
sleep for the purpose-and II VIII
readily be seen that something IN
usual had happened Ia the Carton
family
At that moment when the drug
clerk was pulling Mobile with Infinite
pains toward the ffth floor, rear OF
the apartment building In which the
Cartons had the pleasure OF residlhs'
Mrs. Carton sat wrlnging her hanus
and calling upon heaven to save her
child upon the front stairs. To be eN-
act. Il was upon the 1rst step OF the
fourth flight OF stairs she sat. Whieh
should make II evident 10 everybody
that she was conducting her lamenta-
ton Just outside her own door. sho
sat outside not from choice, but be-
cause she couldn't help herself.
In short. she was locked out Ana
80 was Mollie.
SO was she drug clerk. for that mat
ter. but the nfth apartment In the
"Brunhllda," not being his abiding
/ place. he did not take II to heart as
Mrs Carton did. Having known the
| Cartons for only twenty minutes, his
interest In the matter was rs yet
sl-professional.
But perhaps II would be better 10
begin at the beginning.
BE Il known. thon. that Mrs. Carton
and her daughter had been giving o.
little dinner that evening The guests
had stopped ON rather late. and the
janltor. after the manner Of his kind
having put the lights out early. MOL
lie stepped into the hall 10 light the
gas. that her friends might md their
way down the winding stairs In com
fort. Mrs. Carton followed her. and
together they sped the parting diner
While they were thus cugrosscd. tne
door-their own treacheroua front
door-lmpellcd by a slight draft. or by
what somebody has called the total
deprayity Of lnanimate things, clicked
sharply shut They both turned
quickly. but II was too late. The latch
had done It's worst.
Their maid had departed Immediate
ly after serving. TO ball. intending
to spend the night With her sister, MT
Carton was out Of town on a business
trip. SO there was no hope OF success
from within.
II was obviously impossible TO go 10
a hotel attlred In their evening frocks
Besides. they had no money. They
knew no one In the building. Their
friends all lived at distance. Thoii
guests were already beyond reach
Mrs. Carton entertained a mental Wis
ion OF n night spent upon the street
or at best Ia n drafty haiiwAy, ssf
sank down upon the stairs. overcome.
She also wopt.
But Mollie was young. and youth Is
ever rcsourceful. Also. she had keen
sense OF humor. Although she didn't
dare let her mother know II, she was
: amused Al all events. the situation
. savored Of adventure. and an oppor-
tunlty for adventure ia not to be light
, ly dlsregarded. even n II does involve
/ a little discomfort. She patted her
: mothers shoulder soothlngly,
0 There. there Don't cry, dear. the
janitor Is sure TO have a skeleton Key
: I'll rub down and get IT,"
But the janitor hadn't any such
thing. Moreover. he resented being
disturbed He was hard-worklng
man. he said. and a nights sleep was
about all he got out OF life aside rom
. three meals daily. Why didn't tho
, young lady go wake up the landlord.
, Landlords had an easy time All hey
had TO do was collect rents They
were Just made TO be walked up. They
liked Il.
Fortunately the landlord lived
across the street. So, wrapping Mrs.
, Janitor's shawl about her. Molllo went
! forth to wake the landlord.
Notwithstanding his ront-collecdng
|, habit the landlord seemed to share
, the Ianltors views on the subject OF
, sleep. He hadn't duplicate key. he
/ Informed her. after at last he had been
4 awakened and appeared at an upper
, window, He seemed TO Mollle TO gloat
over the fact. He intlmaied that MS
business was renting apartments, not
running other peoples domestic at
fairs
But can't you suggest someihlngf
Mollie cried, desperately. I'VE must
get In, you know.
He suggested the drug clerk on the
corner, who had a big bunch OF Keys,
might be able to open tho door. ana
then he shut the window
The drug clerk was asleep. too and
hard TO rouse, but a. last opened the
door wide. Upon percelying a young
woman, however. he shut 1t again
quickly, that his dishcyelod condition
might not be too apparent, LEAVING
however, a crack wide enough FOR con
versatlonal purposes.
give me your prescription nc
said. extending hand through inc
aperture. I'm turn up the light as
soon as get In the back room, and
you can come ia and sit down
II was harder than she thought II
, would be 10 explain her errand, MOL