The suburban citizen., 1900-06-16

In the first place, no young woman
Of sound mind sits in a freight eleva-
tor at midnight attired in q dinner
gown as a mere pastime. Add to this
the fact that the painfully new and
unyielding ropes by which the lift
was propelled were being pulled upon
Justify by the clerk from the neigh
boring drug store-awakened from
sound sleep for the purpose-and it
will readily be seen that something
unusual had happened in the Carton
family.
At that moment when the drug
,lerk was pulling Mollie with infinite
pains toward the fifth floor, rear, Of
the apartment building in which the
Cartons had the pleasure of residing
Mrs. Carton sat wringing her hands
and calling upon heaven to save her
child upon the front stairs. To be
exact, it was upon the first step of the
fourth flight of stairs she sat. Which
should make it evident to everybody
that she was conducting her lamenta-
ton Just outside her own door, She
sat outside not from choice, but be-
cause she couldn't help herself.
In short, she was locked out. And
so was Mollie.
So was the drug clerk for that mat
ter, but the fifth apartment in the
'Brunhilda," not being his abiding
place, he did not take it to heart as
Mrs. Carton did. Having known the
Cartons for only twenty minutes, his
interest in the matter was as yet
quasi-professional.
But perhaps it would be better to
begin at the beginning.
Be it known, then, that Mrs. Carton
and her daughter had been giving a
little dinner that evening. The guests
had stopped on rather late, and the
ianitor, after the manner of his kind
having put the lights cut early
Mollie stepped into the hall to light
the gas that her friends might find
their way down the winding stairs in
comfort. Mrs. Carton followed her,
and together they sped the parting
diners. While they were thus engrosseG
the door-their own treacherous front
door-inlpeled by a slight draft, or
by what somebody has called the total
depravity of inanimate things, clicked
sharply shut. They both turned
quickly, but it was too late. The
latch had done its worst.
Their maid had departed immedi'
ately after serving, to a ball, intending
to spend the night with her sister.
Mr.. Carton was out of town on a
business trip. So there wa1 no hope
Of success from within.
1t was obviously impossible to GO
to a hotel attired in their evening
frocks. Besides, they had no money.
They knew no one in the building
Their friends all lived at distance
Their guests were already beyond
reach. Mrs. Carton entertained {
mental vision of a night spent upor
the street, or at best, in a drafty hall
way. She sank down upon the stairs
overcome. She also wept.
But Mollie was young, and you'll
is ever resourceful. Also, she had
! Keen sense OL uuluDIs AlluDubu bn'
didn't dare let her mother know it
she was amused. At all events, tn,
situation savored of adventure, anC
an opportunity for adventure is not t,
be lightly disregarded, even if it doe
involve little discomfort. She pattet
her mothers shoulder soothingly.
"There, there. Don't cry, dear
The janitor is sure to have a skeleton
key. I'll run down and get it.
But the janitor hadn't any sucl
thing. Moreover, be resented beinl
disturbed. He was a hard.workinl
man, he said, and a nights sleep wa
about all he got out OF life aside from
three meals daily. Why didn't tn
young lady go wake up the landlord
Landlords had an easy time. All the,
had 10 do was collect rents. The
were just made to be walked up. The
liked it,
Fortunately the landlord live
across, the street. So. wrapping Mr.: