The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-03-22

| time an agreeable light shines through
/ the four smell holes arranged along the
| top half. A calico curtain blows in and
| out of this door on such nights as we have
been having lately, for Mother Merry
/ likes a fire, and the little stove she sits
at, netting. heats the one big room be-
low to smotheration, and the men won't
stand it. If this curtain blows high you
! can, if you're nervy enough, get a peep
1 at the inside, stewing with a horrible
smell of fish,, and bright with kerosene
| lamps and the busy little stove. You
won't see much furniture, for Mother
| Merry don't spend her money on anything
she can do without; but there is table
or two and some chairs, and in one Of
/ the corners door which sometimes
stands half open, but more often is to be
seen tight shut. Behind this door what
ever mischief the house hides takes place.
You can tell this from the old woman S
/ eye, which is always on It,
and, if you know her well,
it is quite enough to watch her
! twiching underlip to satisfy yourself as
to whether the mischief is big or little;
prosperous in it's character, or OF kind
| likely to damage her reputation and emp
ty her well-stuffed pockets. She is no
fool, this old Mother Merry; and though
she has not much of what men call nerve,
and trembles like leaf at the approach
than you would think over the tough
crowd of boatmen who knock their heads
together in that little room. have been
told that she is feared quite beyond all
reason by the few stray females who find
a refuge in the scanty garnet rooms, which
have given to this shanty the highfalutin
name OF lodging house. What harm goes
on under her twinkling red eye, do not
| know. l have been in the place altogeth-
er three times, but have never yet found
out what that door conceals. The men
play at some sort Of game around large
table, on which black bottles and thick
glasses take up as much room as the
cards; but l do not think it is gambling
only which makes it next to impossible
for fellow to get in there at night.
There is something else-but l won't stop
over that. 1t is hell of place. as you
can judge, and unless ones business led
him there, scarcely a spot where a man
would brag of being found.
'One night-the night 1 am telling you
about got in, but got in late. There
was some sort of password necessary and
l had hard time getting hold of it, and
a harder time yet making old Mother
Merry hear it when I had got hold of it.
Yet she isn't deaf and doesn't pretend to
be. This trouble over, and the door
passed, encountered another check A
man was there; slouchy, disreputab1e
wretch, and it was he, instead of Mother
Merry, who was watching that mysteri-
Gus door, which for once stood far enough
ajar for one room to share the SMELLS
sights and uproar Of the other did not
like this man. did not like the way he
stood, or looked, or held his tongue
There was something peculiar and I'M
natural in his whole manner, and
glanced at Mother Merry to see what she
thought of him.
Evidently nothing bad; for she moved
about quite comfortable-l like, and did not
so much as look at the door had never
) before seen her let out of her sight a
moment. =
"'Who can he be-? I naturally asked
myself, little put out by my doubts: for
my business would soon take me into the
inner room, and did not like to imagine
myself under his eye.
Drink! l suddenly shouted, to see if
could make any impression on him
But might as well have shouted at a
hitching post. Mother Merry brought me
whisky, but the man did not bulge I
began to think Of putting off my affair to
l. more convenient season, when 1 was
; taken with a sudden curiosity to see lust
what he was staring at.
Approaching gently, I looked over his
shoulder. portion of the inside room
was all could see, but In that norton
sat man with red face and cruel
Jaw. 1t was this face which held the at
tentlon OF the boatman before me; and
while was wondering what he
found in it to hold him stock
still for so long. I heard a sigh
escape from under the coarse Jacket /
, dreaded touching with my own. and mich
amazed at this show of feeling in den
OF such boiled-down filth and wickedness
moved back to where Mother Merry
. stood, and whispered in her ear:
WHO'S that man? Do you know him
, Has he any business here?
Her gaunt shoulders lifted in shrue
she is far from jolly, cheerful as he1
name is-then she drew near the man
and I saw her touch him. At that. OF
! some low words she uttered, he reused
and cast quick look about him, then he
+ pointed towards door on the other side
of the room.
She answered by nod, and he moved
off with poor try at a slouchy gait
When saw this knew he was no sailor
t AS the door closed behind him, a
sound OF women screaming and scoldins
came from the docks, then a child's CRY
I cut into the night, after which there was
] quiet in that quarter and in the house
, too: For Mother Merry, with a scared
! look, jumped towards the room where
e the men were sitting, and, pushing he,
. way in, held up her hand so as to draw
, all eyes.
t The warming she cried. It's the
y cops! See if you can get out by the win.
dow .."
t Zone of the men arose and went to the
q window. looked out, and came crawlins
4 back, putting out light as he did so.
q They're ON the water he whispered
and, whether I am a fool or not, tina
o whisper sent the creeps up my back
q Both front and back?' she cried. 'Tha
: means business; you'll have to suueez,
t into the hole, boys
1 Another light went out.
|, Meanwhile had crept to the door.
i Ware there! that fellows trying t,
sneak shouted a voice.
I II drew back Old Merry came to m,
aid.
S Don't be fool she whispered Sta,
o here or they'll think you're in witt
a them'
" ''The growl Of some half-dozen Of then
l brought the warning home. laughed an
t got in line with the boys, grumbling alou
as did So
Then they'll make mistake If yo
n are wanted by the cops, am, too Blu
t how about that other fellow?' 1 whis
y pered. getting close to Mother Merry il
e the hubbub.
u She didn't hear me; she was tellin
u how something was to be done. Then an
other light went out. The place now wa
7, in nearly total darkness.
n "'Hush!' came from the doorway wher
s the curtain blew in and out.
t Hush and quick, came in hoarse ech
from Mother Merry's quivering lips
r Suddenly the room was empty. OF tn
s half dozen drunken figures had see
q moving about me the minute before, no
o one was in sight. I heard creak, then
scuffie, and then bang, and the roor
8, stood empty. Only a few bottles and
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