The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1908-04-04
RED, THE MEDIATOR.
(Bv Montague Glassl


Aloysius Walsh, the same they call
Red" was playing the mouth organ.
He eXhaled the melody and inhaled the
accompaniment while Patsy Barry sat
beside him on the bench and kicked
the wooden partition beneath, tempo
marcato
Outside. the cold was intense and the
constantly opening door so lowered the
temperature of the room that the mu-
sic fairly steamed from Aloysius' lips
in little jets of vapor. Patsy's nose
peeped, cherrylilte, from the shade of
his enormous cap, and his whole atti-
tude was one of absorbed interest in
the performance. He admired good
music; not so the manager at Forty
fifth street, who stuck his head through
an opening in the partition.
Quit dat noise, youse two he growl-
ed. 'or I'll kick be dot'n yes out er
dis"
They quit incontinently, for the man
ager was of decisive habit with mes
senger books. He had just arisenf rom
a tender conversation with "B. G." in
the main office, who clicked him
| vivid description of herself as tall and
/ blond. and he sighed as he pictured her
! languid eye and moist, red lip. If he
but knew it, b. G." was stout and
forty. with a three days growth of
beard, and more redolent of whiskey
than the manager at Forty-fifth street
4 himself.
1t was scant half past eight, and the
| theatres were in. A lights now fell,
and bleak wind swept Broadway
clear of all traffic save the cars and
one or two belated playgoers. The man.
ager lighted fresh stogy and pre-
pared for a quiet evening
Aloysius and Patsy were doping"
the horses at New Orleans with the
aid of a tattered pink newspaper. They
were keen sportsmen. at least in de-
sire, and discussed in low tones a
marked reversal in form shown in the
fifth race that afternoon.
Dat amt narten," said Aloysius.
Louis dor was played down TO even
money yesterday. and she amt fin
ished yet"
Patsy waggled his head gravely.
Yer can't pick EN- desc days" he !
and goin''
A bell tapped insistently, and the
manager drew a ticket from one of the |
many drawers behind the counter He
handed it to Aloysius without even |
glancing at it.
Here, your he said. Chase your
self
Aloysius buttoned UP his coat and
carefully drew on his torn mittens.
Where to-" said Patsy.
Hotel Altrincham," Aloysius replied |
and ministered to a cold in his head |
with his left hand mitten.
Leave me have de mout' organ while |
we're gomez" said Patsy as Aloysius |
made for the door
"Aw, what fer?" Aloysius rejoined
derisively.
'All right, yer miz," said the dis
gruntled Patsy.
The manager again inserted his head
through the partitino.
Shake it up, there, Four-ninety-
two,' he said.
Augustus opened the door and passed
out with the blast of insulting discords
on the harmonica.
Holy cripesr' he muttered to himself
as the wind struck him. Amt it
cold"
And he broke into a trot, with his
head bent to the swirling snow.
II.
few minutes later he entered the
revolving door of the Altrincham and
saluted the clerk with the monosyllable
Call
Front" said the clerk, take this
kid up to So
After lively scuffle with the bell
boy | nthe elevator, AloysiuS alighted
at the eighth floor and knocked on the
door numbered eighty-nine
A tall young man answered his sum-
mons.
Come in he said to Aloysius. "Cold,
isn't it?"
Aloysius shifted by way of answer
and sat on the edge of the bed. He
made careful survey of the room while
the tall young man wrote steadily at a
desk in the corner. On the dressing
table were two panel photographs, and
scattered about the walls were four {
more, all of the same person. Aloysius
stared at them with the eye of con-
noisseUr. for messenger-boys are by
association and environment excellent :
Judges of feminine beauty.
The tall young man rose from his
desk and went TO the telephone.
Send me a cup of hot coffee" he {
said to the clerk, and he returned to
his writing. Soon there came a knock 9
at the door, and waiter appeared,
bearing a silver pot of coffee on
inen-covered tray. He deposited it,
With sugar, cream and a cup and ssu- q
,er. on the dressing table. q
Drink this" said the tall young /
nan. You'll feel better when you so s
,ut"
Aloysius expressed his enjoyment in a
- o,,rpIioe inhalafions until there e