The Salt Lake herald-Republican. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1909-1918, 1909-12-19

Spaghetti" said Molly "Giva-da.inonk-a-b snannis
embraced a plumber who sat next to me. The
barber turned yellowish and tried to smile
"Butter-cakes ready hye' shriled the Head Wait
ress from the window And the incident was closed.
Still, of course, Molly had made bad mistake The
Barber had doubtless read in the Sunday papers that
hate IS closely akin to love He gained by her open
sntagonism He showed a certain real courage in
facing rebuff. And Molly soon tired of retort, hating
herself vaguely for having consented to hate him. One
day the Barber tied cheap bracelet into his napkin.
Molly left it at the desk But, in her blindness, she
only half lied Il was the Barber who had forgotten
the thing accidentally He, of course dsclamed own-
ership So Molly smarted under the imputatiOn of a
vulgar trick to gain his acquaintance The Head Watt
ress knew we'll enough that this charge fmsy and
absurd but she admired the Barber herself-ciutch-
ingly. He was young and a man. and gave her the
great gift Of notice Let say, in justice, that he
as obviously clean and graceful as a cat When he ate
onions he always nbbed Sen-Sen aferward The frus-
trate atron ranked in the Head Waitress and she used
her opportunity The Barber repeated his man9uyre
from time to time and Molly took the trash She gave it
away when she could, to the other gTls--whch was.
futile. I fail to understand why she had not, long
before told the Policeman the whole story. but there
may have been twenty reasons. Molly was not WISE
but she was probably woman enough to know how
strangely worship and suspicion are interviewer among
%
endured in reckless silence, and the situation grew
acute
It was on a Saturday evening that Frank came with
me to Youngs' Because it was after seven, and a
half-hoiday, the place nearly empty; and we sat
nearest the door for the cool
The Barber, at table FIVE was twisting his mustache
and smiling When he smiled the overrpe lips hattened
into wide straight band, and the scorn lines from
lip to nostrl curved and grew deep Molly brought
Cf,r krrr-e cd rrrrrrr
quickly. He called her back and amended his order
As she passed us I noticed one small, sharp tooth
catching over the corner Of her underp. Frank was
gowering at the Barber, and made certain o5serva-
ton, for which it is enough to say that honor him.
Molly returned, bearing tall glass of iced coffee
As she leaned over to set at his right the Barber
caught her free hand pulled her down, and half ws-
pered something into her ear.
think I said that Molly was Irish She Strengthened
her sturdy back and for one part of second stood,
shiyering and grinned at her abominatonthe fighting
smile of her terrible race Then the artist Of the
soda fountain curves the long stream between glass
and shaker, the brown stream of cold coffee curved
scattering upon the BARRIERS elaborate head. The
cracked ice tinkled onto the tiled floor. With one
swift sweep Molly tucked the dripping head firmly
under her arm while with the other hand she snached
the yellow slab of butter from beneath its cebock in
the center of the table And the small boy, d0min-
ant implacable, scrubs with the weeping face Of
his Overcome antagonist, even did this woman OF
Erin with the butter undo her enemy-and more also.
It was over before you could push back your chair.
The Barber released, toppled sidelong among the
wreckage In the paralyzed instant that follows calam-
itv Molly stood astonished her buttery hands at her
tunblng hair Then the irrepressble Irish sense OF
humor broke forth. She gurgled across the hush;
"TIot towel, SIR"
After that the Deluge. I am sorry that do not
understand spoken Italian The Barber made sort
of blind rush. and was collared by Frank and me-in
which virtuous act we ruined our clothes The waite
rssses screamed and scuttled henEke, the Manager,
Cashier, Head Waitress and Griddle-Cake Man rushed
camorous from the 'front.' and the mysterious regions
to the rear beched forth large hot people and clouds
Of culinary steam Molly lifted up her voice and
wept-the heartbroken wondering cry Of a hurt child.
And through the din Of complex recrimnatiOns Glove
the blue figure Of Roundsman Aloysius OKearHey
"What the devils goin on here?' he roared, aecu-
mulating me and the Barber and shifting our heads
together with energy.
The ensuing coudburst of poIyphonic explanation
was not enlightening.
Assaulted We did She We frog-eatin' Dago? Phwst
for?" His eye turned from Molly, who had stopped
CRYING. to the Head Waitress and Manager. "Yers
both witnesses?" IN take your names" He was
thinking hard I squirmed gently and, with preoccu-
pied recognition he released Then he reached foE
his night-stick "The Dago's drunk, anyway"
Babel broke out afresh
"TH run yez in" announced the officer to Molly.
"Yeu come with me quietly, understand" He
touched her shoulder turned and shook the sputterng
Italian into limp mass. "Ill yez both in Naws
don't want no hurry-up wagon. I know my business
Kim out of thatl I understand. I understand-ye can
tell ali that to the Justice. in the morning Out o the
road therel Skidoo
He shoudered through the crowd at the door and
down the street, protecting Molly with and
half dragging the now wholly frantic Barber. Molly
wore demurey expectant expression as the three
turned into dark side street which does not lead in the
direction of the station house.
Next day, meeting the Policeman, by good fortune,
ventured to inquire after the Barber
@They held what was left of him on three counts
public nuisance dhrunk and disordhery an resistin'
an beatin an officer said Roundsman Aloysius
OKearney
BY the way I added Highland Place wasn't quite
YOUR nearest way to the station, was it?'
Did you never hear. sorr suggested Tim, shat the
longest way round IS sometimes the shortest way
home2'