Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1909-12-23
Spaghetti" said Molly "Giva-da.tonk- a-banarn.s

barber turned ,eowish and tried to SMILE
"Butter-cakes ready hvcr shrled the Head Wait
from the window And the incident was closed
Still, of course, Molly had made bad mistake Tho
Barber had doubtless, read the Sunday papers that
hate is closely akin love. He gained by her open
antagonisnl. 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 It was the Barber who had forgotten
the thing accidentally. He, of course dsclaimcd OWL
ership So Molly smarted under the mputation Of
vulgar trick to gain his acquaintance. The Head Wait
ress knew well enough that this charge limsy anc
absurd; but she admired the Barber hersef-cluclr
ingy He young and man, and gave her til,
great gift of notice. Let say in justice, that he
as obviously clean and graceful cat. When he ate
onions, he always nbbed SenSen afterward The frus
trae ranked in the Head Waitress and she used
her opportunity The Barber repeated MS rauruvre
from time to time and Molly took the trash She gave il
away, when she could, to the other eirls-wlich
futile. | fail to understand why she had not, long
before told the Policeman the whole story, but there
may have been twenty Molly was not wise
but she probably woman enough to know how
strangely worship and suspicion interviewer among
the young tendrls of mans love. At any rate, she
endured in reckless silence, and the situation grew
acute.
1t was on Saturday evening that Frank came will
me to Youngs' Because it after seven, and
haf-holiday, the place nearly empty; and we sa
nearest the door for the COOL
The Barber at table five, twisting his inustacht
and smiling When he smiled the overripe lips attened
into wide, straight band and the lines from
lip to nostril curved and grew deep. Molly brought
him his supper and he spoke to her. She turned
quickly He called her back and amended his order
As she passed us I noticed one small, sharp tooth
a.. 1,or ,pJa Erop
glowerng at the Barber and made certain obscrva.
tion for which it is enough to say that honor him.
Molly returned bearing a tall glass of iced coffee
As she leaned to set it at his right, the Barber
caught her free nand, pulled her down, and half wills
percd something into her ear.
think said that Molly was Irish. She straightene.
her sturdy back and for part of second stood
shivering and grnned at her abominationthe fighting
smile of her terrible race Then, the artist OF thu
soda fountain curves the long stream between elas
and shaker. the brown stream of cold coffee curvcc
scattering upon the BARRIERS elaborate head Th
cracked ice tinkled onto the tiled floor With
swift sweep Molly tucked the dripping head frtr!
under her arm, while with the other hand she snatcic
the yellow slab of butter from beneath its icebock III
the center Of the table. And the small boy, donn
ant implacable, scrubs with the weeping face Of
his oycrborne antagonist, even did this woman OF
Erin with the outer undo enemy-and more also
Il was over before you could push back your chair.
The Barber released, topplcd sidelong among the
wreckage In the paalyzed instant that follows calal-
tv Molly stood atonished, her buttery hands at her
t,mbins hair Then he irrepressble Irish sense OF
huinor broke forth She gurgled across the nush:
"Hot towel SIR
After that the Deluge. l am sorry that do not
understand spoken Italian. The Barber made sort
of blind rush and was colared by Frank and me-n
which virtuous act ruined Our clothes. The watt
resses screamed and scutted henike, the Manager,
Cashier Head Waitress and Griddle-Cake Man rushed
clamorous from he front and the mysterious regions
to the rear oechec forth large hot people and clouds
Of culinary steam Molly lifted up her voice and
wept--the heart broken wondering cry of hurt child
And through the din OF complex determinations Glove
the blue igure ot Roundsman Aloysus Okearney
What the devils goin here?' he roared, accu-
,rul,t;nq ME anc The Barber. and shifting our heads
toy -her with energy
The ensuing cloudburst of poyphonc explanation
not en!ightening.
ASSAULTED We did she We frog-ean' Dago? Phwat
for,' His eye turned from Molly, who had stopped
CRYING, 10 the Heac Waitress and Manager. we're
both Witnesses: III take names He was
thinking hard / souirmec gently and, with preoccu'
pied recognition ne released Then he reached fol
his ncht-stick The Dasos drunk, anyway
Babel broke out afresh
"Tu run yez IN announced the officer to Molly
Yen come with me quietly, understand" Tic
Italian into limp mass I'll yez both in Nav
| don't want no nurry-up wagon. l know my business
Kim out OF that! / understand, l understandings car
tell all that to The Justice the morning Out o the
road there! SkdooA
He shoulderco through the crowd at the door arc
down the street protecting Molly with one arm, ane
half dragging the wholly frantic Barber Molly
wore demurely expectant expression as the three
turned into dark side which does not leao IN the
direction of the station house
Next day, meeting the Policeman, by good fortune
1 venured to inquire after the Barber.
They held what was eft of him on three counts
public nuisance drunk and disordherly an res'stin
an beatin an officer" said Roundsman AioSs'"s
OKcarney
"Bv the way" added Highland Place wasn't 1uit.
YOUR nearest way tc the station was it
"Did YOU never hear sorr' suggested lin, that tht
longest way round is sometimes the shortest way
home?'
And Molly! Oh, we'll, OF course.
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