The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1917-11-10
Otash,Perlmutte
and Others
By GLASS
IX.-RED, THE ME-
DIATOR

the melody and inhaled the &C
compartment, 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 that the music
fairly steamed from Aloysius' lips in
little jets of vapor. Patsy's nose peep
ed, cherrylike. from the shade of his
enormous cap, and his whole attitude
was n Of absorbed interest In the
performance. He admired good music;
not so the manager at Forty-ifth street,
who stuck his head through al opening
in the partition.
"Quit dat noise, youse two" he
growled, "or I'll kick de bot'n yez out
er dis"
They quit incontinently, for the man
ager was of a decisive habit with mes
senger boys. He had just risen from
a tender conversation with "B. G." in
the main office. who clicked him a Wv
i'd 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 whisky
than the manager at Forty-ffth street
himself.
1t was scant half past 8, and the
theaters were in. A light snow fell,
and a bleak wind swept Broadway
clear of all traffic save the cars and
n or W belated playgoers. The
manager lighted a fresh stogie and
prepared 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 mark
ed reversal of form shown in the fifth
race that afternoon.
DAT amt n%arten," said Aloysius.
Louis dor was played down to even
money yesterday, and she amt finished
yet"
Patsy waggled his head gravely.
Eyer can't pick 'em desc days." he
said. "Dey git yer bote ways comm
and goin'."
A bell tapped ins%istently, and the
manager drew IA ticket from one of the
many drawers behind the counter. He
handed it to Aloysius without even
glancing at it.
Here, you!' he said. Chase your
SELF"
Aloysius 5uttoned 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
ye're gomez" said Patsy as Aloysius
made for the door.
Jaw, what fer?" Aloysius rejoined
derisively
AL right. yer miz." said the dis
gruntled Patsy.
The manager again inserted his head
through the partition.
"Shake it up there. Four-ninety-twor'
he said.
Aloysius opened the door and passed
out with a blast of insulting discords
on the harmonica.
holy cripes!' he muttered to him
self as the wind struck him. "Ain't it
cold?"
And he broke into a trot, with his
head bent to the swirling snow.
III.
A few minutes later he entered the
revolving door of the Altrincham and
saluted the clerk with the m%onosylla-
BILE Call
"Front," said the clerk. take this
kid up to 49,"
After Il lively scuf1e with the bellboy
in. the elevator Aloysius alighted at the
eighth floor and knocked on the door
numbered 80.
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 down on the edge of the bed
He made careful survey of the room
while the tall young man wrote steadi-
ly at a desk in the corner. On the
dressing table were two panel photo
graphs, and scattered about the walls
were four more, all of the same per-
son. Aloysius stared at them with the
eye of a c%onnoisseur, for messenger
boys in the vicinity of Forty-fifth
street are by association and ensiron-
ment 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
Mt the door, and a waiter appeared
bearing a silver pot of coffee on a
linen covered tray He deposited it.
with sugar. cream and a cup and saucer
On the dressing table.
Drink this" said the tall young
man. You'll feel better when you go
out"