The Lightning Bell-Hop (S)

The flirty proprietor of the Outside Inn catches his bellboy laughing at him and throws him into the street, just in time to be caught by Musty, who is passing by. When Musty learns that the bellboy has been discharged and that there is consequently a vacancy in the hotel organization, he drops him to the sidewalk, enters the inn and applies for the position. Proving himself the lightning bell-boy of the world, he is accepted. Musty soon learns that the grand stairway of the hotel is a trick staircase and that by pulling a lever the stairs will straighten out, converting the stairway into a chute. After descending the incline on his own account, he tries it out on various patrons with satisfactory results. The elevator, operated by hand power, sticks when a corpulent guest acts as cargo and a horse is commandeered to raise the lift. All goes well until a passing farmer inadvertently cuts the rope with his scythe. Then follows a vivid illustration of the descent of man. Musty plays...