Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1872-11-07
Peter cartwright's First Visit to New Yors
His Experiences Fifth Story Room.


Cartwrights account of his first visit
to a great city is peculiarly rich. 1t
was when he went to New York to
the meeting of the Missionary Board.
After a great deal of trouble and
vexation of spirit, he, at last drew up in
front, of the old Irving House on
Broadway. We give what followed in
his. own words:
:, We made OUR way to7 the Irving
House and asked the clerk if two of us
could get lodging and board with him
for day, Or two.
He replied: eyes, but we are very
m1uch crowded ~
rcan you give Us Us lower room,
with two beds in it?'', I asked, and in
formed him thai / was. ssick and could
not climb many flights Of stairs.
He said all the lower rooms were oc-
cupied, but he had nice room in the
fifth story-room 555.
:, | said could not go UP and down So
many flights of stairs. e
'sOh!" said he, II have the best of
porters, and if need be they will carry
you up and down at all times"
But" said I, eff they carry me up
and retire, i. want to come down, how
am l to get the porters to bring me
down 2"
"Oh," said the clerk, ''when you want
anything, you have nothing to do but
ring the bell, and the porter will be
there instantly"
1t was now getting dark, and 1 said :
'sWe are in poor fix, in strange city,
to hunt other lodgings and I suppose
we must stay"
3d." said the clerk, 'sand in the
morning l will give you lower room -
said to the porter, "rake us to our
Up we went, and winding to every
point of the compass, we got at last to
the 555th room, and more filthy, dirty
place never saw for bedroom in the
frontier backwoods of the far West.
said to the porter, 'syou rascal, are you
going to put us in this dirty pig sty?''
| sob, sirs," said the porter, ''take
your seats and I'll soon put the room in
trim.
And he did trim it very nicely, for
it had evidently been the lounging place
for the porters. When he had nicely
finished the room down he went. 1
sat few minutes and then rang the
bell. Up came the porter. 49,.
"What's wanting, sir?"
l said,, s'Send up some fresh water to
drink and to wash
It was quickly brought and down
Went the porter. He had hardly reach
ed the lower flour before l again rang
the Bell. Up came the porter:
"What's wanting, sir?'
"Have you been out of doors ?"
as this house on fire, OF is any fire
near it 2
''No, sir"
By this time the porter was in a
free perspiration. My roommate made
an excuse for the porter and said,
''Sir, would you Kill the poor negro 2"
replied, ''He is free and gets good
wages, and am determined to trot him
through"
Down went the porter. He had
hardly ti1,e to reach the lower floor
when I rahg the bell again.
Up came the porter.
What's wanting, sirs'
Said, I: "Have you any Ratchet
about this house?'
''No, sir; what do you want with a
hatchet?"
81 want to blaze my way down with
notches, so that if the house should get
on fire l could find my way out"
sob, sir, the landlord won't allow
that; if the House takes fire you can
ring the bell"
why" l replied, eff the. house takes
fire l might ring the bell till the day Of
Judgment. Have yoii no sealing wax
or chalk that | can mark my way down
with g
81 tell you the landlord won't allow
that, either"
replied: 81 don't care what the
landlord allows. If the house takes
fire, do you suppose I'll stay here and
be burned up like fool?"
Next morning we paid two dollars
each and left for better quarters,