Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1872-10-23
PETER CARTKRIGHT'S FIRST VS.
IT TO NEW YORK.

Cartwright's account of his first Wis
it to a great city is peculiarly rich.-
II was when he went to New York to
attend 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 TO the Irving
| House, and asked the clerk if two of
us could get lodging and board with
him for day or two.
He replied "Yes, but We are very
much crowded
"Can you give us a lower room.
with two beds in it ?'' asked, and
informed him that 1 was sick and
could not climb many flights of stairs.
He said all the lower rooms were
occupied, but he had nice room in
( the fifth story-rOom 555.
1 said 1 could not go up and down
so many flights of stairs.
"Oh," said he, al have the best of
porters, and if need be they will carry
you up and down at all times"
But" said I, "if they carry me up
and retire if l want to come down,
how am L to get the Porters to bring
me down ?'
"Oh," said the clerk, "when you
want anything, you have nothing to
do but ring tie bell, and the porter
will be there instantly"
1t was now getting dark, and l said
1--WE are in poor fix, in a strange
city, to hunt other lodgings, and l
suppose we must stay.h
DO" said the clerk, "and in the
morning 1 will give you a lower
ROOM"
said to the porter, Take us to
our room"
Up We started, and winding to ev-
cry point of the compass, we got at
last to the 555th room, and more i'll
thy, dirty place 1 never saw for a bed
room in the frontier backwoods of the
far West. I said to the porter, You
rascal, are you going to put US in
this dirty pig sty ,"
80, sir, 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 poTters. When be had
nicely finished the room down he
went. 1 sat few minutes, and then
rang the bell. Up came the porter.
"Whaps wanting, sir?"
said, "Send up some fresh water
to drink and to wash"
It was quickly brought, and down
went the porter He had hardly
reached the lower floor before 1 again
rang the bell. Up came the porter.
What's wanting, sir?,,
''Have you been out of doors ?"
mo, sir"
as this house on fire, or is any fire
near it ?"
mo, sir"
By this time the porter was in a
free perspiratiOn. My room mate
made an excuse for the porter, and
said: "Sir, would you kin the poor
negTo?"
I replied, "He is free, and gets
good wages, and / am determined to
trot him through"
Down went the porter. He had
hardly time TO reach the lower floor
when 1 rang the bell again.
Up came the porter. ..
whats wanting, sir ?N
Said I, Have you hatchet about
this house ?'
mo, sir; what do you want with
q hatchet ?"
II want to blaze my way down with
notches, so that if the house should
get on fire 1 could find my way out"
ooh, sir, the landlord won't allow
that +; if the house takes fire you can
ring the bell"
why" I replied, "if the house
takes fire L might ring the bell till
the day of judgment. Have you no
sealing wax or chalk that L can mark
my way down with ?"
Il tell you the landlord won't allow
that, either"
"I replied, 81 don't care what tie
landlord allows. If the house takes |
fire, do you suppose pll stay here and
be burned up like q fool"
Next morning we paid two dollars
each, and left for better quarters.