The Portland daily press., 1873-09-30
How Beau Hickman Lived for Several
Months

How Beau Hickman Lived for Several
Months.
correspondent of the Chicago Tribune
says: Once Beau went over to New York and
put up at the st. Nicholas. Knowing the
rules of the house, he went early on Monday
morning, and, as was customary, on Saturday
received his bill. Watching until no one was
in the office but rather innocent-looking
clerk, Beau went up with the bill in his hand,
and, in towering rage, demanded to know if
it was the custom of the house to insult its
guests by presuming they would not pay
when they left, and sending bills like that,
throwing his own ON the desk. The clerk ex-
plained, and, nstaking Beau for the famous
Pennsylvania Congressman, John Hickman,
apologized, assured him no ohense was meant
and that he could pay when he went away
Beau was Modified, and presented the clerk
with fifty-cent cigar. Before the next week
was out, on Friday, Hickman asked Gen.
William Bailey, OF Louisiana, whom he knew
very well, and who was stopping at the house,
to loan him $500 for one hour. The general
did so, and Beau, getting S50O-note, walked
into the office of the st. Nicholas and offered
to pay his bill. OF course the clerk could
not readily change so large note, and Hick-
man, remarking that he was going 10 stay,
and the bill could be paid any time, passed
up stairs, and. handing Bailey the note,
thanked him cordially for the loan of the mon
ey. No bill was sent him the next Saturday,
nor the next. He was now in the fourth
week of his board at the st. Nicholas, and,
as his arrears were becoming large, the clerk
ft.lt IL ua his dufv m % tha attaption of tba
proprietor to the proprietor. He spoke of
eeau as the "Hon. Mr.. Hickman but the
proprietor, on examining the register, recog-
nized the name ''R. l.. Hickman as that of
the famous Washington "dead beat" He
cursed the clerk for his stupidity; but ours
ing would not square the ledger, and sending
for Beau, he made him the following PROPOSE
ton: "Hickman, if you will go over the
street, beat the Metropolitan out of months
board, you can come back here, and we will
dead-head you for another month";" Beau ac-
cepted the offer, and, when his month was
out he took his baggage, hired a fine car
riage at the expense of the s.. Nicholas, and,
driving round the square, pulled up in front
and registered at the Metropolitan, taking a
room en- the second floor, with parlor and
bath attached. Every few days he stepped
over to the st. Nicholas to tell the proprie-.
tor that he was getting along nicely at the
Metropolitan, and would smoke cigar at the
expense of the St. Nicholas.
He worried through month without pay,
and then there was a row at the Metropol-
tan. Knowing the hostility between 4he ho-
tells, Beau mildly suggested to the Metropol-
tan man that, if it would be any gratifica-
ton to him, he would go over and beat the
st. Nicholas out of a month board. Le-
land jumped at the offer, and Beau, by a lit
tie arrangement, got the promise of seco d
months board on condition that he would
beat the other fellow. Calling a carriage, be
drove round the square again, and put up at
the st. Nicholas; aud, when the month was
up once more, passed over the s'Ieet and
stopped at the Metropolitan for thirty days.