Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1873-10-16
No. ~


Another story Of s.Beau Hickman.''
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 Satur-
day received his bill. Watching until no one
was in the office but rather innocent look
ing 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 on the desk The clerk
explained, and mistaking Beau for the IA
nous Pennsylvania Congressman, John
Hickman, apologized, assured him no offense
was meant, and that he could pay when he
went away. Beau was mollifed. and pre-
sented the clerk with fifty cent cigar Be-
fore the next week was out on Friday, Hick-
man asked Gen. William Bailey, of Louisi-
ana, 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 $500 note, walked into the office of
the st. Nicholas and offered to pay his bill.
OF course the clerk could not readily change
Sc large note, and Hickman, remarking he
was going to 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 money. 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 be-
coming large, the clerk felt it his duty to call
the attention of the proprietor to the matter
He spoke of Beau as the "Hon. Mr.. Hick-
man, but the proprietor, on examining the
register, recognized the name Of "R. L.
Hickman" as that of the famous Washington
"dead beat" He cursed the clerk for his
stupidity; but cursing would not square the
ledger, and, sending for Beau, he made him
the following proposition: "Hickman if
you will go over the street and beat the Me-
tropolitan out of months board, you can
come back here, and we will dead head you
for another month";" Beau accepted the
offer, and, when his month was out, he took
his baggage, hired a fine carriage at the ex-
pense of the st. Nicholas, and, driving
round the square pulled up in front and re-
gistered at the Metropolitan, taking a room
tached. Every few days he stepped over to
the ST. Nicholas to tell the proprietor he was
getting on nicely at the Metropolitan, and
would smoke cigar at the expense of the
st. Nicholas.
He worried through a month without paw,
and then there was a row at the Metropoli-
tan. Knowing the hostility between the two
hotels, Beau mildly suggested to the Metro
politan Man that, if it would be any gratif-
cation to him, he would go over and beat the
st. Nicholas out of months board. Leland
jumped at the offer, and Beau, by little ar
rangement, got the promise of second
months board at the Metropolitan on condi-
ton that he would beat the other fellow.
Calling a carriage, he drove around the
square again, and put up at the St. Nicholas;
and, when the month was up once more,
passed over the street and stopped at the Me-
tropolitan for thirty days.