National Republican., 1876-05-31
Natiuu'l gtpnblifaa
A NOVEL LETTER.
A Man Who Would not Paw His Board.

PHILADzLPHfA, Feb. q, 1875
Mr.. Rossete Fills, Arlington Hotel Washington:
MY DEAR SR: The somewhat abrupt termins-
ton of my very pleasant sojOurn at your we'll
conducted and excellent ''hOstelryr may in your
opinion demand some explanation Of my part
do not know that this is the case, but If it Is,
this letter will enlighten you as to the whole
affair ~. ....r "a D.. ......
In the first place. it may be both pleasing and
instructive to you to hear what person Of both
travel and culture has to say In regard to your
tavern" and to your manner Of conducting it.
Allow me to say, then, that you keep a very good
house. The clerks in the office are as gentle
manly and polite as could be expected; the walters
are attentive when they are remembered; your
rooms are clean and reasonably well furnished,
and, have no doubt, your culinary department
is as complete as the circumstances will permit.
In fact will say, in this connection, that during
the whole time was there had to send back
but one beafsteak, and that only on the ground
that the cook had not done himself nor the house
Justice. Your head waiter is devilsh clever
boy in his way, and in seating comfortably so
large number OF guests in so narrow and con-
tracted a hall shows marvellous tact and presence
OF OF mind: ! intended to have given him dollar
and twenty-five cents gratulty before 1 came
away, but circumstances were such that 1
could not reach him. 1t would be very
and charge it to my room; he deserves it, That
short boy who used to wait on the table that 1
he improved somewhat before I left, and if he Is
still young may outgrow all his shortcomings.
The trouble with him & that he is too short, and
think when he takes his order to the carver the
taller fellows crowd him out and he is overlooked,
and that is what keeps him so long about it. In
fact, as q whole, liked your hotel very much.
Almost the only fault could find was in the way
matters are conducted in the office. 1t appears
that you have so many members of Congress, pol
iticians and general shysters visiting Washington
at this season of the year that you obliged to
present your bills to these every week in order to
secure your just due, and even then have
coubt you lose i've and a half days board in
many instances before you aware of it. Now,
you see this mode of procedure will do we'll '
Lough for that class of persons (they have none
Of the finer feelings that belong to a gentleman,
sTc, ane can stand it;l out when you present PHI
bounds OF courtesy, and, may add, prOpriety;
and when this is continued week after week it
becomes an outrage that ought to be resented by
every right-thinking and respectable traveller.
Those wOrn-Out politicians who go down to Wash
ington every winter to fatten on the bloOd-YeSses
of the nation ought to be gathered together en-
mGsSe, hung or set up on wires and placed in the
Smiths0nlan INSTITUTION, along with the stuffed
know 3 New England wire manufacturer whS
would furnish the wire on contract at low figure,
ton any day to do the work gratuitously If theJ
thought there was any money In it. So much for
your hotel and your mode Of keeping it. Now to
When your head clerk told me on Wednesday
night that if did not pay my bill by II o'clock
could do was to take him at his word. Besides,
he has such winning ways with him that one
might say. By the way, II he is not head clerk.
you ought to promote him, for don't know any
one on d who needs & head put on him any more than
after II o'clock m. that day before l got my
money, and so the "fat was all in the fire" again
50 dtned with friend that evening at the
National, (their cook is not as good as yOursD
and then had nothing to do but to take care Of
myself. was put to some einconvenienee-had-to
buy a handbag, some shirts and other necessary
things, but now l am much better fitted out than
before and, in truth, there was some need of that
10 in alaI aIn 5k,
that left with you contains pair of pants worn
by General Warren when he fell at Bunker Hill,
and coat and vest that formerly belonged to
Paul Jones. 1 intended to put them in the Patent
Once beside the old clothes of G. W., but ercum-
stances interYened to prevent me doing So. The
canvas bag contains few-three or four
old shirts and some other articles of no
use to any one but the owner, and
straps an old hat but as there is plenty of that
article everywhere, 1t is not worth mentioning.
Now, will cut this letter short by telling you
canvas bag and that bundle in shawl straps di-
rected in legible hand, to A. O. Soley, Maiden.
side remarks or nonsense; and all letters. If any,
return to the same address by mail; then, when
1 viii send You a Check for the amount Of youc
bill which you may also forward to the same sd-
dress by mail, adding 81 for the cigar man, whom
longer letter than am In the habit Of writing to
. hotetkeeper or any other man. 1t contains
to you. for which Charge nothing; and will CLOSE
by simply stating that you will do well to follow
the instructions regarding the baggage" and
letters.
1 am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
A. G. SoLgY.
LATER.
Since writing the foregoing I have received
brilliant offer for the General Warren trousers
and the Paul Jones coat and vest, to be exhibited
st the Centennial here. You may therefore send
them by express to my name, care Of ]. II. Orne
& Co., No. 625 Chestnut street. Philadelphia, who
will take charge Of the shawLstrap bundle and
canvas bag and pay express charges. Bill and
letters send as directed before-Malden, Mass.
Yours, A. q. SoLzY.