River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1878-04-25
An Extensive BOarding.H0use.

Says the bingham Journal: A boston
merchant, now extensively engaged in
business on Summer Street, who posses
ses rare fund OF humor, relates this
amusing story of $ Uncle 10. White"
who some thirty years ago was proprietor
of the most extensive boarding house in
Boston. 1t took in whole block, of
dwelling houses standing on the side OF
the present splendid Lee Block, bounded
by Lincoln, Bedford and Columbia
Streets. Many business men of Boston
pleasantly remember Uncle Joseph and
his many roomed boarding house, and
will smile as they read this account of
the potato peddler's fluctuations:
Former residents ST Boston will recog-
nize the following incident, which occur
red so many years ago that there &c rtain-
ly can be no harm in locating the precise
spot were it took place.
About the year 1919 there was a board
ing-house on the corner of Bedford and
Lincoln Streets, kept by one of the best of
men, whose name we will call White.
The reason of our calling him by that
name is for the same reason that the
Dutchman called his dog Scrip be
cause that was his name. The reputation
of the excellent fare and superior accom-
odations, together with the kind-natured
and paternal care exercised over its in
mates by our host and hostess, soon went
abroad, and go many APPLICANTS presented
themselves eager to share its comforts,
that Mr.. w. concluded 10 hire the adjoin-
| ing house, connecting the two by door
way in the rear. Thisihouse also was so
| quickly filled with good paying boarders
| at $3.50 per week, that he soon after add
| ed two more on the same street. Still
| they came and filed this house as fast
and faster than he could accommodate
| them, till at last he had four or five on
Bedford Street, three or four on Lincoln
| Street, and two or three on Columbia
| Street, making in ali eleven houses, all
harnessed together in the rear, and easily
accessible in that quarter. No atcra-
ton having been made in front, they of
course all preserved the same one-family
appearance.
The incident above referred to occur
red one bright morning in October, while
the writer was playing sick and was en-
joying a game of backgammon with the
landlord, who had just returned from
market. The door-bell of house No.
Bedford Street rang, and was answered
| by the proprietor in person. A country
farm wagon literally heaped with POTATOES
/ stood in the street opposite the door.
| So full, indeed, was the aforesaid wagon
that no room was left for the driver to sit,
except on very narrow board about six
| inches in width, on which, it mus be pre-
sumed, so large a man could not sit with
any degree of comfort. When the door
was opened the potato man presented
himself with the inquiry:
"Do you want any potatoes to-day?'
mo, sir, not to-day" was the answer.
The good farmer asked the same gues-
ton at the doors number two, three and
four, same street, the bell being answered
each time by the SINE good-natured
party, who all the time preserved the
same placid, happy countenance which
he always wore, and which seemed to
greatly disturb the nan Of bulbs.
Nothing daunted, however, he quietly
and slowly walked down the steps, and
mounting the aforesaid six-inch plank
set his feet firmly one on each shaft, and
| then, giving one long, searching, pene-
| trating glance toward the door where the
old man still stood, and thinking, prob
ably, that he had gone as far that way as
it was advisable to proceed at that time,
carefully turned his horses head in the
opposite direction, and was seen to go
down Lincoln Street.
The proprietor again seated himself at
the table, with the remark, 18Th ere,
guess have got rid of that potato man"
But all human hopes are delusive. No
sooner were we airly at work, than door
bell No, 2 Lincoln Street rang. 1t was
no gentle ring, but regular hard pull,
showing conclusive evidence that the
operator at the bell-wire was in no amiabe
state of mind.
'sThere is that potato-man again, and |
must CO." said mine host, and, sure
enough, there he stood.
Neither spoke, both looking intently
into the others face, the one with his
long iron-gray locks and happy face run
ing over with fun ano goodness the other,
puzzled, doubt ling, slowly taking the
dimensions of the goot man with his eye,
from head to food end from foot to head,
retreating all the time backward down
the steps, and, with troubled, anxious
countenance, again mounted his wagon,
and feeling, doubtlesly, in his mind that
it would be utterly useless to proceed any
further in that direction, again turned
his horses head, determined this time to
| make such circuit as to forever clear
himself from any possibility of again
| meeting what, to his mind, seemed little
less than apparition.
By this time the matter had assumed
so comical character that we deter
mined to watch his movements. After he
! was again seated, his innocent and un-
| offending horse was surprised TO find him.
| self receiving castigation from his usu-
ally kind master, without, to him, suffi-
cient cause. Casting one long, lingering
| look behind, he proceeded up to the cor
ner again. still undetermined which way
| to go, and being drawn, no doubt, by that
mysterious something which is apt to
draw, where mystery really exists, and
| perhaps desiring to ascertain if he really
could find the jolly landlord at every
| door where he had so recently left him.
AT any rate he turned down Bedford
Street, closely scanning each door as be
| passed.
All looked we'll, and with returning
courage he ratified on and turned the cor
ner of Columbia Street, aud, after passing
two or three doors, to make what seemed
to him a surety doubly sure, yetnot with
out looking up the street just oSce to see
| if the old fellow was not after him, bold
" rang the doorbell of house number
| three Columbia Street. Before the tink
| ling bell had ceased its last note the old,
man, calm as ever, stood before him.
"Great and holy Jerusalem.' said the
| frightened potato-vender, and, without
losing time foj mount his wagon,
took his horse by the bit, and was last
seen going down toward Albany Street at
a rate of speed which greatly imperiled
the safety of the wagon and its unsold