The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1878-04-25
An Extensive Boarding.House.

H@NSO~AS'
An Extensive Boarding-H House.
A Boston merchant, now extensively
engaged in business on Summer street,
who possesses a rare fund of humor,
relates this amusing story of "Uncle Jo.
White" who some thirty years ago was
proprietor of the most extensive board
ing-house in Boston. 1t took in whole
block of dwelling houses standing on the
site of the present splendid Lee Block,
bounded by Lincoln, Bedford and Co.
lumbia streets. Many business men of
Boston pleasantly remembered Uncle
Joseph and his many-roomed boarding
house, and will smile as they read this
account of the potato peddler's tribula-
tions:
Former residents of Boston will recog-
nize the following incident, which occur
red so many years age that there GER
tainly can be no harm in locating the
precise spot where it took place.
| About the year 1S4S there was 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 the
name is for the same reason that the
Dutchman called his dog Cripple
cause that was his name. The reputa-
ton of the excellent fare and superior
accommodations, together with the kind
natured and paternal care exercised over
its inmates by our host and hostess, soon
went abroad, and SO many applicants
presented themselves eager to share its
comforts, that Mr.. w. concluded to hire
the adjoining house, connecting the two
by doorway in the rear. This house
also was so quickly filled with good paying
boarders at three dollars and fifty cents
per week, that hesoon after added two
more on the same street. Still they
came and filled his house as fast and
faster than he possibly could accommo-
date them, till at last he had four or five
on Bedford-street, three or four on Lin
coln-street, and two or three on Column
bia-street, making in all eleven houses,
all harnessed together in the rear, and
easily accessible in that quarter. No
alteration having been made in front,
they of course allpreserved the same one
family appearance.
The incident above referred to occur
red one bright morning in October,
while the writer. was playing sick and
enjoying 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. Sofull, indeed, was the afore-
said wagon that no room was left for
the driver to sit, except on very narrow
board about six inches in width, on
which, it must be presumed, 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 ?"
"No, sir, not to-day" was the answer.
The good farmer asked the same ques-
ton at the doors numbered two, three
and four, same street, the bell being an
swered each time by the same good-na-
tured party, who all the time preserved
the same placid, happy countenance
which he always wore, and which seemed
to greatly disturb the man of bulbs.
Nothing, aaunted, 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,
probably, 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 90 down Lincoln-street.
The proprietor again seated himself at
the table, with the remark, "There,
have got rid of that potato-man." But
all human hopes are delusiye. No
sooner werew fairly atwork, than door
bell No. 2 Lincoln-street rang. 1t was
10 gentle ring, but regular hard pull,
showing conclusive evidence that the
operator at the bell-wire was in no amia-
BILE state of mind.
"There is that potato-man again, and
l 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
running over with fun and goodness the
other, puzzled, doubling, slowly taking
the dimensions of the good man with his
eye, from head to foot and from foot to
head, retreating all the time backward
down the steps, and, with troubled, anx.
ious countenance, again mounting his
wagon, and feeling, doubtlessly, 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 an apparition.
By this time the matter had assumed
so comical character that we determined
to watch his movements. After he was
again seated, his innocent and unoffend.
ing horse was surprised to find himself
receiving castigation from his usually
kind master, without, to him sufficient
cause. Casting one long, lingering look
behind, he proceeded up to the corne,
) again, still undetermined which way to
60, and being drawn, no doubt, by that
mysterious something which is apt to
,, draw, where mystery really exists, and
! perhaps desiring to ascertain if hereally
could find the jolly landlordiateveryd dool
where he had so recently left him. Al
any rate, he turned down Bedford-street
: closely scanning each door as he passed
All looked we'll, and with returning
courage he ratified on and turned thu
corner of Columbia-street, and, aftel
passing two or three doors, to make wha
seemed to him surety doubly sure, ye
not without looking up the street jus
once to see if the old fellow was not afte
!, him, boldly rang the door-bel of hous,
number three Columbia-street. Befor,
the tinkling bell had ceased its last not.
) the old man, calm as ever, stood befor
him.
"Great and holy Jerusalemp salt
the frightened potato-vepder, and, with
out losing time to mount his wagon, tool
his horse by the bit, and was last seel
going down toward Albany-street at
rate of speed which greatly imperilet
the safety of the wagon and its unsolc
contents.
!, AN Illinois genius has invented move
9 contrivance to prevent horses from run
ingaway. He places powerful electri