The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1880-07-29
REFERENCES EXCHANGED.
How a Stranger Was Frozen Out in
Detroit Because His Friends
Were not Known.

|
and II O'Clock Yesterday forenoon
middle aged man stood on the
steps of a Congress street boarding
house; with an old grip-sack in hand
and a cobble. stone and a lot of old
papers in the grip-sack. The pa
pers and the cobble stone are mere
suppositions, but they were doubt
less in there all the same. When
the strangers ring WAS answered, he
INDUCED in bows, scrapes and
smiles, and announced his readi-
I ness to take room and board in the
house until he could transact some
very important business which
| called him to Detroit.
eyes, we keep boarders, but, well,
you know-we have to be so care
full. you know. Ipresume you have
references p
References! madam, l have a
thousand. l am delighted to find
that you are so choice of your
guests. presume you have heard
of Senator Smith,
Smith, Smith, she wasn't
quite sure.
Don't know Senator Smith?" he
exclaimed, as he held up his hands.
"Well, you western people are so
singular. I've been in swimming
with Senator Smith a thousand
times. We used to run a bank to
gether. I'll have to tell him when
L get home that l found a lady in
Detroit who had never heard of
him. You must have heard of Gen.
ShermanP
ooh, yes"
"Well, Sherman and l sleep in
the same bed when he can get an
excuse for being out all night. We
are always out strawberrying to-
gether when I'm in Washington.
The day l left he came down to the
depot and wanted to pay me all old
debt of $1,000, but wouldn't take
it. Just drop line to Gen. Sher-
man and ask him if he knows Judge
Collins"
She seemed to study over the
matter, and he presently continued:
MAYBE that would be too much
trouble. Do you know the mayor
of Buffalo2"
'No."
"SOrry-very sOrry-because it
wouldn't take ten minutes to tele-
graph him. We rent the same pew
in church, and our wives look like
twin sisters. Nice man, he is, and
1 can imagine how he would look if
some one was to ask him if Judge
Collins was all right. Perhaps you
know the governor of IndianaT'
She seemed ashamed to confess
that she didn't.
"Really don't know hirn?" he
went on. "How unfortunate, as l
am just from his house. where he
obliged me to tarry for three weeks.
The last thing he said to me at the
depot yesterday was: Now, Judge,
when you get to Detroit don't 90
to any of the first class hotels,
where all is hustle and confusion,
but put up at some quiet, modest
boarding house, where they are very
particular about their guests, and
where the landlady has the appear
ance of genuine aristocrat.' That
is what he said, and that's why l
am here"
Some women would have soft
ened under that, but she had had
two men climb out of a back win
dow the night before owing her
$lI, and the flattery didn't soften a
line in her faces She asked if he
could give local references.
"Why, madam, how can I2'' he
replied. 81 am stranger here. l
came here to tran sact about $50, 900
worth of business with one of the
banks, secure new plans for a block
on Woodward avenue, and perhaps
set my son up in the Wholesale dry
goods trade; but several days must
necessarily elapse before any one
will come to know me for what l
am."
''Our rule is to require referen
ces," she said, as she noticed his
six day old paper collar and almost
buttonless vest.
MADAM" he replied, as he back
ed down the steps, 81 am both sur
prised and grieved, l had intended
before leaving your house to give
you a set of silverware which the
governor of Connecticut presented
me last Christmas, but your hest
fancy shows that you suspect me.
Suspicion is something that touch
es me on a tender spot. l am now
forced to go to a first class hotel
and the silver will probably 60 to
the cook. Adieu, suspecting wo
man"
Maybe she feels bad over it and
maybe she doesn't. she probably
doesn't if she heard him ask boy
he met on the corner if there was a