Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1880-07-17
PREFERENCES REQUIRED"

Between ii and II o'clock in the fore
noon middle-aged man stood on the steps
of Congress-street boarding house with
an old gripsack in his hand and a cobble-
stone and lot of old papers in his grip
sack. The papers and the cobble-stone are
mere suggestions, but they were doubtless
in there all the same. When the stran-
gers ring was answered he INDUCED In
bows, scrapes and smiles, and announced
his readiness to take room and board In
the house until he could transact some
very important business which called him
to Detroit.
Yes, we keep boarders, but-well, you
know, we have to be so careful, you know.
| presume you have references!"
References Madam, | have a thou
sand. | 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.
sDon't know Senator Smith i" he ex-
claimed 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 bank
together. I'll have to tell him when l get
home that found lady in Detroit who
had never heard of him. You must have
heard of General Sherman p
Oh, yes"
Well, Sherm aud sleep in the same
bed when he can get an excuse for being
out all night. We are always out straw
berrying when I'm in Washington. The
day left he came down to the depot aud
wanted to pay me an old debt OF thousand
dollars, but wouldn't takeit Just drop
line to General Sherman and ask him if
he knows Judge Collins"
She seemed to study over the matter,
and he presently continued (:
"May be that would De too much trouble.
Do you know the Mayor Of Buffalo 2"
"No.'
Sorry-very sorry, because it wouldn't
take ten minutes to telegraph him. We
rent the same pew in church, and our wives
look like twin sisters. Nice man he is,
and | can imagine how he would look II
some one was to ask him if Judge Collins
was all right Perhaps you know the
Governor of Indiana p
She seemed ashamed to confess that she
didn't
Really, don't know him? ?" he went on.
"How unfortunate, as am just from his
house, where he obliged rue 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 go to any of
the frst-class hotels, where all is hustle
and confusion, but put up at some quiet,
modest boarding house, where there are
very particular about their guests, and
where the landlady has the appearance of a
genuine aristocrat.' That's what he said.
and that's why I am here. !"
Some women would have softened under
that, but she had had two men climb out
of a back window, the night before, owing
her $ll, and the fiattery did not soften a
line in her face She asked if he could give
local references
Why, madam, how can p he replied.
am a stranger here. | come here to
transact about $780, worth OF business
with one of the banks, secure plans for a
new block on Woodward avenue, and per-
haps set my son-in-law up IN the whole
sale dry goods trade; but several days
must necessarily elapse before any one will
come to know me for what | am.
Our rule is TO require references, she
said, as she noticed his ix-day-old paper
collar ana almost DuLIonIeSS vest.
MADAM" he replied, as he backed
down the steps, am both surprised and
grieved. | had intended, before leaving
your house, TO give you set OF silverware
which the Governor of Connecticut pre-
sented me last Christmas, but your hest
fancy shows that you suspect me. Suspi.
cion is something that touches me in a
tender spot. am now forced to 60 to a
first-class hotel, and the silver will proba-
bly, 60 to the cook. Adieu, suspecting
woman %
Maybe she feels bad over it, and maybe
she doesn't. She probably doesn't if she
heard him ask boy on the corner if there
was penny restaurant in Detroit. = De-
troit Free Press.