The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1881-02-23
ROOM NUMBEK EIGHT.
The Adventures of a Drummer in the
Hotel.

The Adventures OF a Drummer in the Best
Hotel.
When Mac lett Las Vegas for Socorro he
was told by the clerk of the hotel that it
would be necessary for him to telegraph
ahead in order to secure suitable quarters
He accordingly telegraphed to Socorro and
engaged room No. at the best hotel in the
cit. confident that be had the advantage OF
his fellow travellers.
His journey was. without any remarkable
feature and the train reached Socorro nearly
on time. Mac collared his two ponderous
grip sacks and wended his way to where he
had secured the apartment. He made him
self known to the clerk as the man who en-
gagged room No. 8, and asked to be
shown to his room at once, as he was some
what fatigued and wanted a good nights
rest The clerk, with candle in hand, led
Mac up narrow flight of stairs to a room
in the second story, and Mac passed on evil
IDENTIFY expecting to be placed in comfortable
quarters. What was his surprise when the
clerk opened the door of a room twelve by
thirty, and pointed to the only vacant cot
| in the room, while seven others, already o.
cuped, surrounded it on all sides. This was
almost too much for Macs good nature to
stand and he forthwith asked if this was
room No. g. The clerk replied that il WAS
just the room he engaged Macs curiosity
prompted him to examine the number on
the door but was told by the clerk that the
rooms were not designated by the number
on the door, but by the number of beds in
the room.
Mac concluded that he might as well
make the best of it, so he tumbled in cot
No. 8, between pair of four pound blank
cts, with his clothes on. He had Not been
in bed FIVE minutes when two Mexicans VINO
occupied the adjoining hunks became in
|olved in fight which lasted upward of al
hour. About fifteen minutes had elapsed
when the clerk appeared at the door and
ushered lady and gentleman (afterward
claimed to be bride and groom) into q room
on the other side of the canvas partition
Mac had Just closed his eyes for a second
nap when the occupant of bunk No. 5 gave
an unearthly yell and forthwith commence, d
Strengthening imaginary snakes with a cast
iron boot-jack. How long is this thing to
last2 thought Mac, as he covered his head
with the blankets. while the individual with
the 'jims' was killing snakes by the thou
sand. No. 8 finally became somewhat sub
dued when the clerk, accompanied by an
undertaken. entered the room for the purpose
/
No. 6, who had died during the night
Mac had about come to the conclusion
that this would conclude the nights enter
tainr'ent, and as tho old wooden clock In
the room below struck the hour of 3 M
turned over with the avowed intention Of
having three hours sleep, happen what
would. He is ready to swear that he do
actually get sixteen minutes sleep when he
was again aroused by the entrance of a man
who, judging from the cut of his clothes and
length of his face. was the colporteur Of
some Tract or Bible Society. The clerk
apologized for the disorderiy condition OF
cot No. 6, which had just been vacated bvth,
corpse, as he assigned it to the clerical-iook
ing gentleman. This capped the climax
and Mac climbed out of bed. saying he might
as well try to be an angel as to sleep in tina
public hospital.