The Delaware ledger. (Newark, Del.) 1879-19??, 1883-11-17


O'Clock; the boys must be havin' times,
and no mistake,' were the somewhat
mysterious words of a strapping big
watchman as he strolled up to and
leaned against the Office counter of one
of the principal hotels of this city last
night and helped himself to couple of
toothplcks. The remark was addressed
to the night clerk of the house, who
was sitting with his feet up, reading a
newspaper, and was overheard by a
reporter engaged in glanclng over the
register.
"What do you mean; what's the
row2" asked the scribe, the naughty
autocrat enshrined behind the counter
not having deigned to make any reply
or even glance up from the article he
was reading.
"What do I meanp Why, 1 mean
I've run four drunken men up to bed
this blessed night, and devil of a row
a couple Of 'em made about it, too"
"Are four in one night more than
your usual share of such prizes?"
''Well, yes sir, 1t Is; although I've
seen the nights when I've had seven or
eight fellers, all as tight as drums, to
put to bed. Oh, the night watchman
of hotel amt got no soft snap, and
don't you forget It,"
''Do they give you much trouble as a
ruleP"
"Some does, and some doesn't; but
most Of 'em is easy enough to manage
if you know how to work 'em. You
sea-" he continued, seating himself on
the counter and taking another TOOTH
pick, "there are different kinds of
drunks, you know, such as mild drunks,
silly drunks, fighting drunks and blind
drunks, and all must be treated in diff
ferent ways. Now, the last feller
took up to bed, f'rinstance, was just as
easy to handle as wax baby, and nc
more trouble to take than a drink; but
the man that came in before HIM was a
terror, regular ugly one, who wouldn't
go above the first landin' without hall
an hours coaxin' and ppshin', and ht
wanted to knock out the bronze mar
what holds up the gaslight at the heat
of the office stairs. Old chaps anC
countrymen' seems to be the easiest Il
manages; but some Of the young city
bloods that come In late are worse thar
so many lunatics. Why L took sor
of dude up to No. 431 last Tuesday
night that threw all the bedclothes out
of the window while l went to get hin
some ice water, and was tryin' his hes
to get the mattress out when | ga
back. had tn go out IN the stree
and get the things, which was scattered
all over the pavement. Then the.
sometimes make a fearful row ant
wake up the other guests, and hollel
for more grog, and get sick, and ar,
more trouble than twins with the mea
sles;" and the night watchman sighet
! as the memories of his by=gone expe
rienoes with various kinds Of ''drpnks'
fitted across his brain.
''Do they ever give you anything fo
for your trouble in taking care O
themP" queried the scribe,
"Well, no sir, not often, thougl
sometimes one of 'em will come dow
handsome, but mostly when they hav,
to be helped to bed they are too rumm
to know enough to do the right thing
, and, of course, when they wakes u
next morning they generally have head
on 'em, and goes away without evel
! thinkin' Of the trouble [ had with 'er
! the night before, and even if they did
, wouldn't be on duty, so they couldn'
/ remember my kindness anyhow. Th
only case when l ever struck it res
rich was one night last May, / ha
! lpgged great big fellow, from COL
RADIO, think, up to 245, on the thir
/ floor, and was just helpin' him into be
! Whepv---n
5 Here the hotel annuneiator bega
a ringing, and the night clerk, lookin
2 up, remarked with yawn; THAT
the third time 2l9 has rung; Bill, s'pos
!. you let up on that fairy tale your
= giving us, and run up to see what
/ wants." and the much-enduring frien
Q Of the intoxicated patrons of the hot,
! winked at the newspaper man, sal
i ''that's one Of 'em," and slowly wei
f upstairs,