Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1884-06-05
GENTLEMEN PREFERRED.
Some Disadvantages of Being a wo-
man.

1
Charley Ross, never had a more luck
| less search.
The first place 1 called at, she
says IN her pathetic recital which
would bring tears to the eyes of an
onion. "a slipshod woman came 10 the
door and held it open crack.
W hats Wanted?' she said in sour
voice.
In trembling tones I falteringly re-
plled that had seen an advertisement
OF rooms to rent in that house.
| IL you would have read straight
you would have seen that it said, ITO
gentlemen only" and she actually
shut the door within half an inch of
my nose.
AT the next place l had even worse
luck A soiled bundle of wearing APP
parel opened the door.
: 1 see you have rooms to rent, l
began. As the door closed one sem
tence shot through it as if fired out of
revolver.
Gentlemen preferredn
Il turned away, repeating to my
self:
oh where shall rest be found?
Rest for the weary SOLE
And saw in the alcove window of q
charming house the glad tidings.
| Rooms TO rent.
"A sWeet-faced woman opened the
door. Surely here was deliverance! [
made known my wants.
Have you any children?' she asked
pleasantly.
mo, but might adopt some
mot on my account, she answer
ed. i detest the brats.'
''Egerything was favorable except
the terms, which were outrageousIy
high, when the woman asked coolly:
What did you say your husband S
name wasp
L haven any husband
Then she assured me that she
never took women who had no hus-
bands, and closed the bargain-and the
door.
Il hunted over the papers again.
:" Elegant rooms, suitable for two
gentlemen
Furnished rooms for gentleman
and wife.
A suite of rooms in a desirable Io-
caity-will be vacant May l. Hot and
cold water, gas, marble mantel, bay
window, and all modern improvements.
Suitable for couple of young gentle
men who are willing to pay we'll
''And come home all hours of tho
night without q latch-key and in an
obfusticated condition; who would
strike matches on the piano and retire
with their boots on, and play the Span
ish fandango on the light guitar Sun
days. But they leave their coats or
the hat-rack with their letters in the
pockets, and occasionally take the
landlady and her daughter to tenn
perance festival when they have free
tickets. | do believe the majority of
people who have rooms to rent would
rather take 4 young man for his socie-
ty than have Il woman who paid her
rent promptly"
The lady was SO Indignant that re-
porter took down some half-dozen
names and called ut the houses with
rooms to rent.
mo, | don't want to rent rooms in
my house to a woman unless she is q
business-woman and out all day." said
the first one called on. i won't have
any woman poking round my house,
listening all the time, and putting her
head over the bannister every time the
door behring's. I've tried it, and
know what I'm talking about they're
always wanting to borrow 5 cents, or a
match, or q postage stamp, or get
something in the kitchen. No, | won't
have any woman in my house. Young
men 90 out and in, and up stairs four
steps at q time; why, roomed 4 young
man for two years and | don't think |
ever saw him on pay-days. l used to
sometimes just get glimpse at his
coat tails as he went out of the door,"
1--WE are always in hot water, said
another room-renter. ''When we rent
rooms to woman. | dom know what
they do with it, but it's hot water
morning, noon, and night. They will
engage not to do any kind of house
keeping and then start q regular res
taurant. / had one woman who used
to take day-board somewhere else, but
she would cook sausage over the gas.
Then the washing! Really, some of
them will have a tub and board, and
hang their wash in the halls. It's
dreadfulin
They want so much waiting OF"
urged lady who rents all the rooms
in her house except her own, land are
forever borrowing. A man stays out
all day, and usually in the evening
He doesn't burn the gas, nor ask for
tine toilet soap or matches, or want
lace curtains and pictures. That is
just why nearly all the advertisements
say gentlemen preferred.
The final reason was this:
1.-The more like den mans room
looks the better he likes it. If you
just leave the bootjack and his slippers
IN the middle of the room. and one
clean towel on the stand, and a drop
of water in the pitcher, he will come
in, strike up the gas, and be as quiet
as mouse. A woman would want
something to eat. A mans baggage is
mostly old boots and bottles. A wo-
maxwell, if she hasn't anything she
keeps it all over the house Then
when the lady of the house does the
work herself she doesn't like it very