Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-01-30
ner counted noses for dinner.-Harry
l.. Wells, in San Francisco Call.
TAKEN FOR A TRAMP.
. Clerk Who Expected to Paralyize q
Strange Guest, hut Was Pulverized.

A Clerk Who Expected to Paralyize q
Strange Guest, but Was Pulverized.
There is no denying the fact that he
looked scedy. His hat was of the
shocking bad" order, the cut of his
coat of antique style, his general make
up of the modern tramp school. Try
ing to dodge Il cart in crossing upper
Broadway yesterday, a gentlemen of
the above description Numbered against
a vehicle coming from the opposite di-
r%ection, and smeared his hand with tar
grease oozing from one of the hubs. 1t
is a good thing to have clean hands,
although manuel uncleanliness is no
uncommon thing in this great, bad city.
Walking into an adjacent hotel, the
man of smcared hand proceed.d to
wash himself in one of the marble
basins for lavatory use.
Cant you read?:" asked a stylish
young nan with a cutaway coat, richly
particolored scarf and a g%littering dia-
mond scarf pin.
II can, answeredEt the stranger, as
he vigorously rubbed the ball Of soap
over his smeared hand. .'Why do you
ask?"
Because there is a printed notice
and heed"
"Ah! 1 see," was the strangers cool
rejoinder, raising his eyes and reading
the notice. ''For exclusive use of the
guests" and then he continued in tho
same cool tone: II had not observed
the notice before. 1t is not an original
kidea. by any l have seen it
frequently in hotels, but it's intensely
stupid-has no meaning in it. One
Of the rules of the house, is it? What
nonsense! What constitutes a hotel
guest?:"
II don't want any of your conun-
drums, old fellow" Indignantly inter-
rupted the young man, his flashing dia-
mond paled by the fiery flashing Of his
eyes. "You are not Il guest of the ho-
tel; so get out of here"
"Who are you, that you should talk
to me in that way?:" askedthe stranger,
in che same tone of imperturbable
calmness, and scanning his interlocutor
with a keenly-scrutinizing gaze as he
began to wipe his hands on the immac-
, ulate towel suspended from Il roller.
II belong to the hotel. I am the
clerk" quickly answered the young
; man, with that professional air OF
, colossal Importance and supreme con
| tempt for ordinary mortals which it is
expected will be followed by an imme.
+ date p~aralvzing effect.
''Then l don't mind" said the stran.
ger. 81 am not as frightened as ]
might have been. l thought surely the
hotel belonged to you, instead of YOU
belonging to the hotel"
: II don't want any more words; YOU
get out of here, quick"
o young man," and the words were
uttered in d slow and deliberate tone
e II want to give you some advice; it
very old and trite, but it is very goo,
: for a fast young nan like you. 'Thinl
before you speak, .Never Judge from
Appearances Impress these aphorism
on your feeble mind. The fact is
But l tell you again, get out Q
4 here" fairly screamed the young ma
IL in his increasing rage, ''or I'll call
d policeman"
81 won't get out of here, and n
policeman will put me out, either. Yol
insultingly called my attention to tina
l. printed notice, For exclusive use of tn
1t guests Now, understanding clearly
the moment Il stranger steps foot V
the threshold of Il hotel he is tn
guest of that hotel and entitled to it
privileges and comforts; for all TIL
privileges and comforts he chooses t.
/ avail himself of he can be charged
1t There is no law restricting him in tn
freedom of his choice. and neither j
l. there any law compelling him to sta,
> longer than he wishes. 1 desire t.
avail myself of no further privileges a
this hotel, and l propose to leave a
4 once. Now, l want to see the proprie
If tor and pay my bill"
''There's nothing to pay, and if Their
4 was you probably haven't a dime abou
your clothes. There's the door"
n "My young friend, 1 see that avenue
d of egress, and propose to utilize it il
my own good time; but l see you will
not take advice. I've only II wore
more with YOU" taking the young maj
% by the collar, who paled and q%uivere,
J. under his wrathful grasp and menacin!
eye. II have only just arrived in thi
A. city, but if | meet any more like you
shall do two things-enlarge tn
boundaries Of my private buryins
is ground and found an asylum so Ion!
needed in this country for that larg'
class of imbecile cursed foolS-hote
clerks"
! Il have used your wash basin, soa]
and towel" the stranger said to tn
N proprietor, whom he found in the of
= ice, land l want to pay my bill"
''There is nothing to pay" politel,
d answered the proprietor.
a But insist on it," taking out
large roll of bills and extracting Il tel
q dollar note and laying it on the coun
ter. eff it's more than the bill would
n be, use the balance in trying to germ
mate brains and develop good man
ners in your hotel clerk"
:.But, sir-'
The stranger disappeared. Later il
the evening the gentleman-a promi
t. ncnt lawyer Of this city. and cx-Judg
IS of one OF the higher courts-recited tn
above story to Il party OF gentlemen
W dining with him at DelmonicO's. H
4 had just come from the mines of Cali
%fornia, having gone there in a spirit o
adventure and to improve his health
and he retained his mjninv oarb unti