Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1888-03-25
LADIES WHO BOARD.
A LandIady. Tells Why They Arc Unde
sirable as Lodgers-Not Businesslike.

A Landlady. Tells Why They Arc Unde-
sirable as Lodgers-Not Businesslike.
'tWhat is the matter that women who
have no home find it 90 difficult to obtain
what passes for one even by paying for it
What advantage has man oyer q woman
as roomer or boarders am beginning to
find the burden of my woman's estate too
heavy to bear. l have hitherto considered
it very enjoyable and honorable, but the
experience of the last three days has made
me willing to change places with the veri-
est wretch that ever wore trousers. Now,
will you, out of your own experience and
observation, solve this mystery, for you
do not seem like one to hold an unauthor-
lied opinion?h
''Of course" replied the lady, 'there
are boarders and boarders just as there
are landladies and landladies. For my
part like ladies in the house. Every
house is pleasanter and should be the bet
ter for their presence. But the fact re-
mains that they are more trouble than
men. When they are in their rooms all
day, where they have rights to be, they
are generally wanting something not in
the bond. They-I am talking now Of
the careless, selfish, or simply inconsid-
crate ones-insist upon extra service; they
will ring for the girl to come up three
flights of stairs to put lump Of coal on
the crate, to open window or shut it, or
to find their nightdress. They'll go into
the bathroom, even those who have no
need to economic, and wash out all sorts
Of things, laces and handkerchiefs and
stockings; this in time fills up the waste
pipe with shreds and rawlings, and the
end thereof is a plumbers bill. They
will either ring for 1atiron or else they
will come down into the kitchen with
their trailing skirts and attend to the
pressing out Of their gowns there. They
will bother the girl, want little more
fire and an ironing board, a little starch
and holder, and it will frequently end
by the girl Offering to do the work for
them just to get them out of the way.
They want little thread, or q darning
needle, or a teaspoon, or some mustard,
or table salt, or camphor. 1t seems to me
there's nothing from a pin to e porous
plaster that have not been asked for by
my lady dodgers.
'They want frequent changes made in
the arrangements of their room. The bed
doesn't stand the right way, the curtains
are too thin or too thick, the back of the
rocking chair is too high or too low. They
lose their pass keys and burn the gas to
heat curling irons and pipe stems where
with to curl their hair They receive
calls, properly enough, but they forget
that it requires the time of the servant to
answer the bells for these callers. And as
women spend money less freely than men
they do not consider that extra service
should receive extra pay. If the truth
must be told, / find it much easier and
more pleasant to transact business-fron
small matters to greater ones-with man
than with a woman. Women are not
businesslike, and they will pay $50 for a
bonnet willingly and haggle over wash
bill. Again, in house full of lady dodgers
or boarders there are occasional strifes
and envyings, jealousies and gossipings
not pleasant. These are a few OF the rea-
sons why women are considered uDdesir-
able as dodgers and boarders. "-Carlotta
Perry in Chicago Tribune.