Brenham weekly banner. [volume] (Brenham, Tex.) 1877-1907, 1890-11-20
FEATURES OF HOTEL LEE.
Guests Who Create Trouble Over Their
Own ThoughtIessness.

81 tell you, my son, behind the coun-
ter of hotel office is a good place to
study human nature, and he must be
very obtuse who stays there very long
without gaining vast amount of e1-
perience," said the clerk. 'There are
men and there are hogs, gentlemen and
cads, in fact, all sorts and all condi-
tons of humanity are to. be met at a
public hotel, and the clerk soon gets to
know them all and estimates them ac-
cordingly. Of course realize there is
no particular credit in being honest,
but at the same time l like to see hon
esty acknowledged. I remember an
old gentleman lost a jackknife in his
room once at the Sherman house, and
the girl sent it down to the office. 1t
was not worth ten cents, but the owner
was so pleased with the girls scrupu-
lous regard of property rights that he
gave me 81 to send up 10 her.
"About a week later this same girl
sent down fat pocketbook, which she
had found on the floor of No. 46. At
the first opportunity opened it for ex-
animation, and found it contained near
ly IS, 900 in bills, bonds and certificates
of deposit. Two hours later in came
the owner, man of about SIS, with
gray hair and beard He asked for his
key in an excited manner, and without
another word rushed for the elevator.
Pretty soon he returned white as a
sheet. oh, sir he sighed, I've lost
my pocketbook, and with it all have
in the world
"'Where did you lose itp asked.
I don't know; I can't tell; I thought
it was in my room, but 1 have hunted
all through it unsuccessfully.'
is your room made upp inquired.
"'No; that is, the bed is not, but the
sheets have been taken out, notice
'Then l asked him to describe the
pocketbook and its contents, which he
did very accurately, and as he finished
pulled out the lost article and laid it
before him. 1 wish you could have
seen his face change color; it was a
revelation. He laughed and cried by
turns, and then asked the girls name,
SO that he might reward her substan-
tally for her honesty. Well, the old
fellow stayed week longer, but after
receiving, his bill one night he dis
appeared. and not only never remem-
bered the chambermaid, but even for
got to settle bis board bill. It is base
acts like this that occasionally make
one lose all faith in human nature.
'Lots of men will come down stairs,
eat breakfast and go about their bust
ness and then return in half an hour
or so in a great hurry, saying they left
their money or gold watch under the
pillow, and anxiously inquire if the
money or bills have been found. To
the credit of the chambermaids I am
glad to say that rarely have 1 found
them dishonest, and anything left in
the rooms under their care is as safe as
if In the Office vault. And yet how
often are they accused falsely"
Il shall always remember how
roasted a man once at the Sherman
house" resumed Charlie Hilton, when
George paused for breath. II was on
the afternoon watch when 1 saw the
check boy approaching the desk hang
ing on to an overcoat at which guest
of the hotel was tugging viciously.
Both man and boy were excited and
each tried to speak at once.
This coat belongs to me, and in
sist upon taking it. asserted the man,
making another desperate struggle at
the desired article.
Why don't you show up your
check thenP sung out the lad in the
same breath.
"'You didn't give me check
~ did if you left your coat
"'You did not. laid my coat on
the counter and you forgot to give me
a check. This is my coat and am go
ing to have it.
by this time crowd had collected,
and after the man had ceased l ordered
the youth to release the garment and
let the claimant try it on. With sheer
of triumph he grabbed the article and
crawled inside, when he found to his
intense establishment it was at least
four times too large, and plainly belong
ed to some one else.
among the spectators of this COM
edy was an old fellow who had been
writing letters all the forenoon, and
when the row began he slipped away,
returning just as the guest Was trying
to sneak OF amid the jeers of the
crowd.
Hi, therel See here. said the old
gentleman, holding up a brown over
coat. 1 guess this is yours. found
it on the armchair where you threw it
this morning when you came in to
write some letters
'The man snatched the coat and
was breaking away when I called to
him and gave him the worst tongue
lashing he had ever received. I was
pretty mad. and let loose for all
was worth. Everybody enjoyed it ex-