New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-09-07
LNTERCHINGEABkE LODGINGS.

Women have but an Indifferent reputation for
business ability. We believe that this arises
rather from tl" want Of opportunity 10 display
their business aptitude than from any real lack
Of II. How often does n woman who has been
reduced 10 widowhooI support herself aud chill
drrn on perhaps n quarter of the income which
the family rnrycd while the husband was living:
and very likely along with IL all pick up q second
husband worth a dozen times much the
first one. 4 recent occurrence in Newark brings
TO hight a remarkable case of feminine business
ability
Two years ago Mr. Henry Jefferson died in
Newark. leaving only small means OF support for
his family But Mrs. jefferson was not a woman
10 despair She advertised furnished rooms 10
1T. She found that she had ten rooms which
were available and she Ind them all occr-
pied. She got 81 per week for each room. which
gave her total weekly income of $50. This
sufficient for the support OF her family, hut
more was Of course desirable. Mrs jefferson
began to think.
One day. month after the death OF her hus-
band, a brilliant idea flashed upon her. Her
rooms were, without exception, let to drygoods
clerks. They all arose Mt about half-payt & in
the morning and went away, never returning be-
fore in the evening. Mrs. Jefferson accord
ingy advertised quiet rooms for night-workers
The result was that within two weeks time she
had let her ten furnished rooms to ten night tele-
graph operators who never got in before half past
in the morning, and always went away before
6 at night. This doubled her income, with prac.
tically no additional expense. The hour between
the departure OF one set Of lodgers and the arrival
Of the other lot, morning and night. gave her
ample timc with the aid Of q servant, TO make the
beds and transfer the clothing. toilet articles
trunks and things in general, so that when
the clerks arrived at night or the teegraphers in
the morning neither Set found any evidence OF
the occupancy OF the other contingent. Nothing
happened 10 mar the harmony for two years
But like many others, Mrs. Jefferson became too
grasping.
A month ago both the clerk and the operator
who occupied the front paror on the first floor, and
who. Of course. had never heard OF each Others
existence, lett the city. Mrs. Jefferson failed TO
find any more clerks or operators who wanted
rooms, but In day or two she hnd q coll from
n young man who vas employed IN ON electric
light works aud went on duty at midnight, going
to bed about in the afternoon and getting up ut
half-past II. She let him the front parlor The
next day young man called who was o railroad
ticket agent md finished his days work at
midnight, retiring a half hour later. lie did
pot seem TO clash with the electric expert SO Mrs
Jefferson let him have the front parvr lie proved
light slcc2er. and was always out by o a. M
1t 30 fell out That week later . young doctor
who was hunting for on Office came along Mrs
Jefferson ascertAlncd that his office hours were
from 9 o. NJ. until noon, and let him the front
porlor. Everything went on smoothly for another
week, when pale young man. who works on
Newark morning paper. came 10 Mrs. Jefferson
| 10 get quiet room in which 10 write. lie
was constructing play for q prominent pugilist
and wished TO work on IL afternoons before go
ing ~ the office. Mrs. Jefferson found that no
purposed writing from half-past II until little
after 3, and accordingly let him the front parlor.
Matters now moved like ciOcltwork. The electric
| expert went TO bed At p. m. and got up little
| before midnight. Mrs. Jefferson arose, removed
] his goods and chattels and set the bed. II We