Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-03-16

wealthy and well-dreSsed planters from the
South came in and were particular TO Sc
, cure good rooms near each other on the
second floor. The prices were high, but
| that did not matter, and they were all
suited hu; one, rough old fellow. who
kicked vigorously about the price and de-
clared that he would never pay more than
dollar day for a room and meals in any
tavern His friends laughed at him. but
ne persisted, and declared that he would
| have as good room as any OF them, with
meals, for dollar day, or he would go
| somewhere else.
Now, the clerk was a shrewd fellow.
| and he pretended TO take the old mans
close-tistedness as y coed Joke. 50 he
gave him corner suite q rooms on the
same floor as the Others, and. in all. accom-
! modations worth at the currSn, ,riees
about $40 day, for 81. The others were
immensely tickled at the Joke and wind of
ii soon got abroad. SO that everybody who
| came TO the hotel wanted TO see an& get ac-
quainted with the man that could. secure
the best hotel accommodations 81. Louis
could afford for 81 day. The reSu!. wss
that the old chap found himself the lion
| OF the hour, and rs the Planters was the
| rendezvous for all the big men and roll
ticianS Of the town, he came TO know more
| distinguished people in few DAYS than
he had seen in all his life before. lie was
rich and 4 conviyial old cuSs, too, So that
wine flowed like water IN his rooms. with
his old aud new-torned friends, from noon
till daylight, for week Then the time
| came for him 20 so, and amid a crowd of
laughing acquaintance lie went down to
| the office, paid his little seven dollars and
! went away.
"'Didn't make much out of that old
| chap, Charlie said one Of the bystanders
to the hotel clerk. Seven dollars for ac-
commodations worth $40 is too big dis
| count TO grow rich on, even if it is FOR a
| joke
"'Don't fret, my friend, said Charlie; q
know my business. How much, now, do
you think that old fellow spent for wines
and liquors here to toast MS new.found
| friends, who would never have noticed
| him but for this little incident
| "'DOn't know said the man addressed.
| Fact is | never thought of that, anyway,
"Just $2lS 49, said Charlie. Il gave
orders to have his cash payments for
liquor watched closely and that's the sum
total of them to a cent
| Iou're hard man to beat. Charlie
was the chorus from the admiring crowd.
"St. Louis had Il sort of epidemic of
SpiritUalisn few years ago" continued
the talker, "and one of the negro porters
about the Planters, smart fellow with
some white blood in him, used TO work on
the feelings OF the other boys so much by
his talk on the subject that he had most
of the boys pretty badly scared He pre-
tended to be a medium himself and word
Of it came to the ears of the proprietor,
who called him uD one day and told him
| he must stop talking such nonsense to the
other porters or get out.
off you're fool enough to believe in it
yourself, which don't believe you do
said Mr.. H, won't have you soaring
the other boys
al don go for to scah EN-, Mistah
H, says the boy. They allus askin
| me bout it, an can't hep bein' er mejum,
| nohow.'
"'I You a medium said Mr.. II.
Don't talk such rot to me, boy. How did
you find out you're medium
az kin do some mysterious things, sah,'
said the darky. Il kin make bell ring
| thout touchin' it,
Goo along, boy said Mr.. H. Don't
tell me any of your lies
"' Bet You my mex weeks wages gainst
ten dollar bill / can, Mistah H. Bet
you can set dozen Of dem call bells
dere Jinglin' 'thout ever touchin' one oh
DEM
Well, I'll take you up, boy" said Mr.
H, but don't try to beg your wages
after you've lost them. Now 60 ahead
begin the seance; summon the spirits
| Stand back, boys, or the ghosts may get
| their long fingers in your WOOL This to
| group of the other porterS who were half
grinning and half quaking in expectation.
The smart darky Immediately stepped
| into little cupboard under the stairway
| 1t was about o'clock in he evening-took
| OIL his white jacket, stopped down and did
something, we could not see what, of
course, and then stepped forward, keeping
his eyes on the bells and waving his arms
at them, jabbering something intended for
an Impressive incarnation. In about a
litiy score of the bells were jingling like
mad. The darby grabbed the SO bill lie
had won from the hands OF the stake
holder, and Mr.. H said rather angrilv:
"'Now stop their confounded noise, can't
you? Quick
az amt mejum nufi yet to do dat, sah,'
said the darby with a grin.
Just then furious guest came bound |
ing down stairs, shouting, whats the gas
turned off for in this outrageous way, up
stairs
"'Stop that black rascalr yelled Mr.. |
H, as the negro 'mejum' made break |
for the back entrance, but he was gone be-
fore any one could catch him. The scamp
had turned off the gas from the upper
part OF the house, and it took a deal of
trouble to 90 around to all the rooms and |
shut off the burners before the gas could |
be turned on again and relighted''