New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-02-02
At HIS EASE IN HIS INN.
QUAINT WAYS OF A TAvERN-KEEPER.
Row HE LORDS 1T OVER HIS GUESTS AND
SERVES COLD DINNERS TO Elk

SERVES COID ~
OURSIoN PARTIES.
There Is n wellknown hotelkeeper not hunoreo
niles from New York. whose house Is Dun' upoh
narrow strip Of land close to the oroau Nv
aantic and near famous lighthouse 1here - nv
pther hotel on this tongue OF sand which Is reay an
STAND where the tide not only GIBBS and hows' pu.
where there is perpetual aerial river OF the oceans
,zone flowing to and fro all the time It's si'ua
hon has made the house prosperous ior nearly d
reneration and bids fair to do so for genera'oh W
come OF course 1t is only open during the SUM-
ner. 49,. A.,
No one knows the value Of his property better than
the landlord himself. He Is a genlal reno" "i."i
but there is no nonsense he expresses IT, about ms
vay to keep a hotel. Like TeRnyeson's brook nc
reasons that guests may come and guests may co.
but tavernkeepers go on forever Anu eo
IL comes about that his guests 40 ho'
run away with him, or use nm oespteluly'
or impose upon him in any way. Not much. Ii ti'ey
have any nonsenscal ideas in their heads he soon
knocks them out Modern innovations such as electric
bells bell boys and a multiplicity Of servants are not
for him. The old style is good enough for nm, ana
II has to be good enough for his guests Ihey aro
always of the best kind far as their social status
is concerned and many Of them come back 10 MN
year after year.
Last season. however, there came to the house upon
the sand young Englishman of quiet obedlent' ana
favor with the keeper Of the hosiery. But the poor
fellow had no such luck. Before he had been there
a day. he went TO the proprietor and SAID Il Sioulo
like the key of my room'
@What?1 said the astonished Boniface.
al should like the key of my room, you Please
replied the guest, meekly.
What do YOU want key to your room for,
shou,d like TO know was the tart response 81 want
you to understand sir, that 1 don't harbor any
dangerous characters in my house, SIR ana
the people about here are honest, sr' hoheS''
II you've got any money or vauabeS you're aialo Oh
losing bring them down and put them In the saie'
sir put them in the safe That's what we nave IL lor
Your clothes are safe enough, sir. What more DO you
wantl"
81 was only going to say" answered the guest with
unrufHcd composure that the door OF my room is
locked"
The proprietor didn't say another word but leaving
him to get out of the scrape best he could boted
out Of the Office TO the barroom and took drink all by
himself in corner
Rut there is one thing that is the bane Of this ex
ceIlent mans life and that is popular excursions To
be sure he only a boat to the mainland seven
miles distant twice day, but sometimes the exeut
sons will come in spite OF all ne can 40 10 NJ
for them. on occasion some excursion people IN
vaded the beach, which he has become uSed 10 UU a
bassador if he would serve them WIN dinner; ne
back word that they could have dinner av hos d 9
other recourse when the appointed TING arrived uhev
crowded into the dinng-r0om When they came out
they found the proprietor waiting at the door OF te
dining room and in almost every case dialogue ike
this ensued:
One dollar"
some dollar What fort"
For your dinner" . ,
"What, One dollar for that cold clam chowder,
raw roast beef and cold potatoes with colo gravy H.
One dollar" said the impassve monarch OF the
sand strip. A.. ,
The dollar was paid by one person after another
and by one party after another with more or less as
cussion. At length man protested moro vlgor-
ously than the Others and wound up his remarks by
saving: "This is the first time in my life was ever
required to pay dollar for cold clam chOwder,
little piece OF tough beef and piece of pie"
whats that you said? Ple?" exclaimed the busy
Yes, pie A small narrow piece of stale pie with
the rest Of it,"
" What table did Won eat atl" and his questioner
droppedr his air of indifference in an instant
"Number ten"
"John.s turning to his head clerk. 60 and dis
charge that waitress at Number ten right away. And
night She'll breed decentralization in the whole camp
IL she stays day longer I am very much obliged
to yOu,' said he to the excursion man. NO refusing
10 take his dollar must consider yourself guest
of the house. Won't You take drink with me?"
The stranger declined and the interrupted procession
Of his fellow travellers filed along and each one laid
down his tribute, convinced that further resistance
useless.
When ii was all over and his house freed from
the unwecome guests, the ruler of its destnieS retired
To the barroom with broad smile upon his face. He
winked 10 the bartender. who also smiled and then
all OF the bOarders who in there smiled with them
SO the world at this hotelrv by the and
the guests Of last who delight in recOunng the
selves wondering what surprises he may have in store
for them next summer.