Wichita eagle., 1890-01-19

long bench and a red, little stove, opened on
from the hall. Several brawny fellows Ii
blue gingham shirts and rusty trousers were
gathered around the fire. From the center
of the group advanced a grizzled veteran whC
seemed living image of the ancient mari
ner." He surveyed the reporter, who had at
tired himself for the occasion, very critically.
Thereforetthe scrutiny proved satisfactory to
the old Roman.
A FRIENDLY WELCOME.
''Waut beds' he asked.
The reporter did.
Had your soup yeti"
The reporter hadn't.
The ancient mariner led the way to a ban
quet hall wherein was a long table and a
cook stove. A huge tureen was on the stove.
! The visitor was given quart OF the contents
of the tureen and three slices of bread. The
table equipments were not precisely such as
the Palmer house offers its guests. The soup
bowls were heavy and yellow; the spoons
were iron clad ladies' The soup itself was
not bad Its composition was a dark mys-
terry, and is yet The soup was of a consistency
about that of river water. But it had no
trace of dirt and did not taste unlike ordinary
restaurant bouillon.
III q uJ "SlS
half dozen ''shake down" beds The room
was well ventilated, and the beds were quite
comfortable in appearance. Another room
across the hall was similarly fitted up. These
were the quarters Of the ten cent dodgers.
The landlord informed his latest boarder
that for fifteen cents he could have an entire
room TO himself. Accordingly the reporter
selected a room so located that its occupant
could hear everything occurring In the
house, and could, by peering through hole
in the door, see the greater part Of the ada
cent rooms.
The room selected, like all the rest, was
uncarpeted: dimensions, 9 feet by 5. The
bed was the same in appearance as those as
signed to the ten cent dodgers, the extra five
cents merely aTording greater privacy TO
the afhuent boarder
The bedding was ample in quantity-a
husk mattress, two sheets. two blankets and
a huge red quilt. The sheets were dingy and
ripped in places. A curtain hung at the
window, from which a good view could be
obtained of the Madison street bridge. The
host handed his guest key and asked at
what time he desired to be called with the
average courtesy of a downtown hotel
clerk
Hardly was the reporter locked into bis
room when a number of dodgers arrived.
Seating themselves around the stove in the
adjoining room they listened with rapt at
tention while one of their number brawny
coal HEAVIER whose brogue had not long been
absent from the banks of killarney-read a
romance of the plains aloud. The reading
lasted about two hours and the Reader was
not once disturbed OF interrupted by his au-
dierce. Finally the story was ended and the
dodgers sought their touches. Then came a
number of thumps On the floor as each man
kicked OF his shoes Then dead silence
MIDNIGHT MINSTREL
Presently some one stumbled up stairs, and
in loud voice commenced to detail the woes
Of Mr.. McGinty, the perfume of his breath
in the meantime penetrating the reporter S
nostrils. A chorus of shut upl" rang out
vigorously. Then was heard a bang as some
body hurled a shoe at the singer. Silence
again.
Five minutes later the landlord discovered
ten cent boarder smoking in bed. Put
out de snipe!" quoth the ancient mariner.
a short scufile ensued, which terminated
in the expulsion Of the devotee Of the weed.
For the next hour no sound, except an oc-
casional snore and the putting of q locomo-
tive across the street, disturbed the repose Of
the guests The reporter had begun to doze,
when something rubbed his ear ard ne awoke
to conflict with powerful ''ciTnex lectu-
larius." The unwelcorne visitor was soon
dispatched, and to the credit Of the house be
it said, no more Of lie kind disturbed the
sleeper's dreams.
About 4;50 the dodgers began to arise and
descend to the sitting room. On bench,
just where none could pass IL or out without
arousing him, lay the landlord You bet
nobody does any proving while l sleep
here be remarked, proudly.
As the dodgers crowded around the red hot
little stove they appeared TO be quite de-
cent set Ragged and poorly dressed, no
doubt, but only two who appeared to be
traJnps among them. They were, by trade,
Transfers, coal beavers. expressmen, railroad
hands, tanners and sailors. Certainly they
were early risers.
4 broad shouldered. powerful fellow came
out of a side room and walked down stars
without a word.
That's queer duck" said the host. s'He's
boarded with me SIX years. lie has little
oil stove In ms room and cooks his Own soup
me nor TO any one else. ! don't know his
name, nor his nationality, nor his trade /
don't even know II be can speak Eng lrsh.
When be pays up he just hands me the
uaoDey and says nothing.
At $50 new character appeared On the
scene This was q stout old wonan-doubt-
less the landlords Eife-who announced tia.
coffee was ready. TIE dodgers hoeked TITO
the SIDE room, AID each received quart Of
red not brown liquid, gultless Of milk c,
sugar. What threats these Isen must have,
for they drank the boiling stuff from their
bowls without moments hexlsaison.
At O'Clock TIE Morning News Han pro
pared to DEPART The ancient mariner cur
teously bid hin good-by and hoped to So
Kim again
There were about thirty-ave loagers II ths
house. and the host stated tnat De often bad
City. Certainly thers are not many cities
where, for ten cents. ne waniere- can OBJ
zin two u1aals super AMI breakfast and .
airly comfortable bed-CnacAgo News
Little yohprry's Cofapo>s;iou the L&on-
Gees Kisses. bot d1cks 9aackx, and vea