The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1890-11-04
EVENING UP THINGS.
How n Drummer Resented n IIoteI.Kecp-
er's Knpacity.


er's Knpacty.
had room next to commercial
traveller in n st. Louis hotel, and when
both of us were packing up to go, after
q stay of throo or four days, heard a
sudden crash in his room and went in to
ascertain the cause. He had the lounge
on its back and had broken off leg.
you see," he explained, in an answer
to my look of inquiry, ~ am getting
oven with the house."
How do you mean?"
'Sit down, my dear fellow" no con-
tinued, as he reached up and cracked
ono of the gas globes with tho door key.
"Let us theorize bit. Tho object of a
hotel is to furnish temporary homo for
man away from his own. The idea is
to feed and lodge him and mako him
comfortable for a money consideration.
The rate here is four dollars per day.
Did you fee the porter for bringing up
your trunk?"
"Yes."
$50 did l. That was sheer blackmail.
Did you fec your waiter?"
"Yes."
$50 did !. We had to, or one wouldn' t
been half waited on. That's more black
mail. How was the gas in your room?'
Very poor"
Exactly. 1t is turned off SO that no
one can got half light. That's fraud
on tho guests. Did you drink at the
bar?'
IN glass Of beer
And they charged you ten cents, and
the glass was only pony. They made
fully 700 per cent. profit on that beer.
That is cXtortion. Did you have ice
water at night?"
Eyes. two or three times"
And you gave the bell boy a dime
each time. You felt that you had TO- lie
feltth you ought to and stood waiting
for it. That was moro cxtortion Did
tho mosquitoes bother you any?'
YES, nearly ate inc up
"An why not? There's not screen of
any sort at any window in the whole
house. In other words, the landlord
hasn' the slightest care for your COM
fort. lie won't go to the least cost or
trouble TO give you good nights sleep.
Buy any cigars in the hotel?'
Yes"
"Wcll, they made from $50 to 200 per
cent. on them. Have any laundry?"
YES"
well they charged you from rs to 100
per cent above outside prices. Perhaps
You had a coupe?"
"Ycs''
Ordered it through the Office prob
ably?'
Eyes"
"Well, you paid from - TO 80 per cent
above regular outside rates. A man
took your hat at the dining room door.
He is stationed there to bleed the pub
lie, and he bled you. If yougot shaved,
you paid twenty-five per cent over out
side rates Same if you got shine on
your shoes. AS matter of fact, you
have been blackmailed and robbed from
basement to top story Now, then, how
arc you going to get even?"
81 don't know"
Then learn. have broken leg of
that lounge. Tho fact won't be discoy-
cred for week or two. No one can saw
broke this globe. l take this bottle OF
ink and pour it on tho carpet and movo
the bureau along. With my knife rim
slit in this mattress. It's on the under
side, and won't be scon for a month.
take this paper and crowd it into the
overflow pipe of the wash-stand and
three or four days hence they will have
to call plumber. Now, with my knife
crack two of the upper pancs of this
window Tho pieces will work loose be-
fore snow flies. l rack these bureau
drawers so and SO, and shut them up,
and that will give the carpenter job
That's all, guess, and I'll leave it to
any fair-mindcd man if have more
than cvcncd up accounts.''-N. Y. Sun.
IDENTIFIED AT LAST.